A novel cooling capacity prediction model for open-type cooling radiant ceiling

Abstract

Open-type cooling radiant ceiling panel systems (O-CRCP) have a higher cooling capacity, but their cooling capacity can only be calculated roughly according to the model of the closed-type cooling radiant ceiling panel systems (C-CRCP), which may cause economic and energy waste. This study aims to develop a novel cooling capacity prediction model for O-CRCP considering the impact of panel size, layout, and installation position. The experimental results revealed that the heat flux of the O-CRCP was 49%–64% greater than that of the C-CRCP. A detailed analysis of the simulation results shows that the natural convective heat transfer is the main factor for the cooling capacity enhancement which basically determines the trend of the total heat flux varying with various factors. Based on the simulation results, a novel cooling capacity prediction model for O-CRCP was developed using a multi-regression method. It was evaluated in an actual room with O-CRCP, and the predicted cooling capacity curve showed good agreement with the measured values, the relative error ranged from 5.78% to 9.72% with an average of 7.47%, which is acceptable for engineering applications. The proposed model can provide support and guidance for designers and engineers in selecting and arranging O-CRCP in real applications.