Energy Performance of Room Air-Conditioners and Ceiling Fans in Mixed-Mode Buildings

Sriraj Gokarakonda (), Christoph van Treeck, Rajan Rawal and Stefan Thomas
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Sriraj Gokarakonda: Energy Policy, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, 42103 Wuppertal, Germany
Christoph van Treeck: E3D—Institute of Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Building, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
Rajan Rawal: Centre for Advanced Research in Building Science and Energy (CARBSE), CEPT University, Ahmedabad 380009, India
Stefan Thomas: Energy Policy, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, 42103 Wuppertal, Germany

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 19, 1-34

Abstract: Studies show that people can tolerate elevated temperatures in the presence of appreciable air movement (e.g., from using ceiling fans). This minimises the use of air-conditioners and extends their set-point temperature ( T s e t ), resulting in energy savings in space cooling. However, there is little empirical evidence on the energy savings from using ceiling fans with Room Air-Conditioners (RACs). To address this gap, we analysed the energy performance of RACs with both fixed-speed compressors and inverter technology at different set-point temperatures and ceiling fan speed settings in 15 residential Mixed-Mode Buildings (MMBs) in India. Thermal comfort conditions (as predicted by the Indian Model for Adaptive Comfort-Residential (IMAC-R)) with minimum energy consumption were maintained at a set-point temperature ( T s e t ) of 28 and 30 ∘ C and a fan speed setting of one. Compared with a T s e t of 24 ° C, a T s e t of 28 and 30 ° C resulted in energy savings of 44 and 67%, respectively. With the use of RACs, a configuration with a minimum fan speed was satisfactory for an optimal use of energy and for maintaining the conditions of thermal comfort. In addition, RACs with inverter technology used 34–68% less energy than fixed-speed compressors. With the rising use of RACs, particularly in tropical regions, the study’s outcomes offer a significant potential for reducing space-cooling energy consumption and the resultant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Keywords: room air-conditioners; ceiling fans; set-point temperature; thermal comfort; user behaviour; sensors and monitoring (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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