These lower operating temperatures coupled with the superior heat transfer properties of water can reduce fuel consumption, potentially saving up to 30% per year in heating expenses Radiant heating allows a thermostat to be set as much as 4✯ (2✬) lower than it would be with traditional hot air systems without sacrificing comfort. In many cases, heat pumps can be smaller and draw lower electrical loads than if distributing heat via an air-based system. This means that systems with fossil-fuel devices deliver better efficiencies by operating in condensing mode, and air-to-water or water-to-water heat pumps deliver higher coefficients of performance (COPs). A hydronic circulator moving warm fluid can typically deliver the same thermal energy as an air fan with 75-90% less electrical consumptionīecause radiant heating systems can heat a space with very low water temperature, the efficiency of the heat source is typically improved.A nominal 3/4 water pipe can transfer the same heat energy as a 14 x 8 inch duct.Thanks to its high specific heat as compared with air, water is a much better conductor of heat energy. This means that radiant systems can improve comfort while reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling, while radiant systems also have reduced operational costs and maintenance costs. Heating and cooling an occupied space with hydronic radiant surfaces is efficient, silent, invisible, clean, controllable, reliable, maintenance-free and extremely comfortable. Radiant cooling systems are usually installed in commercial spaces where the humidity can be controlled by computerized control systems to manage air dehumidification and prevent condensation, or in arid climates where the temperature of cooled surfaces is always above the natural dew point of the ambient air. The reduction in size of the air handling equipment is often enough to offset the cost of the heating/cooling pipes. Radiant cooling systems improve comfort and efficiency, as the cooling load on the traditional air-based system can be significantly reduced, lowering air movement, noise and drafts. Some radiant heating systems also operate as cooling systems, circulating chilled water through floors, walls or ceilings in the cooling season to absorb heat energy from spaces. Many radiant heating systems meet design loads with fluid temperatures of 110✯ (43✬) or less. The warm fluid may also come from waste heat of other cooling operations and industrial processes. The warm water may be produced by a variety of heat sources such as high-efficiency boilers, ground-source geothermal heat pumps, air-to-water heat pumps, and thermal solar collection systems. This is one of the reasons why hydronic systems are so efficient, since these small circulators often draw 75-90% less energy to transfer heat as compared with fans. electronically commutating motors ) to deliver only the amount of heat energy that is needed at any moment in time. Modern hydronic circulators typically use variable-speed motors (a.k.a. Water is the natural refrigerant, with no environmental concerns related to leakage, CFCs, global warming potential (GWP), or flammability. Hydronic systems are more efficient than refrigerant-based systems due to the high specific heat of water and the fact that hydronic circulators utilize a fraction of the electrical energy required by compressors. *Heat that causes a change in temperature in an object is called Sensible Heat. This network of tubes can turn floors, walls, and ceilings into cooled surfaces that evenly absorb sensible* heat energy, including radiant energy from solar gain, people, lights, computers, etc., in addition to some convective heat transfer from the air. Typically designed in conjunction with radiant heating, radiant cooling systems can circulate chilled fluid through the same network of embedded plastic tubing. The resulting comfort is unmatched with other forms of heat delivery. In a heated floor, the warm surface radiates heat to everything in line-of-sight of the floor, warming the objects and people in the room, while also allowing warm air to gently rise from the floor. When heated surfaces emit more than 50% of their heat energy through infrared emissions, they are known as radiant heating systems. The tubing conducts heat to the exposed surface, which acts like a large, gentle radiator. geothermal system, boiler) through plastic tubing that is embedded in the floors, walls, or ceilings of a space. In a radiant heating system, heated fluid is distributed from a warm-water source (e.g.
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