Study of the thermal performance of a new type of floor heating and resulting indoor thermal comfort

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.

Additional information

Funding

This research was financially supported by the Science and Technology Project of the Urban–Rural Construction Commission of Tianjin Municipality (number 2017-39) and the Tianjin Dadongyang Investment and Development Limited Company.