Abstract
Ceiling radiant cooling panel (CRCP) systems are being increasingly applied to commercial buildings due to their high thermal comfort level and energy efficiency. It is recommended that CRCP systems should be operated at a relatively high chilled water temperature to prevent condensation and save energy. However, even though a high chilled water temperature is effective for achieving condensation-free operation and high chiller efficiency, it can lead to insufficient cooling capacity. In this study, a method of enhancing the cooling capacity of CRCP systems was investigated through mock-up chamber tests. The open-type installation of CRCPs and the combination of air circulators were used to enhance the cooling capacity and energy performance of CRCP systems. Experimental results showed that compared to a conventional CRCP system, the cooling capacity of an open-type CRCP system with air circulators increased by up to 26.2%, and its cooling energy consumption decreased by up to 26.4%. Additionally, the open-type CRCP system with air circulators reduced the difference between the room air temperature and mean chilled water temperature. Thus, the proposed system can operate at a relatively high chilled water temperature, which is effective for reducing condensation risk and cooling energy consumption.
Highlights
Ceiling radiant cooling panel (CRCP) systems have been widely applied to space cooling due to their high thermal comfort level, energy-saving potential, and harmonization with architectural design [1,2]
This study aims to investigate the impact of forced convection on the cooling capacity of open-type and closed-type CRCP systems
The impact of the open-type installation and air circulators on the cooling capacity and energy performance of the CRCP system was investigated through mock-up chamber experiments
Summary
Ceiling radiant cooling panel (CRCP) systems have been widely applied to space cooling due to their high thermal comfort level, energy-saving potential, and harmonization with architectural design [1,2]. As closed-type CRCP systems separate a plenum and an occupied space, it is difficult to utilize cooled plenum air to cool the occupied space This separation does not lead to problems for the top-insulated panels that minimize the heat transfer at the upper surface of CRCPs [3,4]. If metal ceiling panels are installed with closed-type CRCPs, the occupied space is cooled by only the lower surface of the CRCPs only. This might lead to insufficient cooling capacity and a consequent increase in cooling energy. In open-type CRCPs, openings can be created between two adjacent CRCPs or between
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