Radiant heating and cooling systems are emitters of high thermal inertia. Energy savings can be achieved with appropriate control strategies, to be tested in a coupled building-plant simulation environment. A simple but sufficiently accurate model to predict the transient behavior of a building heated or cooled by a dynamically-controlled radiant system is presented. The benchmark room prescribed by EN 15265 to validate transient energy performance calculation methods has been employed, together with the same set of recommended assumptions. Another benchmark room presented by ISO 13791 was also tested. The thermal response of the room under statistic weather conditions of both Trappes, France, and Pisa, Italy, was simulated during the heating season. Two control systems were implemented and compared: weather-based control of the water delivery temperature to the emitters and simple on/off thermostat control, acting according to the room air temperature. The pipework, the slab, and the room elements were modeled separately and then solved simultaneously. The building-plant simulations provided reliable and sound results. The model appears as a powerful tool, to be employed in the design phase or in retrofit analyses for comparative evaluation of different solutions. Experimental validation of the model predictions, including energy need forecasts, is in sight.
Development of a Simple Transient Model for Radiant Heating and Cooling Systems and Coupling with Building Energy Simulation
CONTI, PAOLO;TESTI, DANIELE
2011-01-01
Abstract
Radiant heating and cooling systems are emitters of high thermal inertia. Energy savings can be achieved with appropriate control strategies, to be tested in a coupled building-plant simulation environment. A simple but sufficiently accurate model to predict the transient behavior of a building heated or cooled by a dynamically-controlled radiant system is presented. The benchmark room prescribed by EN 15265 to validate transient energy performance calculation methods has been employed, together with the same set of recommended assumptions. Another benchmark room presented by ISO 13791 was also tested. The thermal response of the room under statistic weather conditions of both Trappes, France, and Pisa, Italy, was simulated during the heating season. Two control systems were implemented and compared: weather-based control of the water delivery temperature to the emitters and simple on/off thermostat control, acting according to the room air temperature. The pipework, the slab, and the room elements were modeled separately and then solved simultaneously. The building-plant simulations provided reliable and sound results. The model appears as a powerful tool, to be employed in the design phase or in retrofit analyses for comparative evaluation of different solutions. Experimental validation of the model predictions, including energy need forecasts, is in sight.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
