Experimental and numerical analysis of air and radiant cooling systems in offices

Abstract

This paper analyses office cooling systems based on all air mixing ventilation systems alone or coupled with radiant ceiling panels. This last solution may be effectively applied to retrofit all air systems that are no longer able to maintain a suitable thermal comfort in the indoor environment, for example in offices with high thermal loads. This study was performed by means of CFD simulations previously validated through an experimental campaign performed in a full scale test room, simulating a typical two-desk office equipped with an all air mixing ventilation system. The numerical studies were then extended to the coupled mixing ventilation and cold radiant ceiling panels. In particular, attention was drawn on the evaluation of the main supply jet properties (throw and penetration length) and on the draft risk caused by the cold air drop into the occupied zone. The study shows that such a problem can be effectively reduced applying cold radiant ceiling panels.