Comparative Analysis of Carbon Emissions in the Operation Phase of Different HVAC Systems

Abstract

This paper provides a comparative analysis of the energy consumption and carbon emissions of four typical HVAC systems (water-cooled chiller + gas boiler, ground source heat pump, air source heat pump, and variable refrigerant flow units) in the operation phase. The carbon emission performance of different HVAC systems in operation is quantitatively evaluated by establishing a building carbon emission model and a carbon emission calculation method for HVAC systems, combined with specific calculation examples. The results of the study show that the ground source heat pump system has a clear advantage in terms of carbon emissions, followed by the variable refrigerant flow system, while the carbon emissions of the water-cooled chiller + gas boiler system are similar to those of the air source heat pump unit. This study provides theoretical basis and data support for the energy-saving and low-carbon selection of building HVAC systems.