Standard for Single Package Vertical Air-Conditioners and Heat Pumps

ANSI/ARI Standard 390: Standard for Single Package Vertical Air-Conditioners and Heat Pumps

For engineers and designers navigating the complexities of HVAC system specification, ensuring reliable performance and accurate ratings for commercial and industrial equipment is paramount. ANSI/ARI Standard 390 provides an authoritative framework for understanding and evaluating Single Package Vertical Air-Conditioners (SPVACs) and Heat Pumps (SPVHPs), offering a proven methodology for performance validation.

What is ANSI/ARI Standard 390?

ANSI/ARI Standard 390, developed by the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), establishes comprehensive guidelines for the testing, rating, and performance of single-package vertical air-conditioners and heat pumps. Its primary purpose is to provide a consistent and technically sound basis for manufacturers to rate their equipment and for specifiers to select appropriate units for various applications, ensuring predictable performance and energy efficiency.

Scope & Purpose

This standard specifically governs electrically operated, vapor-compression SPVAC and SPVHP equipment designed for commercial and industrial use. It details requirements for definitions, classifications, test procedures, rating methodologies, and marking. While it covers factory-assembled units intended for ducted or non-ducted installation, it explicitly excludes heat-operated equipment, room air-conditioners, packaged terminal units, and water-source heat pumps.

Who Must Comply?

• • Primary Audience: HVAC engineers, mechanical designers, product engineers, test technicians, and building code officials.
• • Industries Affected: HVAC manufacturing, building construction, consulting engineering, and facility management.
• • Compliance Nature: While ARI standards are generally voluntary, compliance is often mandated by project specifications, procurement requirements, and building codes that reference these established industry benchmarks.
• • Enforcement: Compliance is typically verified through product testing, certification programs, and review by specifiers, regulatory bodies, and end-users.

Key Requirements Overview

• • The standard requires manufacturers to clearly define and classify SPVAC and SPVHP equipment based on their intended application and operational characteristics.
• • Professionals must ensure that performance ratings (cooling and heating capacities, energy efficiency) are derived from standardized testing procedures conducted under specified operating conditions.
• • Key provisions include detailed methodologies for calculating Energy Efficiency Ratios (EER) and Coefficients of Performance (COP) at standard rating conditions, as well as Integrated Part-Load Values (IPLV) for assessing part-load efficiency.
• • The standard mandates specific information to be included on product nameplates and in published ratings to facilitate accurate equipment selection and comparison.
• • It outlines operating requirements and conformance conditions that equipment must meet to be considered compliant with the standard.

Related Standards & References

ANSI/ARI Standard 390 often works in conjunction with other essential standards. For instance, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37 provides the fundamental methods for testing air-conditioning and heat pump equipment, forming the basis for many of the tests outlined in Standard 390. Additionally, standards related to energy conservation and building codes may reference or incorporate requirements from this ARI standard to ensure efficient and effective HVAC system performance.