Field investigations on operational performance of a novel radiant floor heating equipment applied in a typical office building

Abstract

Low-temperature radiant heating systems are widely used in buildings with significant energy conservation, and they are convenient for the utilization of low-grade energy resources and household metering. In this study, the practical application of a novel radiant floor heating system (RFHS) in cold regions is investigated via construction of an experimental platform for energy consumption and thermal comfort in an office building in Tianjin, China. The results indicated that the novel radiant floor exhibits higher heating capacity and heat transfer coefficient than that of a traditional radiant floor. During the experiment, the average indoor temperature was 25.0°C in the office room and 22.7°C in the conference room, and all instantaneous indoor temperatures exceeded 21°C. To avoid local thermal discomfort, the supply water temperature of the floor can be appropriately decreased by 2–3°C for operation. Additionally, the power consumption of the system is decreased by approximately 11.4% if the indoor temperature is decreased to 20°C. Hence, a 10-h operation mode per day can be adopted in the office building for energy conservation given that the novel radiant floor exhibits superior initial response to intermittent operation. Practical application: In this study, the practical application effect of a new type of water-passing floor is examined in cold regions to provide a design reference for engineering applications. Therefore, it is expected that the results will be helpful to researchers for indoor environments, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning engineers, system manufacturers, and those who want to analyze the operational performance of a radiant floor heating system.