Ceiling mounted radiant panels – calculations of heat output in heating and cooling application

Poznan University of Technology, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Poznan, Poland

^* Corresponding author : lawrence.drojetzki@student.put.poznan.pl

Abstract

This paper describes calculations of heat exchange between a radiant heating and cooling ceiling panel and the surrounding space. The calculations were created on the basis of empirical equations published in literature and experimental research of radiant ceiling panels carried out at the Institute of Environmental Engineering of the Poznan University of Technology. Changes in heating or cooling output vs. air and panel surface temperature difference were investigated. Based on the calculation results, the influence of the colour, gloss and shape of the panels surface on the heating or cooling capacity was indicated. Performed calculations show that the proportion of radiation in the whole heat exchange for the matte black ceiling panel reach 50% for cooling and 75% for heating mode for the considered temperatures. Comparing two rectangular, square and circular panels with the same area, it has been shown that the shape of the surface affects the heat exchange due to the difference in convectional flows in the boundary layers for different cases. Possible explanations of the discrepancies between the theoretical model and experimental results were presented.