Radiant Heating Systems Guide
Radiant Heating Systems Guide
1 4 RADI A NT HE AT I NG
-JRVJESBEJBOUIFBUJOHTZTUFNTDJSDVMBUFXBSNXBUFSUISPVHI
metal or plastic pipes either encased in a concrete slab that
serves as a thermal mass or secured to the underside of
subflooring with conductive heat plates. The supply water may
be heated in a boiler, heat pump, solar collector, or geothermal
system. In response to the thermostat setting, a control
valve adjusts the supply water temperature by mixing it with
the circulating water from the pipe loops.
t $PODSFUFTMBCPOHSBEF
t .FUBMQJQFTPSQMBTUJDUVCJOHDPNQMFUFMZFNCFEEFEJO
DPODSFUFTMBCBOETQBDFEGSPNUP UP
PDDMPTFSTQBDJOHTBSFVTFEXIFSFNPSFXBSNUIJTOFFEFE
t 1/2 NJOJNVNDPWFS
t 3JHJEGPBNJOTVMBUJPOBMPOHUIFFEHFBOEBSPVOEUIF
perimeter of the slab
t .PJTUVSFCBSSJFS
t 'JOJTIGMPPSJOH
t 4VCGMPPS
t )FBUJOHQJQFTPSUVCJOHTFDVSFEUPUIFVOEFSTJEFPG
the subflooring with conductive heat plates
t 5IFSNBMJOTVMBUJPOSFRVJSFE
t $FNFOUJUJPVTVOEFSMBZNFOU3/4 NJOJNVNDPWFS
t )FBUJOHQJQFTPSUVCJOH
t 1MBTUJDGPBNJOTVMBUJPOTFSWFTBTBUIFSNBMCSFBL
t &YJTUJOHDPODSFUFTMBC
t 'JOJTIGMPPSJOH
t $FNFOUJUJPVTVOEFSMBZNFOU3/4 NJOJNVNDPWFS
t )FBUJOHQJQFTPSUVCJOHSVOQFSQFOEJDVMBSUPKPJTUGSBNJOH
t &YJTUJOHTVCGMPPSJOH3/4 NJOJNVN
t &YJTUJOHKPJTUT
Storage Facility
t "OJOTVMBUFETUPSBHFGBDJMJUZIPMETIFBUGPSVTFBUOJHIUPSPO t )FBUFYDIBOHFS
overcast days. It may be in the form of a tank filled with water
or other liquid medium, or a bin of rocks or phase-change salts
for air systems. t 4FOTPS DPOUSPMT BOE
pumps for liquid systems
t 5IFIFBUEJTUSJCVUJOHDPNQPOFOUTPGUIFTPMBSFOFSHZTZTUFN or fans for air systems
are similar to those of conventional systems.
t )FBUNBZCFEFMJWFSFECZBOBMMBJSPSBOBJSXBUFSTZTUFN
t 'PSDPPMJOH BIFBUQVNQPSBCTPSQUJPODPPMJOHVOJUJTSFRVJSFE
t "CBDLVQIFBUJOHTZTUFNJTSFDPNNFOEFE
t 'PSBOBDUJWFTPMBSFOFSHZTZTUFNUPCFFGGJDJFOU UIFCVJMEJOH
itself must be thermally efficient and well insulated. Its siting,
orientation, and window openings should take advantage of the
seasonal solar radiation.
t 4FFoGPSQBTTJWFTPMBSEFTJHO
t 4FFGPSQIPUPWPMUBJDUFDIOPMPHZ
Compressive Refrigeration
t &YQBOTJPOWBMWFSFEVDFTUIF $PNQSFTTJWFSFGSJHFSBUJPOJTBQSPDFTTJOXIJDI
pressure and evaporation DPPMJOHJTFGGFDUFECZUIFWBQPSJ[BUJPOBOE
temperature of a refrigerant expansion of a liquid refrigerant.
as it flows to the evaporator.
t &WBQPSBUPSJTUIF t $POEFOTFSSFEVDFT
component of a a vapor or gas to
refrigeration system liquid form.
t $PNQSFTTPSSFEVDFTUIF
in which the refrigerant
volume and increases the
absorbs heat from a
pressure of a vapor or gas.
cooling medium and Heat Pumps
changes from a liquid Heat pumps are electrically powered heating and
to a vapor or gas. cooling units. For cooling, the normal compressive
refrigeration cycle is used to absorb and transfer
t $POEFOTFS t &WBQPSBUPS t &WBQPSBUPS t $POEFOTFS excess heat to the outdoors. For heating, heat
energy is drawn from the outdoor air by reversing
the cooling cycle and switching the heat exchange
functions of the condenser and evaporator.
t )FBUJOHBOEDPPMJOHFOFSHZDBO t 3FUVSOBJSJTDPOWFZFEGSPNBO
be distributed by air, water, or a air-conditioned space back to the
DPNCJOBUJPOPGCPUI central plant for processing and
see 11.18–11.19. recirculation.
t 1SFIFBUFSTIFBUBJSUIBUJTCFMPX
¡' ¡$ UPBUFNQFSBUVSF
TMJHIUMZBCPWFGSFF[JOH JOBEWBODF
of other processing. t %BNQFSTSFHVMBUFUIFESBGU
t #MPXFSTTVQQMZBJSBUBNPEFSBUF in air ducts, intakes, and outlets.
pressure, as to supply forced
ESBGUTJOB)7"$TZTUFN t &YIBVTUBJS
t )VNJEJGJFSTNBJOUBJOPSJODSFBTF
the amount of water vapor in the
supply air. t 'SFTIBJS
All-Air Systems
t "TJOHMFEVDU DPOTUBOUBJSWPMVNF $"7 TZTUFNEFMJWFST
conditioned air at a constant temperature through a low-
velocity duct system to the served spaces.
t *OBTJOHMF[POFTZTUFN BNBTUFSUIFSNPTUBUSFHVMBUFTUIF
temperature for the entire building.
t *OBNVMUJ[POFTZTUFN TFQBSBUFEVDUTGSPNBDFOUSBMBJS
IBOEMJOHVOJUTFSWFFBDIPGBOVNCFS[POFT
t "EVBMEVDUTZTUFNVTFTTFQBSBUFEVDUTUPEFMJWFSXBSNBJS
and cool air to mixing boxes, which contain thermostatically
controlled dampers.
t 5IFNJYJOHCPYFTQSPQPSUJPOBOECMFOEUIFXBSNBOEDPMEBJSUP
reach the desired temperature before distributing the blended
BJSUPFBDI[POFPSTQBDF
t 5IJTJTVTVBMMZBIJHIWFMPDJUZTZTUFN<GQN
NNJO PSIJHIFS>UPSFEVDFEVDUTJ[FTBOE
installation space.
t "UFSNJOBMSFIFBUTZTUFNPGGFSTNPSFGMFYJCJMJUZJONFFUJOH
changing space requirements. It supplies air at about 55°F
¡$ UPUFSNJOBMTFRVJQQFEXJUIFMFDUSJDPSIPUXBUFS
reheat coils, which regulate the temperature of the air being
GVSOJTIFEUPFBDIJOEJWJEVBMMZDPOUSPMMFE[POFPSTQBDF
All-Water Systems
t 1JQFT XIJDISFRVJSFMFTTJOTUBMMBUJPOTQBDFUIBOBJSEVDUT
deliver hot or chilled water to fan-coil units in the served
spaces.
t "UXPQJQFTZTUFNVTFTPOFQJQFUPTVQQMZIPUPSDIJMMFEXBUFS
to each fan-coil unit and another to return it to the boiler or
chilled water plant.
t 'BODPJMVOJUTDPOUBJOBOBJSGJMUFSBOEBDFOUSJGVHBMGBOGPS
drawing in a mixture of room air and outside air over coils of
heater or chilled water and then blowing it back into the space.
t "GPVSQJQFTZTUFNVTFTUXPTFQBSBUFQJQJOHDJSDVJUT
one for hot water and one for chilled water—to provide
simultaneous heating and cooling as needed to the
WBSJPVT[POFTPGBCVJMEJOH
Packaged Systems
t 1BDLBHFETZTUFNTBSFTFMGDPOUBJOFE XFBUIFSQSPPG
units incorporating a fan, filters, compressor, condenser,
and evaporator coils for cooling. For heating, the unit
may operate as a heat pump or contain auxiliary heating
elements. Packaged systems are powered by electricity
or by a combination of electricity and gas.
t 1BDLBHFETZTUFNTNBZCFNPVOUFEBTBTJOHMFQJFDFPG
equipment on the roof or on a concrete pad alongside an
exterior wall of a building.
t 3PPGUPQQBDLBHFEVOJUTNBZCFQMBDFEBUJOUFSWBMTUP
serve long buildings.
t 1BDLBHFETZTUFNTXJUIWFSUJDBMTIBGUTUIBUDPOOFDUUP
IPSJ[POUBMCSBODIEVDUTDBOTFSWFCVJMEJOHTVQUPGPVSPS
five stories in height.
t 4QMJUQBDLBHFETZTUFNTDPOTJTUPGBOPVUEPPSVOJU
incorporating the compressor and condenser and an
indoor unit that contains the cooling and heating coils
BOEUIFDJSDVMBUJOHGBOJOTVMBUFESFGSJHFSBOUUVCJOHBOE
control wiring connect the two parts.
t 4NBMMUFSNJOBMVOJUTNBZCFNPVOUFEEJSFDUMZCFMPXB
window or in openings cut into the exterior wall of each
served space. Window-mounted units are typically used
for retrofitting existing buildings.
11.2 0 HVA C S Y S TEMS
Factors to consider in the selection, design, and
installation of a heating, ventilating, and air-
DPOEJUJPOJOHTZTUFNJODMVEF
t %JGGVTFSTIBWFTMBUT t (SJMMTBSFTJNQMZHSBUJOHT
at different angles for or perforated screens for
deflecting warm or covering and protecting an
conditioned air from opening.
an outlet in various t 3FHJTUFSTDPOUSPMUIFGMPX
directions. of warm or conditioned air
t $FJMJOHEJGGVTFST from an outlet, composed
discharge low-velocity air of a grill with a number of
in a spreading pattern. parallel blades that may be
t %JGGVTFSTNBZCFSPVOE adjusted so as to overlap
square, or linear, or be in and close the opening.
the form of perforated t 'MPPSSFHJTUFSTBSF
ceiling tiles. used to control heat loss
and condensation along
exterior windows and
walls.
Air-supply outlets should be located to distribute warm or cool air to
the occupied areas of a space comfortably, without noticeable drafts,
and without stratification. The throw distance and spread or diffusion
pattern of the supply outlet should be carefully considered along with
any obstructions that might interfere with the air distribution.
t 4QSFBE 4 JTUIFFYUFOU
to which a projected air
t 5ISPX 5 JTUIFEJTUBODFB
stream diffuses at the end
projected air stream travels
of the throw.
from an outlet to a point where
t 5IFTQBDJOHPGPVUMFUT
its velocity is reduced to a
should be approximately
specified value. It is determined
equal to the extent of
by the air velocity and the shape
their spread.
BOETJ[FPGUIFPVUMFU
t 'BOTIBQFEUISPX45
t 4USBJHIUUISPX45
t 5TIPVMEFYUFOEBUMFBTU3/4 of
the depth of a space.
8BUFSJTVTFEJOBCVJMEJOHJOUIFGPMMPXJOHXBZT
t 8BUFSJTDPOTVNFECZESJOLJOH DPPLJOH BOEXBTIJOH
t )7"$TZTUFNTDJSDVMBUFXBUFSGPSIFBUJOHBOE
t 5PUBMPQFSBUJOHIFBE cooling, and maintaining a desirable level of humidity.
service pressure t 'JSFQSPUFDUJPOTZTUFNTTUPSFXBUFSGPSFYUJOHVJTIJOH
minus friction head loss fires.
t 1SFTTVSFUBOLNBJOUBJOT
service pressure. It requires Water must be supplied to a building in the correct
electrical power and a fused quantity, and at the proper flow rate, pressure, and
disconnect switch. temperature, to satisfy the above requirements. For
t *OTUBMMTVQQMZQJQFCFMPX human consumption, water must be potable—free of
frost line. harmful bacteria—and palatable. To avoid the clogging
or corrosion of pipes and equipment, water may have to
be treated for hardness or excessive acidity.
t $PSQPSBUJPOTUPQJTBWBMWF t $VSCCPYQSPWJEFTBDDFTTUPBXBUFSNFUFSUIBUNFBTVSFT
controlling the flow of water and records the quantity of water that passes through
from a main to a service pipe. a service pipe, and the control valve for shutting off the
water supply to a building in case of an emergency.
Public Water Supply