Radiant ceiling panel heating-cooling systems: experimental and simulated study of the performances, thermal comfort and energy consumptions

Well known in the North of Europe, the water ceiling panel systems are mainly used to provide cooling. However, as well as for a radiant floor, this system can be used for heating in winter and cooling in summer. In order to get a better knowledge of the energy performances of such devices, the Gaz de France Research Centre funded a test campaign during two winters and one summer. This experimental study was carried out in our laboratory, located in Rennes, in western France. A water ceiling panel system and a monitory data acquisition system were installed in a test room. The studied ceiling panel system was made of copper pipes with rigid aluminium diffusion fins. The used materials presented a good heating conductivity and the ceiling radiant panel was fast-acting. Simulation models were developed with the simulation program TRNSYS, using the experimental study results for the code verification. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.