ARI Activity

As part of an initiative to conduct precompetitive, industry-wide research, the HVAC&R Research for the 21st Century program is soliciting bids for two new research projects:

• High-condensing temperature heat transfer performance of low critical temperature refrigerants.

• Automated integration of real-time information into building management systems.

The program, administered by the Alexandria, Va.-based Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute’s (ARI) research arm, has already authorized two dozen research projects with a budget in excess of $3.3 million. The program’s main goal is to resolve technological hurdles and challenges standing in the way of next generation heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment and services.

In other activity, ARI has begun a geoexhange heat pump certification program, which brings the total number of certification programs administered by ARI to 21.

In a geoexchange system, the compressor unit is connected to a sealed underground closed loop heat exchanger utilizing small refrigerant tubes. Because the outdoor heat exchanger is underground, the unit does not loose efficiency and is not subject to freezing as ambient air temperature drops. Compared to traditional heat pumps, it is also an inherently quieter system due to the elimination of an exterior condenser/evaporator coil, fan, fan motor, capacitor, defrost timer and associated wiring.

For more information on certification, log on to: www.ari.org . To find out more about ARI’s research program, visit: www.arti-21cr.org .

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