AHRI Singapore Workshop on

Data Centers and the HVACR Industry

December 2, 2025
AHRI Certification and Standards Updates
Bridge Xue, Vice President – Asia, AHRI
Jenny Zhang, Manager, AHRI China
December 2, 2025
Agenda

• Part I: AHRI Introduction and Certification Rules

• Part II: Entire Operating Mapping Conditions Certification
• Part III: Computer and Data Processing Room Air Conditioner Certification
• Part IV: AHRI Verification Process
• Part V: AHRI Standard Updates
• Part VI: Path A Compliance and Global Certification
• Part VII: The State of the Refrigerant Transition and Related Issues
AHRI is a Trade Association

• 330 Member Companies: Over 95% of all HVACR products

manufactured and installed in North America

• 120 AHRI standards and guidelines in use across the globe

• 40+ AHRI Certification Programs: Over 1,200 licensees representing

over 70% of all HVACR products manufactured across the globe
AHRI Global Operations

AHRI HQ: Virginia Asia Pacific: China Southeast Asia: Singapore India (Mumbai)

Canada (Toronto) Latin America (Mexico City) Middle East (Dubai) Europe (TBD)
AHRI Certification Rules

• Key Certification Operations Manual (OM) Provisions:

 All-certify
 “Basic Model Group” concept
 Random selection process
 Independent testing
 Test failure options
 Challenge test
 Penalty provisions
Summary: AHRI Certified vs Non-Certified
Rated AHRI Certified
Y Conforms to Standard Y
Subject to rigorous and continuous testing Y
Manufacturer’s performance ratings independently measured Y
Third-party verified Y
All products within program scope certified Y
Provides marketplace clarity Y
Certification
Directory & Regulatory Reporting System

1 million+ certified
performance ratings for
44 product categories

Real-time data

Certificates of product
performance
[Link]
Computer and Data Processing Room
Air Conditioners Certification
Reference Standards and Certified Ratings

• Applied Standards
 AHRI 1360: Performance Rating of Computer and Data Processing Room Air Conditioners
 ASHRAE 127: Method of Testing for Rating Computer and Data Processing Room Unitary Air
Conditioners

• Certified Ratings. The industry is going to move to NSenCOP.

 Net Sensible Cooling Capacity, kW
 Net Sensible Coefficient of Performance Rating (NSenCOP), kW/kW
 Operability at 125.6F (52.0C) for specific units
 Integrated Net Sensible Rating (iNSenCOP) (Test A, B,C,D)
Selections - Equipment Type
Selections - ID Standard Model

• Ceiling Mounted Unit-Ducted

• Ceiling Mounted Unit-non-ducted
• Downflow Unit Figure 1 Figure 2
Figure 3 Figure 4
• Horizontal-flow Unit
• Up flow Unit-ducted
• Up flow Unit-non-ducted
• Roof-mounted Unit
• Wall-mounted Unit
Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7
Selections Summary - Indoor Room Conditions

Mounting Location Standard Model Cooling - Dry Bulb/Dew Point, ºC

Ceiling Mounted Unit-Ducted
Ceiling Mounted Unit Ceiling Mounted Unit-Nonducted 23.9/11.1

Wall Mounted Unit Wall Mounted Unit

Upflow Unit-Nonducted
Upflow Unit-Ducted 29.4/11.1
Floor Mounted Unit
Downflow Unit
Horizontal-Flow Unit 35.0/11.1
Roof Mounted Unit Roof Mounted Unit 29.4/11.1
Selections Summary - Cooling Fluid Conditions

System Type Fluid Condition Test Condition, ºC

Air-Cooled Units Entering Outdoor Dry-Bulb 35.0
Water-Cooled Units Entering Water Temp 28.3
Temperature Rise 6.7
Glycol-cooled units Entering Glycol Temp 40.0
Temperature Rise 6.1
Glycol Solution concentration 40% Propylene Glycol by volume
Chilled-water Units Entering Water Temp 10.0
Temperature Rise 16.7
Selections Summary - External Static Pressure

Mounting Location Standard Model Net Sensible Capacity, kW ESP, Pa

Ceiling Mounted -Nonducted All 0.0
< 8.5 25
Ceiling Mounted Ceiling Mounted Unit-ducted
Unit >=8.5 and <19 50
>=19 75
Upflow Unit-Nonducted All 0.0
<23.4 75
Upflow Unit-Ducted >=23.4 and <86.5 100
Floor Mounted
Unit >=86.5 125
Downflow Unit All 50
Horizontal-flow Unit All 0.0
Operating Requirements

• Loss of power restart time (Cooling)

 Operate for a minimum of 1 hour, then all power shall be interrupted for a period sufficient. The equipment shall
resume cooling within 10 minutes of restoration of power and shall then operate continuously for one (1) hour.

• Low temperature start (Cooling)

 For Air-cooled unit: Four (4) hours continuous exposure (soak) at 4.4C OD ambient. Then the equipment shall
startup and resume normal compressor cooling within 30 minutes and operate for one (1) hour without future
interruption.

• High Temperature (Cooling)

 For Air-cooled unit. The unit can operate at their Standard Rating A Indoor condition, at 52.0 C outdoor ambient.
Entire Operating Map Conditions Certification

AHRI 440

AHRI 550/590 AHRI 410

AHRI 551/591 AHRI 400 AHRI 430
AHRI 1350
Complete Program for AHU Certification
Complete Program for AHU Certification

• AHRI 410 – Coil Performance

• AHRI 430 – Fan Performance

• AHRI 1350 – Mechanical Performance (Hygienic AHU is covered)

AHRI 410 – Coil Performance
• Approved Fluid Types
• Cold/Hot Water, Ethylene/Propylene Glycol, Steam, R-22, R-134a/R-407C/R-410A.
• Verified Data
• Cooling or heating capacity
• Sensible cooling capacity
• Air pressure drop
• Fluid pressure drop
• Certification Process
• Testing will be conducted on selected conditions from various rows, and the full
operation map will be certified; the software is secured within AHRI VM.
AHRI 430 – Fan Performance
• Certified Data
• Fan Speed
• Shaft Power
• Fan Electrical Power
• Certification Method
• Testing will be conducted on any
combination (actual unit) chosen
according to the software or operating map.
AHRI 1350 Casing Mechanical Performance
• Certified Ratings (Real Unit with Diff. Applied Pressure)
• Casing Deflection Rating Class
• Casing Air Leakage Class
• Thermal Transmittance Class with Leakage
• Thermal Transmittance Class without Leakage
• Thermal Bridging Rating Class
AHRI AHU Report-Example
COMPARISON - AHRI vs EN Certification

AHRI Certification EN Certification

• Real Unit for Casting Testing • Model Box for Casing Testing (empty
– Real performance as the end user’s box) - NOT real performance
AHRI 1350 - AHU Casing Applications (New!)

• AHU Casing Structure for Various

Applications

• Low pressure: 1-4 Inches H2O (250-1000 Pa)

• Medium pressure: Over 4 to 10 Inches H2O
(1000-2500 Pa)
• High pressure: Above 10 Inches H2O (2500
Pa)
 COMPARISON - AHRI vs EN Certification
AHRI Certification EN Certification
Test Unit – Casing Performance Real Unit Model Box (NOT Real Unit)
Applied Pressure +/- 1000 Pa – Commercial Building -400 Pa/+700 Pa (Air leakage)
+/- 1500 Pa – Hospital/School/Data Center
+/- 2000 Pa – Electrical Factory
+/- 2500 Pa – Clean Room
Complete System Certification AHRI 410 Coil Performance – Entire Operating One condition represents
Conditions system performance?
AHRI 430 Fan Performance
AHRI 1350 Casing Performance

The EN Certification does not apply to projects involving hospitals, electrical factories, data centers, or clean rooms.
COMPARISON - AHRI vs EN Certification
Certified Ratings AHRI Ratings EN Ratings
Casing Deflection CD1 +/- 2500 Pa
CD2 +/- 2000 Pa
CD3 +/- 1500 Pa
CD4 +/- 1000 Pa D1 (+/- 1000 Pa)
Casing Air Leakage CL1
CL2
CL3 (1000 – 2500 Pa) L1 (-400/+700 Pa)
Summary: AHRI 1350 - Industry Changes

• Various rating pressures applied across different applications

• 2500, 2000, 1500, and 1000 Pa

Application #1 Application #2 Application #3 Application #4

Clean Room Electrical Factory Hospital/Data Center Commercial Building
Applied Pressure 2500Pa Applied Pressure 2000Pa Applied Pressure: 1500Pa Applied Pressure: 1000Pa
AHRI’s Entire Operating Map Conditions:
Certification for Chillers and
Liquid-to-Liquid Heat Exchangers

Jenny Zhang, Manager, AHRI China

Chiller Entire
Operating
Performance Map
AHRI 550/590
AHRI 551/591
EN 14511/14825
Part-Load Value Certification for Global Market
Global Region Rating 100% 75% 50% 25%
ACCL Ambient Air Temp, °C 35 27 19 13
AHRI WCCL Condenser Water Inlet Temp, °C 30 24.5 19 19
Weighting Factor 0.01 0.42 0.45 0.12
ACCL Ambient Air Temp, °C 35 31.5 28 24.5
China-GB WCCL Condenser Water Inlet Temp, °C 30 26 23 19
Weighting Factor 0.023 0.415 0.461 0.101
ACCL Ambient Air Temp, °C 35 30 25 20
Europe WCCL Condenser Water Inlet Temp, °C 30 26 22 18
Weighting Factor 0.03 0.33 0.41 0.23
ACCL Ambient Air Temp, °C 35 27 19 13
India WCCL Condenser Water Inlet Temp, °C 30 26 23 20
Weighting Factor 0.06 0.48 0.36 0.10
Application Conditions
• Commercial Building
• Comfortable Environment
• Temperature range around 4.00-7.00
°C or comparable conditions
• Data Center
• Typically between 15.00-20.00 °C or
higher to 30.00 °C
• [Link] and [Link]
• [Link]: depends on specific
application conditions
Entire Operating Map Conditions Certification for
Liquid-to-Liquid Heat Exchange (LLHE)

• Certified Data – Cooling/Heating

• Total heat transfer rate
• Cold stream pressure drop
• Hot stream pressure drop

• Applied Conditions
• Commercial Building
• Data Center
• Long-Distance Transferring
Challenges we currently encounter
• Uncertain Fouling Factor (FF)
• According to Guideline E, the values for closed and open loops are 0.0180 m²·K/kW and 0.0440
m²·K/kW respectively
• Is it applied to one side or both sides?
• There is a connection between FF and Margin

• Heat Transfer Ratio

• Cooling range: 3500-5500
• For special conditions, 2500-3500
• Values above 6000 require testing

• Expansion Area
• Typically, between 1.15 and 1.25?
Entire Operating Map Certification for LLHE
• LLHE Selection Guide
• Determine the LMTD and NTU values for various models and choose those
with high sales volume for yearly testing
• NTU 8-10, LMTD around 1 (high category)
• NTU 5-7, LMTD between 1 and 1.5 (medium category)
• NTU 3-5, LMTD approximately 2 (low category)
AHRI Verification Process
Verifications – 100% Verified
• The verification service has been offered free of
charge since 2014.

• Approximately 1,000 reports are verified

annually.

• This ensures that the data given to

consultants and owners matches what AHRI
has tested and certified.
Verified data-driven choices on equipment
• Consulting engineers have to make choices on HVAC systems
 Assure energy efficient buildings
 Economical in initial investment and over the life of the building

• Choices must be based on readily available, accepted, and respected performance

data that are credible to:
 The building owners
 Regulators
What is the Value of Verifications?
• The AHRI Directory provides third-party verification of individual product
performance under a single standard rating condition.
• Certain AHRI Programs certify performance throughout the full operating range of certified
products, which is determined using a Participant’s selection rating software.

• Because the certified data in these software certification programs covers a broader
range, it requires additional third-party verification beyond the single-point
performance usually displayed in the AHRI Directory.
• As a result, AHRI has created a performance verification procedure, which will be detailed in the
following slides.
Who Can Request Verification?
• Who is eligible to request verification? Any authorized individual involved in the
HVACR and water heating sectors

• Design Engineers
• Consulting Engineers
• Bid Officers
• Building Owners
• Other participants in the AHRI certification program
Verification Process

• Procedure for verifying specification sheets

• Step 1: Submit a verification request along with the original copy
• Step 2: Confirm the details at [Link]
• Step 3: Replication – generate reports using the same software
• Step 4: Prepare the verification package including
• Cover page featuring the AHRI stamp and EA’s signature
• Original specification sheet
• Replicated specification sheet
Questions?
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