Design Requirements for Condensation-Free Operation of High-Temperature Cooling Systems in Mediterranean Climate

Article pulished in Building and Environment (2020)

Title: Design Requirements for Condensation-Free Operation of High-Temperature Cooling Systems in Mediterranean Climate

Datasets: “Building energy simulation data results” and “Acquired data from existing and/or new installed meters or from existing BEMS (pre intervention EcoSCADA monitoring data)” – Raw data is available upon request. Follow the link and fill the request form.

Language: English

Authors: Henrikki Pieskä (*1) , Adnan Ploskić (*1,2), Qian Wang (*1,3).

*1: Division of Sustainable Buildings, School of Architecture and the Built Environment, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Brinellvägen 23, SE, 10044, Stockholm, Sweden
*2: Bravida Holding AB, Mikrofonvägen 28, SE, 12637, Hägersten, Sweden
*3: Uponor AB, Hackstavägen 1, SE, 72132, Västerås, Sweden

Abstract: Radiant cooling systems are a subject of increasing scientific interest due to their efficiency and ability to use high-temperature cooling sources. In hot and humid conditions, they have generally been studied in combination with dehumidification systems. For retrofit projects, a control system that would eliminate the need for dehumidification would be beneficial. In the present study, a passive geothermal-based radiant high-temperature cooling system is studied in a Mediterranean climate. The system is operated with supply water temperature control using dew point temperature as a controlling variable. The system’s performance is compared with that of an all-air cooling system. The systems are evaluated using IDA-ICE building energy simulations, validated with on-site measurement data. The results show that the radiant cooling system produces the same level of thermal comfort with 40% lower energy use and 85% lower exergy consumption than the all-air system. The risk of condensation limits the cooling capacity of the radiant cooling system. Consequently, insufficient cooling capacity causes thermal discomfort for the occupants due to the operative temperature exceeding 26 ◦C.