Emerging Technologies:

VFDs for Condensers

Douglas T. Reindl
Director, IRC
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Weve looked at VFDs on

Evaporators and compressors, what is the
potential for application on condensers?

Head Pressure Control

Our heat rejection system controls head
pressure
Evaporative condenser fan controls

on/off (single speed fans)

two-speed fans

variable speed fans

Floating Head Pressure Control

Consequences of lowering head pressure

increased evaporative condenser energy use

decreased compressor energy use

reduced high stage compression (on average)

Does the decrease in compressor energy

use outweigh the increase in condenser
fan energy use???

Optimum Head Pressure

160
140

Axial Fan
Toa,wb=78F

Compressor+Condenser

Power (kW)

120
100
Compressor

80
Tcond,opt = 87.1 F

60
40

Condenser

20
0
82

84

86

88

90

92

94

96

Saturated Condensing Temperature (F)

Optimum Head Pressure

300
Centrifugal Fan
Toa,wb=78F

Power (kW)

250

200
Compressor+Condenser

150

100
Compressor
Tcond,opt = 89.9 F

50

0
82

Condenser

84

86

88

90

92

94

96

Saturated Condensing Temperature (F)

Optimum Head Pressure

Depends on:

Condenser fan type (axial vs. centrifugal)

Fan control strategy
Condenser sizing strategy
95F saturated condensing (historic)
90F saturated condensing (recommended)
85F saturated condensing (possible not practical)

Case Study:
Cold Storage Warehouse
Size
34F 39,000 (ft)
0F 52,000 (ft)
600,000 (lbs/day, food)

Type
ammonia, single-stage
compression, liquid
overfeed evaporators

4 Compressors Available
Instrumentation
Temp, Pressure,
Mass Flow!

Defrost Strategies
Head Pressure Control

Operating Costs
9,000 ($/month)

The refrigeration system examined as part of this case study is a cold storage warehouse
facility located near Milwaukee, WI. The facility contains four types of refrigerated spaces
low temperature freezer (0F), cooler (34F), docks (45F), and ripening rooms (45-64F).
From a thermal mass perspective, the warehouse construction type can be considered
lightweight for all spaces. There is mostly insulation and very little mass in the walls and
roofs.
The freezer and cooler with its loading dock are separate buildings located adjacent to each
other. The banana and tomato ripening rooms are located in a heated space adjacent to the
cooler. The refrigerant used throughout this system is ammonia (R-717). Evaporators in the
freezer are top fed, pumped liquid overfeed. Cooler, and cooler dock evaporators are all
bottom feed pumped liquid overfeed where as the evaporators in the banana and tomato
ripening rooms are direct expansion controlled by thermal expansion valves and back
pressure regulators.
(NOTE: This case study was conducted by Manske, K. A. in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for a MS degree in Mechanical Engineering under the direction of
Professors Reindl, D. T., and Klein, S.A. during 1998-1999. Portions of the thesis
prepared by Mankse titled Performance Optimization of Industrial Refrigeration
Systems, 1999 have been excerpted for this section. A complete copy of the Manske
thesis is available for download at: http://www.irc.wisc.edu/publications

Case Study:
Cold Storage Warehouse
Qreject
HPR
Condenser

PLO

Evap

D
X

Evap

23F

BPR

Qspac

45-55F Qspac
e

PLO

Evap

Yearly Average Loads

Design Loads
Fruit Ripening = 90 tons
Cooler = 107 tons
Freezer = 106 tons

-10F

Qspac
e

Fruit Ripening = 43 tons

Cooler = 58 tons
Freezer = 71 tons

There are three main vessels in the system as shown above. The first is the high pressure
receiver where liquid refrigerant draining from the condenser is stored. Liquid refrigerant from
the high pressure receiver is then throttled to either the intermediate pressure receiver or to
the direct expansion evaporators in the banana and tomato ripening rooms. The temperature
of the refrigerant in the banana/tomato room evaporators is regulated at a desired level by use
of a back-pressure regulator. The back-pressure regulator then throttles the refrigerant gas to
the intermediate pressure receiver which is at a lower temperature/pressure. Liquid in the
intermediate pressure receiver is then either pumped to the cooler and cooler dock
evaporators or throttled again to the low pressure receiver. Liquid refrigerant from the low
pressure receiver is pumped to freezer evaporators with a mechanical liquid recirculating
pump. Liquid levels in the intermediate and low pressure receivers are maintained at a near
constant level by a pilot operated, modulating expansion valve controlled by a float switch
located on the receiver tank.
A single-screw (Vilter model# VSS 451 connected to the low temperature vessel) and
reciprocating compressor (Vilter model# VMC 4412 connected to the high temperature vessel)
operate in parallel, each compressing to a common discharge header and a single
evaporative condenser. The suction line from the low pressure receiver leads to the screw
compressor. The suction line from the intermediate pressure receiver leads to the
reciprocating compressor. Additional compressors, in parallel piping arrangements to the
primary compressors, can be brought on-line if the load exceeds the capacity of the primary
compressors.

Control Options
Single speed fan with on/off control

most common head pressure control method

set cut-in (e.g. 150 psig) & cut-out pressures
(e.g. 140 psig)
simple control method but results in
higher energy consumption vs. two-speed or VFD
higher maintenance (fan motors & belts)
liquid management problems w/multiple condensers

10

Control Options Cont.

2-Speed fan control

set high speed cut-in (e.g. 160 psig)

low-speed cut-in pressure (e.g. 150 psig), and
low-speed cut-out pressure (e.g. 140 psig)
relatively simple control method but results in
higher capital cost compared to single speed fan option
lower energy consumption vs. single-speed but slightly higher

energy consumption compared to variable speed

yields less system transients compared to single speed

sequencing speed controls requires attention

11

Control Options Cont.

Variable speed fan (VFD)

set a target head pressure modulate fan speed

to maintain head pressure
a very simple principle & method to implement
highest capital cost alternative
lowest energy consumption control alternative
modulate all condensers the same in systems with
multiple evaporative condensers
results in smoother system operation with minimal
transients

12

Condenser Fan Control Map

Strategy
1
2
3
4
5

Small Motor
Large Motor
Small Motor
Large Motor
Small Motor
Large Motor
Small Motor
Large Motor
Small Motor
Large Motor

Mode 1
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off

Mode 2
Mode 3
Mode 4
on
off
on
off
on
on
off
on
on
on
on
on
on
off
half-speed
on
half-speed half-speed
on
off
half-speed half-speed
variable speed
variable speed

Mode 5

on
on

The above map provides five different strategies that could be used for an evaporative
condenser that is equipped with twin motors, two-speed fans, or variable speed fans. The
modes are indicative of changes in head pressure (either increasing as one moves from left
to right or decreasing as one moves from right to left).
For example, strategy 3 would work as follows. In mode 1 all fans are off. As the head
pressure rises, the system responds by energizing a small fan motor in attempts to maintain
system head pressure. If the head pressure continues to rise and the setpoint is not satisfied,
mode three is initiated by the start of the larger fan motor to half-speed. As the head pressure
rises further, mode 4 dictates that the larger fan motor is tripped to run at high speed. The
exact opposite sequence occurs as the head pressure falls.

13

Condenser Fan Control Options

The above figure illustrates the required fan energy (expressed as a percentage of full-load
fan power) as a function of the evaporative condenser capacity for the five strategies listed
previously. The least efficient option is the on/off control (strategy 1) while the most efficient
option is the variable speed drive option. The two-speed fan option yields nearly all of the
part-load power and capacity benefits of the variable speed option but with much less costly
equipment.
Notice that at zero fan power for all options, the capacity of the evaporative condenser is not
zero. This is due to the fact that natural convection will occur drawing air through the
condenser coils and rejecting heat yielding about 10% of the condensers heat rejection
capacity while the fans are idle. This assumes that the condenser coils are running wet i.e.
water continues to flow over the condenser coils.

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Condenser Fan Controls

May

Source: Manske, K., 2000

Of course we do not want to just minimize the power of the evaporative condenser at the
expense of the system; consequently, we must look at the impacts or tradeoffs associated
with spending more energy on evaporative condenser fans vs. the reduction in compressor
power that accrues due to the lower head pressure.
The case study system had an oversized evaporative condenser. As a result, it was possible
to drive head pressures extremely low in the system. So low in fact that the incremental
expenditure of fan energy was not compensated for by an incremental reduction in
compressor energy demand.
The above plot shows the comparison between heat rejection system control strategies. The
point furthest to the left on the curves in the figure represents the system balance point head
pressure at which the condenser is operating at 100 percent capacity (for a given outdoor air
wet bulb and system load during a peak hour on a average day in May). Any further decrease
in condensing pressure would prevent the condenser from rejecting the required amount of
energy from the system. The figure shows that VFD fan control could save the system nearly
8% in combined compressor and condenser energy requirements if the head pressure were
raised to 125 psia. VFD fan control looses its advantages at low head pressures because the
fans must run at near full speed most of the time anyway. At high head pressures the fans in
on/off control dont stay on long because of the high rate of heat transfer that occurs.
However, at high head pressure an on/off control strategy would cycle the fans on and off
frequently which would cause excessive wear on the motors and fan belts. The figure also
shows that there is a different optimum head pressure for each type of condenser fan control.
It is also interesting to note that half-speed fan motors have energy requirements that are only
approximately one percent above the VFD motors at elevated head pressures. Since this
system has a minimum allowed head pressure of 130 psia, VFD and half-speed motors may
have very similar energy requirements for most of the year.

15

Optimum Head Pressure Control

Source: Manske, K., 2000

This plot illustrates the preferred control head pressure control strategy for two different
evaporative condenser sizes. With an evaporative condenser sized for 95 F saturated
condensing temperature on a design day, the optimum head pressure is the lowest head
pressure achievable by running the evap condenser fans full out. If the condenser is
oversized (i.e. an oversized evap condenser is defined as one that yields a saturated
condensing temperature of 85 F on the design day), there is an optimum head pressure (i.e. a
head pressure greater than the minimum achievable that will minimize the combined power of
the compressor and condenser). In this case, the optimum head pressure is likely a function
of the outside air wetbulb temperature.
The dark set of lines is for the condenser that is currently installed in the system. The current
condenser is large enough to allow the system to balance out with a saturated condensing
temperature of 85F on the design day. The compressor/condenser power with a smaller
condenser is given by the lighter colored line. The point furthest to the left on each line
represents the pressure at which the evaporative condenser has reached 100 percent
capacity. Given that the load is constant, it would be physically impossible to achieve a lower
head pressure without adding additional condensing capacity. Note, the above case assumes
that the refrigeration load is progressively decreasing during the winter months; however,
refrigeration load has little influence on the optimum head pressure.
Because of the presence of high temperature direct-expansion coils in the case study system,
the head pressure is not allowed to go below 130 psia. Therefore, the system cannot possibly
be operated at its ideal head pressure except for the months of June through September. It
must be operated above its optimum head pressure resulting in a slight excess of compressor
power.

16

Optimum Head Pressure

Curve Fit (Variable Evaporator Load)

Optimum Head Pressure [psia]

220

6
3.2x10

Calculated Condenser Heat Rejection (Variable Evaporator Load)

Calculated Condenser Heat Rejection (Constant Evaporator Load)

210

6
3.0x10

Calculated Ideal Head Pressure (Variable Evaporator Load)

200

6
2.8x10

Calculated Ideal Head Pressure (Constant Evaporator Load)

190

6
2.6x10

180

6
2.5x10

170

6
2.3x10

160
6
2.1x10

150

6
1.9x10

140
130

minimum head pressure

120
50

6
1.7x10

Total System Heat Rejection [Btu/hr]

6
3.4x10

230

as required by dx txv
6
1.5x10

55

60

65

70

Outside Air Wet Bulb Temperature [F]

75

80
Source: Manske, K., 2000

When performing the calculations to identify the optimum condensing pressure for the year,
we discovered that the optimum condensing pressure had a near linear relationship with the
outside air wet bulb temperature. The above curve illustrates the relationship between
optimum head pressure and outside air wetbulb temperature (lower curve) over a range of
evaporator load conditions (corresponding variability in heat rejection is shown by the points
above). In the case of this system, a very simple linear relationship was developed that
allows a supervisory reset on the system head pressure given the prevailing outside air wet
bulb temperature according to the following:
Phead,opt = -27.6 + 2.55 * Twb
where Phead,opt is the head pressure corresponding to minimum system power in psia and Twb
is the outside air wet bulb temperature in F. This relationship assumes that the condensers
have variable speed drives. Keep in mind that the above relationship needs to have a lower
bound as dictated by the characteristics of each given system.

17

Optimizing Head Pressure

1. Measure the outdoor air wet bulb temperature
2. Note the current condensing pressure and system electrical demand
3. Reset the condensing pressure down 5 psig & allow system to equilibrate
4. Note the new system electrical demand
5. Continue steps 3 and 4 until the lower condensing pressure limit setpoint is
reached
6. Plot the system electrical demand vs. the condensing pressure and note the
condensing pressure corresponding to point of minimum system electrical
demand
7. Plot that single optimum condensing pressure point on a optimum
condensing pressure vs. outdoor air wet bulb temperature curve
8. Repeat the procedure from 1-7 to more fully develop a curve analogous to
the figure given on the previous page.

Procedure for Determining Optimum Relation Between Condensing Pressure and Outdoor
Wetbulb
The trajectory of optimum condensing pressures for corresponding outside air wet bulb
temperatures as shown on the previous page is specific to the existing ammonia system.
Each system will have its own unique trajectory. However, the following procedure can be
used to empirically develop the trajectory of optimum condensing pressures. Note, this
procedure needs to be executed during off-design periods of the year (during relatively lower
outside air wet bulb conditions). The procedure also requires the ability to continuously
monitor the outdoor air wet bulb temperature, condensing pressure, and the engine room total
electrical demand. We also recommend that other system state variables (such as suction
pressures, superheat if applicable, etc.) be monitored to ensure reliable system operation
during the procedure.
1. Measure the outdoor air wet bulb temperature
2. Note the current condensing pressure and system electrical demand
3. Reset the condensing pressure down 5 psig (35 kPa) and allow the system to equilibrate
4. Note the new system electrical demand
5. Continue steps 3 and 4 until the lower limit in condensing pressure setpoint is reached
6. Plot the system electrical demand vs. the condensing pressure and note the condensing
pressure that corresponds to the point of minimum system electrical demand
7. Plot that single optimum condensing pressure point on a optimum condensing pressure
vs. outdoor air wet bulb temperature curve
8. Repeat the procedure from 1-7 to more fully develop a curve analogous to the figure given
on the previous page.
Once the optimum condensing pressure trajectory curve is developed, it can be programmed
i t
t
PLC
i
t ll t i ld ti
t
f
th
h t

18

Economic Benefits of Drive

Annual savings for warehouse

13 kW (peak) reduction
97,140 kWh reduction (~5%)
$3,856 per year in electrical operating
costs (~5%)
Drive cost = $6,900
Simple payback of 1.8 yrs

19

Final Thoughts
VFDs on condensers can provide
economic and operating cost benefits
on the high-side
Take advantage of lowering head
pressure
Consider barriers to lowering head
pressure

20

Floating Head Pressure Control

Head pressure limits dictated by:

hot gas defrost requirements

setting of defrost relief valves
sizing of hot gas main
condensate management in hot gas main

DX evaporators
most thermostatic expansion valves need at least
75 psig differential pressure to function properly

liquid injection oil cooling

check manufacturers requirements for TXV
pressure differential

As with most things, there are limits to lowering system head pressure. We do not want to
create problems by trying to improve the efficiency of our systems. The above items are
some of the more common factors constraining or limiting our ability to lower system head
pressure. Keep in mind that these items may not necessarily be unmovable barriers;
however, changes in components or system arrangements may be required to overcome their
limiting effects on the system.
Hot Gas Defrost:
Many industrial refrigeration systems utilize hot gaseous refrigerant to defrost evaporators. In
cases where defrost relief valves are installed, a sufficient pressure differential (e.g. 75 psig)
across the valve must be created to open the valve. Sizing of the hot gas main may also
impose constraints. If a hot gas main is undersized, hot gas (at a sufficient rate) will not be
delivered to the evaporator without a high differential pressure. For larger size hot gas mains,
a much lower differential pressure will allow adequate flow of hot gas to defrosting
evaporator(s). Finally, if condensate is not properly managed in hot gas mains, hydraulic
shock can cause catastrophic failures of hot gas piping on a call for defrost. Also, the
condensate effectively decreases the pipe size causing similar symptoms as an undersized
line with regard to head pressure requirements. All of these deficiencies can be overcome in
the long run; however, they do create real barriers to lowering head pressure in the short run.
DX Evaporators:
In systems that utilize direct-expansion evaporators, a minimum differential pressure is
required across the thermostatic expansion valves (TXV). The minimum pressure differential
is dependent on the specific valve selection but is routinely on the order of 75 psig. When we
drop the pressure differential across the TXV below the minimum, we lose controllability of the
valve (control engineers call this control authority). What results is an inability to properly
modulate refrigerant to the evaporator. Since our evaporator pressure i.e. downstream of the
TXV the pressure is fixed (to satisfy our temperature requirements for meeting load), the head 21

Floating Head Pressure Control

Head pressure limits dictated by:

evaporative condenser selection

oversized evaporative condensers results in an
optimum head pressure that depends on outdoor
air wet bulb temperature

evaporative condenser fan controls

VFD fans are preferred but 2-speed fans yield
considerable benefits

thermosiphon oil coolers

Evaporative Condenser Selection:

If an evaporative condenser is too small, the system head pressure will rise until its heat
rejection capacity is sufficient to reject the needed heat from the system.
Fan Controls:
Although fan controls themselves do not necessarily limit head pressure, there are methods of
fan controls that lead to more stable and efficient system operation. Two speed condenser
fans or variable frequency drive (VFD) fans have better capacity modulating capability and
result in more stable head pressures leading to more stable system operation. In addition to
their stability, two-speed and VFD controlled fans will result in improved energy due to their
better part-load performance as compared to single speed fans.
Thermosiphon Oil Cooling (TSOC):
TSOC improves compressor efficiency by using a thermosiphon effect coupled with the
systems evaporative condenser to reject heat from the compressors oil.

22

Floating Head Pressure Control

Head pressure limits dictated by:

hand expansion valve settings

significantly lowering head pressure will likely require

seasonal HEV adjustments

this constraint can be overcome by the use of motorized

valves or pulse width valves

oil separator sizing

gas driven systems (transfer systems & gas pumpers)
controlled-pressure receiver setpoints
heat recovery
engineering and operations (knowledge & willingness)

23