Abstract
The new type water floor (NTWF) is a device that combines the heating function with interior decoration to effectively supply heat indoors through low-temperature hot water circulating in the channels. This article investigates the thermal performance of the NTWF and indoor thermal comfort experimentally and performs a numerical simulation. The experimental results indicate that two groups in parallel with eight channels provide the optimal combination, and the indoor temperature can be maintained within the range from 19.4 °C to 24.9 °C in different operating conditions. Under the premise of meeting the heating demand, the average supply water temperature of the NTWF is 3–7 °C lower than that of a conventional floor. The simulation results show that the predicted mean vote (PMV) for the indoor environment is –0.19, and only 6.2% of the occupants feel discomfort. In conclusion, the NTWF can improve the indoor thermal comfort effectively with low energy consumption and a short construction period. It has excellent prospects for future development in practical engineering.