1. What is radiant cooling....?
Radiant cooling systems circulate chilled (commonly 16°C to 19°C) water or a glycol aqueous fluid trough crosslinked PEX pipes embedded in the structure of floors, walls and/or ceilings, or through manufactured panels positioned on the walls or ceilings.
This chilled fluid draws the excess heat from the structure and sends it to a chiller or a ground source system for exchange. Its operation is similar to radiant heat, only in reverse.
The radiation from the cool surface together with the room air temperature creates the temperature people feel.
2. I thought floor could be used for radiant heating only...?
That’s a common misconception, along with the idea that heat rises.
The fact is, hot air rises – not heat.
According to the second law of thermodynamics, heat passes from a hot surface to a cold surface. Consequently, the floor can be used for radiant cooling by absorbing heat from the surrounding surfaces in the structure.
3. Can radiant cooling supply all the cooling needs of the building...?
These systems are mainly not designed to standalone. Rather, they work in conjunction with an HVAC system. Among the advantages of radiant cooling are the efficiencies it provides by allowing the designer to downsize the cooling package in a building.
But, depending on the local meteorological (weather) conditions, a radiant cooling system can cover the cooling load in the transition period in spring and autumn.
It is important to note that cooling loads consists of three components: sensible (dry heat), latent (moisture) and solar.
The radiant cooling system can only affect the sensible and solar portions of the cooling load; the HVAC system must address the latent portion.
Need to know more about this lattest building technolgy...?
So, please attend the free guest lectures above...!
Thursday, 18 November 2010, 13.00 onward @ Galery Arsitektur, ITB
[ Click the above picture for detail info ]