ACEEE Hot Water Forum 2013

Prepared By: Rosalyn Cochrane,

Senior Standards Engineer, NRCan.

Presented By: Martin Thomas,

Project Engineer, NRCan.

Testing Combination Systems CSA P.9 & ASHRAE 124

© Natural Resources Canada, 2013

Background

• Combos filled a market gap for low cost,

low heating output products

• This appears to be a Growing Market

• Currently combined performance is difficult

to estimate.

ASHRAE 124

• The Standard is Currently Under Review.

• It Will Have Two Parts:

(1) Testing of Packaged Systems (Possibly as it is

done for the CSA P.9 – there is a Working Group

looking at an appropriate Test Method)

(2) Testing of Component Parts As per the current

ASHRAE 124 Standard, i.e. Determining the

Combined Annual Efficiency.

ASHRAE 124

• The Standard Covers Oil Gas and Electricity as

energy sources.

• The Standard Covers Both Forced air and

Hydronic Systems.

• The New Edition will have both a Component

Testing based CAE and a System Testing Based

CAE.

• AHRI (Formerly GAMA) used to list the CAEs

of Component Tested Combos.

Why do we need P.9

• Need to test system at representative Heat Inputs

• Testing combos as an operating system, not

individual components

• Need to evaluate the complete system and

recognize performance interactions and

synergies

– Smart integration

– Advanced controls

P.9 vs. other methods

• Water Heating Test intended to be as per Current

DOE test (6 Draws, 64 US Gallons, 18 Hours on

Standby)

• Doesn’t force set points, which allows

manufacturers to be creative with water

temperature, Circ. fan speed, and other controls

• Weighted Efficiency ( Low Input, Medium &

Maximum) in space heating mode

CSA P.9-11

Currently Only Applies to:

Oil & Gas Fuelled Hot Water Systems

that utilise a Fan Coil for heat

Distribution (No Electric, Solar or

Hydronic Systems), with integrated

controls.

P.9 Performance

Descriptors

• Thermal Performance Factor (TPF)

• Composite Space Heating Efficiency

(CSHE)

• Water Heating Performance Factor (WHPF)

• 1 hr Water Delivery Rating (OHR)

Space Heating

• Input-Output air enthalpy approach

• Part load testing and rating based on load-weighted

performance measurements

• Part load space heating cyclic tests

– 40%

– 15%

– Full load output (100%)

• CSHE = 0.1xEff(100%)+0.6xEff(40%)+0.3xEff(15%)

• Takes into account the energy input delivered to the

airstream

Water Heating

• Water enthalpy method

• 24 hr simulated use test to determine recovery

efficiency

• Combo capacity as a water heater determined

and reported as a one hour rating

• Additional capacity testing done with and

without concurrent calls for space heating

Technologies tested

• Combo 1: 40,000 Btu/h Power vented non-

condensing storage tank (50 US Gal.) with

Electronic Intermittent Ignition coupled with a

48,000 Btu/h air handler with ECM Motor.

Rated at 24,000 Btu/h Output Heating

Capacity.

TPF = 0.57 [CSHPF = 58%, WHPF = 0.56]

Technologies tested

• Combo 2: 76,000 Btu/h Power vented

condensing commercial storage tank (50 US

Gal.) coupled with same air handler as in

Combo 1. Rated at 24,000 Btu/h Output

Heating Capacity.

TPF = 0.68 [CSHPF = 67%, WHPF = 0.72]

Technologies tested

• Combo 3: Packaged System, 150,000 Btu/h

condensing tankless water heater (Segregated).

Rated at 46,000 Btu/h Output Heating

Capacity.

TPF = 0.83 [CSHPF = 83%, WHPF = 0.80]

Technologies tested

• Combo 4: Packaged System, 157,000 Btu/h

condensing tankless water heater (Non-

Segregated). Rated at 58,345 Btu/h Output

Heating Capacity.

TPF = 0.82 [CSHPF = 81%, WHPF = 0.91]

Technologies tested

• Combo 5: Packaged System, 116,000 Btu/h

condensing tankless water heater (Segregated).

Rated at 48,000 Btu/h Output Heating

Capacity.

TPF = 0.89 [CSHPF = 89.4%, WHPF = 0.83]

Technologies tested

• Combo 6: Packaged System, condensing

tankless water heater. Rated at 65,000 Btu/h

Output Heating Capacity.

TPF = 0.95 [CSHPF = 95%, WHPF = 0.95]

Test Results

Next Steps

• Further testing of different heat generators:

– Oil & Gas Boilers

• Inclusion of testing for hydronic distribution

systems

• Energy Star for New Housing (in Canada)

- Combos must be P.9-11 Tested.

- Performance Path / Prescriptive Path

QUESTIONS