Determination of Optimum Hot-Water Temperatures for PCM Radiant Floor-Heating Systems Based on the Wet Construction Method

Sanghoon Baek and Sangchul Kim
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Sanghoon Baek: Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation, Hankyong National University, 327, Jungang-ro, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do 17579, Korea
Sangchul Kim: School of Architecture, Hankyong National University, 327, Jungang-ro, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do 17579, Korea

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-19

Abstract: Owing to use of mortar, which demonstrates low heat storage and discharge performance, conventional radiant floor-heating systems, based on the wet construction method and hot-water circulation, consume large amounts of energy. This study proposes a new type of radiant floor-heating system that is capable of reducing energy consumption via use of the latent heat of a phase change material (PCM), whereby the phase change, which occurs within, is induced by the thermal energy supplied by hot water. Simulation analyses revealed that hot-water supply temperatures, required to maintain the floor-surface and indoor-air temperatures at the set point using PCM latent heat, were in the range 40–41 °C. At supply water temperatures measuring less than 39 °C or exceeding 42 °C, the latent-heat effect of the phase change of the PCM tended to fail, and the corresponding floor-surface temperature assumed a value different from that corresponding to the set point. By contrast, supply temperatures in the range 40–41 °C resulted in return temperatures measuring approximately 27.4–27.5 °C, which in turn corresponded to an indoor air temperature of 21.6–22.6 °C that was stably maintained within ±0.6 °C of the 22 °C set-point temperature.

Keywords: PCM radiant floor-heating system; wet construction method; hot-water temperature; apartment housing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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