COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN MODERN AND CONVENTIONAL HVAC SYSTEMS FOR USE AT COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN BAGHDAD CITY / IRAQ

Abstract

This research use the life cycle cost analysis and a detailed cooling, heating and electrical load profiles to determine the initial, running and maintenance costs for evaluation the economic feasibilities of using three different types of central air conditioning systems in a commercial building located in Baghdad city / Iraq, so as to select the best air conditioning system. The systems were modern air conditioning system (variable refrigerant flow), all air conditioning system (package roof top unit) and all water air conditioning system (fan coil unit). The present-worth cost method for lifecycle cost period for fifteen years analysis is applied. The transfer function method was used with hourly analysis program (HAP v4.9) for estimation the cooling and heating loads in each space of the building with adopted the indoor air quality in the design as adequate fresh air per person, acceptable noise level and air quality. The comparison between the different methods for the total cost (during fifteen years) for air conditioning systems showed that the variable refrigerant flow system has lowest total cost compare with other methods used for the period operation, so as the variable refrigerant flow air conditioning system worked into variable cooling and heating load between 0% and 100% of total load.