ANSI/ARI Standard 560 - Absorption Water Chilling And Water Heating Packages

ANSI/ARI Standard 560: A Comprehensive Guide to Absorption Water Chilling and Heating Packages

For engineers and designers involved in complex HVAC systems, understanding equipment performance and reliability is paramount. ANSI/ARI Standard 560 provides an essential framework for evaluating absorption water chilling and water heating packages, ensuring consistency and clarity in product specifications and performance. This industry-leading standard offers proven methodologies for testing and rating these critical components, making it indispensable for professionals seeking to specify, select, and verify the performance of such systems.

What is ANSI/ARI Standard 560?

ANSI/ARI Standard 560 is an authoritative document developed by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) that establishes uniform methods for testing and rating absorption water chilling and water heating packages. Its primary purpose is to define standardized procedures for assessing the performance characteristics of these units, thereby facilitating accurate comparisons and informed decision-making for engineers and specifiers.

Scope & Purpose

This comprehensive standard governs the testing, rating, and data requirements for water-cooled, single-effect, and double-effect absorption water chilling and heating units that utilize water as the refrigerant and lithium bromide (LiBr) as the absorbent. It explicitly covers steam, hot water, and direct-fired (natural gas, oil, LP gas) units. Notably, the standard excludes air-cooled applications, heat pump applications, exhaust gas-fired systems, and non-standard configurations, clearly defining its boundaries for practical application.

Who Must Comply?

• • Primary audience: HVAC Engineers, Mechanical Designers, Test Engineers, Product Managers, and Specification Writers.
• • Industries affected: HVAC Manufacturing, Building Services (commercial and institutional facilities), Industrial Process Cooling and Heating.
• • Compliance nature: This standard is typically voluntary for manufacturers seeking to advertise their products as compliant with ARI ratings, but it is often a de facto requirement for specification by engineers and building owners.
• • Enforcement: Compliance is verified through self-certification by manufacturers and often through third-party verification or review by consulting engineers during project design and procurement phases.

Key Requirements Overview

The standard outlines several critical requirements to ensure consistent and reliable performance evaluation:

• • Standardized Test Conditions: Professionals must ensure testing is conducted under clearly defined standard rating conditions for both full-load and part-load operation to allow for apples-to-apples comparisons.
• • Performance Metrics: The standard mandates the calculation and reporting of key performance indicators such as Coefficient of Performance (COP), Integrated Part-Load Value (IPLV), and Non-Standard Part-Load Value (NPLV).
• • Published Rating Data: Manufacturers are required to provide minimum data specifications, including detailed performance characteristics at stated conditions, enabling accurate application selection.
• • Marking and Nameplate Information: Clear and standardized marking and nameplate data are essential for identifying unit specifications, serial numbers, and compliance information.
• • Conformance Conditions: The standard specifies conditions under which units must conform to published ratings, ensuring product reliability in real-world applications.

Related Standards & References

ANSI/ARI Standard 560 often works in conjunction with other industry documents. Complementary standards such as those from ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) for terminology and testing procedures, and potentially standards related