A Critical Review of Modeling Methods for Radiant Floor Cooling Systems

Radiant floor heating systems have become a reference technology for room air conditioning, but on the other hand, the use of radiant floors for cooling purposes has proven inconvenient in many applications due to its reduced cooling capacity. Nonetheless, the potentialities and issues of radiant floor cooling systems have been frequently addressed in scientific literature, given the large potential advantages of employing a single emissive system for all seasons. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art modeling methods for radiant floor cooling systems in scientific papers, commercial software, and technical standards. After categorizing models according to the mathematical methods and assumptions used, the distinctive features of each method are analyzed, and its major limitations are highlighted, focusing on aspects such as model’s purpose, computational effort, validation procedures, and ability to represent scenarios where limited information about the case study is available. The outcome of the review revealed the ongoing necessity of a more comprehensive modeling approach that incorporates all critical factors that could significantly affect the floor temperature and cooling capacity of the system.