Project SummaryAir conditioning (AC) is the primary cause of peak electrical demand during California’s hot summers. This project evaluates air conditioners that perform better in hot dry conditions, resulting in reduced peak loads at critical times. The field test compared the performance of...

A test was conducted by SCE in cooperation with Searles Valley Minerals, a raw materials mining and production company, at their Trona, California, plant. Facility operations involve use of a number of large 480 V and 4160 V motor and pump systems. For test purposes, Searles provided SCE access...

Evaluate the performance of standard and high efficiency A/C units at hot and dry conditions. The assessment involved testing pairs of 3-ton split and 5-ton RTUs. Each pair consisted of standard and high efficiency...

Project SummaryCalifornia and other states with hot dry climates need air conditioners that maximize indoor temperature reductions for the expended energy. This is particularly true at high outdoor temperatures. This study found that existing single speed air conditioners utilizing outdoor units,...

Project SummaryResidential evaporative condensers offer effiency advantages over conventional air-cooled conditioners by utilizing evaporative cooling to improve condensing unit performance. The evaporative cooling process results in a 30-40F reduction in peak refrigerant condensing temperatures...

Project SummaryThis project analyzes and tests the integration of night ventilation cooling technology into a standard heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Night ventilation systems automatically ventilate houses using the normal air handler, supply, and return duct system, as...

Project SummaryHotel guest room energy management control systems are widely used throughout the world, but currently have limited acceptance in the United States.  An increased market penetration of such systems could significantly reduce hotel energy use.The objective of this study is to...

Project SummaryCalifornia's electrical system peak demand is growing rapidly in the residential sector, mainly because of increased air conditioner use due to increased population growth in the central valley. This project compared and evaluated three evaporative cooler technologies that could...

Project SummaryManufacturers of energy storage modules (ESMs) claim that their systems, in addition to providing load shifting capabilities, can also deliver energy savings to end-users. While previous studies have shown that, given the right set of circumstances, an ESM system can be used for...

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air conditioning is a popular method of heating and cooling in many countries. Though the product has been on the market for over 20 years, only recently was it introduced to the United States market. Because of its perceived energy efficiency (EE), there is growing...