Performance evaluation of ventilation radiators

A ventilation radiator is a combined ventilation and heat emission unit currently of interest due to its potential for increasing energy efficiency in exhaust-ventilated buildings with warm water heating. This paper presents results of performance tests of several ventilation radiator models conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. The purpose of the study was to validate results achieved by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in an earlier study and identify possible improvements in the performance of such systems. The main focus was on heat transfer from internal convection fins, but comfort and health aspects related to ventilation rates and air temperatures were also considered. The general results from the CFD simulations were confirmed; the heat output of ventilation radiators may be improved by at least 20% without sacrificing ventilation efficiency or thermal comfort. Improved thermal efficiency of ventilation radiators allows a lower supply water temperature and energy savings both for heating up and distribution of warm water in heat pumps or district heating systems. A secondary benefit is that a high ventilation rate can be maintained all year around without risk for cold draught. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.