作为研发（R&D）项目的一部分，开发用于商业建筑的气体冷却技术，必须对各种系统选项进行技术评估。这些评估的主要目的是现实地评估燃气技术相对于竞争系统的潜在经济效益。这些结果通过确定更好的系统选项并设定第一成本、性能和系统回报的目标，为研发提供了方向。这里描述的评估是基于天气、建筑物、每小时冷负荷、特定公用事业费率和全负荷的非常详细的数据- 以及部分负载设备性能、资本成本和其他参数。将三种创新的气体冷却系统与北方气候条件下基本负荷和峰值负荷商业建筑的电气设备基准进行比较。气体冷却系统的投资回收期相对较短（不到五年），且具有良好的利用率。进一步研发气体冷却设备将提高其在更广泛市场的应用机会。引文:研讨会，ASHRAE交易，第95卷，pt。1989年，芝加哥

As part of a research and development (R&D) program to develop gas-cooling technologies for applications in commercial buildings, technological assessments of various system options must be performed. The major objective of these assessments is to realistically evaluate the potential economic benefits of gas-fired technology relative to competing systems. These results provide R&D direction by identifying the better system options and setting goals for first cost, performance, and system payback.The assessments described here are based on highly detailed data for weather, buildings, hourly cooling loads, specific utility rates, full- and part-load equipment performance, capital costs, and other parameters. Three innovative gas cooling systems are compared to a baseline of electric equipment for base-loaded and peakloaded commercial buildings in northern climates. The gas cooling systems provide relatively short payback periods (less than five years) with favorable utility rates. Further R&D on gas cooling equipment will improve its chances for applications in a wider market.