ETA 2021 Strategic Plan - Flipbook - Page 104
Appliance Test Chambers
Low Global
Warming Potential
Refrigerants
Testing
Air-conditioning and
refrigeration appliance
innovation is integral to
tackling climate change.
Berkeley Lab is now
leading the way with the
formation of ETA’s Global
Cooling Efficiency Program
(GCEP). The Appliance Test
Chambers offer important
capabilities to GCEP’s efforts
to develop high-efficiency,
low global warming
potential refrigerant cooling
equipment that is accessible
and affordable globally.
By combining theory,
computer modeling, and
experimental research,
GCEP works to mitigate the
negative impacts of the large
expected growth in cooling
demand while expanding
access to cooling.
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E TA S t r a t e g i c P l a n 2 0 2 1 - 2 0 3 0
Air-conditioning and refrigeration appliances account
for almost one-quarter of total residential annual
U.S. energy consumption, and coolants from these
appliances are a major source of GHG emissions. Airconditioning is also a significant contributor to peak
electricity demand. Researching and developing new
air-conditioning and refrigeration technologies, and
developing new methods to better evaluate them, is
important for further reducing the energy use and
demand of these appliances. The ETA’s Refrigerator Test
Chamber, Balanced Ambient Calorimeter Test Chamber,
and v enable Berkeley Lab researchers to assess the
performance of existing and new air-conditioning and
refrigeration appliances and equipment, and to develop
new test procedures that can better evaluate their
efficiency and performance.
The Refrigerator Test Chamber supports DOE
standards and test-procedure development for
refrigerators, freezers, wine chillers, ice makers, and
other refrigeration products. The Balanced Ambient
Calorimeter Test Chamber and the Psychrometric
Test Chamber support DOE standards, test-procedure
development, and advanced research for a variety
of residential and light commercial air-conditioning
products. The Balanced Ambient Calorimeter Test
Chamber is used to test room air conditioners and
packaged terminal air conditioners. The Psychrometric
Test Chamber is typically used to test residential and
light-commercial split and single-package systems.
