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Performance tests of condensing units
Does your condensing unit perform well?
The Test center PWLP supports the industry in the development of energy-efficient vapor-compression refrigeration system and compression heat pumps.
The ILK Dresden offers the following services for you:
For a defined application map of air-cooled condensing units, we determine the cooling capacity, drive capacity, COP, etc. The tests are carried out on a refrigeration circuit in combination with a climatic chamber (Fig. 1).
As part of the accreditation of the PLWP according to DIN EN ISO / IEC 17025, the PLWP conducts the investigation of air-cooled condensing units according to the currently applicable measurement standards DIN EN 13771-2:2017-11 and DIN EN 13215:2017-03.
Performance tests in the range 0.7 ... 10 kW can be carried out normatively for evaporation temperatures of -35, -10 to +5°C with air inlet temperatures in the condensing unit of 5, 15, 25, 32 to 42°C (partial load).
Current calibrations of the measuring systems are a matter of course.
Within the scope of our flexible accreditation, further measuring tasks can be realized according to applicable test standards.
The test can be carried out with the refrigerants R134a, R404a, R407C, R410A, R452A. The source of the thermodynamic properties of the refrigerants is the library ASREP from ASERCOM.
Outside accreditation, further services can be offered:
Additional offerings
- Investigation of map points outside the standard values
- Measurement of the oil discharge
- Measurement of the air volume flow
- Investigation with variable rotation speed (frequency inverter)
- Sound investigations in the third octave or octave frequency band
- Measurement of pulsation in pipes
Research and Development
The ILK Dresden has been active in the development and testing of refrigeration and heat pump technology for many years. The development work is carried out individually and in close cooperation with the client. The experiences of the ILK Dresden were and are continuously collected in a multiplicity of research projects.
Various investigations were carried out on the suitability of the standardized test methods within the scope of the project “Test methods and test rigs for condensing units” (BMWi MF 150072, 1.10.2015 - 30.03.2018).
Some results of the project in terms of test rig design and test methodology are:
- the investigation and confirmation of suitable minimum wall spacing’s for structurally open condensing units (room size and support fan of the room air system)
- the suitable distribution of sensors for temperature at the air inlet and the influence of condenser geometry on the average inlet temperature in the test room
- the analysis of the differentiated possibilities of energy-efficient test rig operation through regenerative condenser heat utilisation in the refrigeration circuit of the test rig
- the requirements and restrictions for automatic measurement of the circulating oil concentration via mass flow sensors.