How to Choose the Most Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning Equipment for Air-supported Dome Buildings?

Air conditioning types mainly include integrated and split types.

I. Integrated Air Conditioning

1. Definition: Integrated unit design (such as high-space jet air conditioners, water-source heat pump integrated units, evaporative cooling integrated units), integrated into one or a few cabinets, can be directly floor-mounted, side-mounted, or ceiling-mounted, suitable for centralized cooling/heating in high-space areas.

2. Advantages:

(1) Suitable for large spaces: Designed specifically for high-space areas (8-15 meters), with a jet distance of 15-25 meters, covering an area of ​​2000㎡+.

(2) Energy-saving: Mostly equipped with frequency conversion function, COP can reach 3.5-6.0 (water-source heat pump type), high efficiency at full load, and COP still ≥3.0 at low load.

(3) Can be floor-mounted (no hanging required), or side-mounted on the steel structure support of the air-supported dome building, without damaging the membrane material. (4) Uniform Cooling: The jet angle is adjustable (20°-45°), and with layered air supply, a uniform "cold pool" can be formed in the personnel activity area (2-3 meters high), with a temperature difference of ≤1-2℃ throughout the area.

II. Split-type Air Conditioners
1. Definition: Indoor and outdoor units are separated (e.g., multi-split units, split wall-mounted/cabinet units, ducted units), connected by refrigerant/water pipes. Indoor units are installed separately, suitable for small spaces or zoned cooling.

2. Advantages:

(1) Low initial investment. Suitable for small-area air-supported structures (≤1000㎡) or zoned cooling (e.g., office areas and storage rooms within the air-supported structure). Installation is flexible, and the investment cost is 15-30% lower than integrated systems.

(2) High flexibility: A single unit failure does not affect the overall operation, with a high fault tolerance rate. Modular design allows for the addition of indoor units as needed, providing flexible expansion and suitable for small air-supported structures with diverse functions.

Conclusion: For large-area air-supported dome structures (1500㎡+) with 8-15 meter ceiling heights, integrated air conditioning is a good option, meeting the needs of centralized cooling and experiential design in large spaces. While the initial investment cost is high, subsequent operation is more energy-efficient. For smaller venues (≤1500㎡) or areas requiring independent temperature control (such as office areas or storage rooms), split-type air conditioning is a better choice.