Heating from Climate beams
With Swegon's comfort modules and climate beams, heating and cooling needs can be met without the need to install separate radiators and radiator circuits.
Introduction
- A common approach to building design is to use chilled beams for ventilation and cooling needs, while heating needs are typically managed by radiators.
- With Swegon's comfort modules and climate beams, ventilation, heating, and cooling needs can be efficiently met without the need for separate radiators and radiator circuits.
- All comfort modules and chilled beams from Swegon are meticulously designed and tested to provide optimal ventilation, heating, and cooling.
- Using Swegon's comfort modules and climate beams offers a straightforward and cost-effective solution, where pipe installations are confined to the comfort modules in the ceiling. This not only saves time and installation space but also helps reduce the building's overall carbon emissions, benefiting the environment. Additionally, valuable floor space that would otherwise be occupied by radiators is freed up, allowing for a more flexible and aesthetically pleasing design of the usable areas.
What is a good indoor climate?
A good indoor climate is crucial for creating a healthy and comfortable environment to live or work in. Actively regulating the indoor climate also helps prevent moisture and mold growth, and protects the building's structure, installations, and furnishings from large temperature variations. All of this helps extend the building's lifespan and maintain its value.
When designing an optimal indoor climate, we can refer to the standard SS-EN ISO 7730:2006, which aims for at least 90% of people to experience comfort in a room.
Some of the values we need to consider in a heating scenario are as follows:
- Operative temperature: 20-24°C
- Air velocities: 0.15 m/s - 0.25 m/s
- Temperature difference between head and feet: < 3°C
- Radiant temperature from surfaces:
* 19°C on the floor
* <35°C from the ceiling and walls
Will you get the heat down in the ocupied zone?
- Swegon recommends that the discharge temperature from the climate beam be approximately 2-4 degrees warmer than the room temperature to ensure good and even air mixing in the room. This temperature difference helps create a comfortable and stable indoor environment.
- Higher discharge temperatures can lead to greater temperature stratification, meaning the heat stays higher up in the room and does not reach the occupied zone where it is needed most. This can result in uneven temperature distribution and reduced comfort for the occupants.
- The warm air from the climate beam will slowly sink down into the room and mix with the existing air, contributing to a uniform and pleasant climate. By keeping the discharge temperature within the recommended range, issues with temperature stratification can be avoided, ensuring that the entire room is heated efficiently.
Where should room temperature be measured?
- Swegon recommends that sensors for measuring and controlling room temperature be placed on an interior wall, approximately 1.1 meters from the floor. Laboratory tests have shown that sensors placed near a heat exchanger in heating mode are inevitably affected by heat emission, which can impact both operation and comfort in the room.
- Consideration should also be given to solar radiation, which can heat up the sensor. If the room sensor is mounted near a door, there is a risk that the temperature measurement will be affected by the temperature of the adjacent room when the door is open.
How high can the ceiling be?
- When it comes to heating from the ceiling, it is important that the warm air reaches the occupied zone, where it is most effective.
- Laboratory tests have shown that baffles placed at an installation height between 2 and 3.5 meters are optimal to ensure functionality.
- A higher installation height can also work, but extra consideration should be given to other parameters such as supply temperature, airflows, room design, and how the room will be used, as all these factors affect the outcome.
What supply temperature should be used?
Below are two operating examples that work well for climate beams.
Regulation with Heat Pump – Low Supply Temperature and Efficient Operation
- Heat pumps work best at low supply temperatures and a relatively even temperature difference between supply and return. This allows the system to be regulated more conventionally without needing to focus as much on maintaining a cold return.
- Low Supply Temperature (28–40°C): To maintain the heat pump's efficiency, the supply temperature should be kept as low as possible, often between 28–40°C, depending on the building's needs. A smaller Delta T, around 5–8°C, often works well for heat pumps. Since heat pumps operate more efficiently at lower temperatures, a higher water flow can be beneficial for evenly distributing the heat. Here, traditional thermostat control can be used to maintain a stable indoor temperature.
Regulation with District Heating – Cold Return and Efficient Energy Extraction
- District heating systems are most efficient when they have low return temperatures, as this maximizes energy extraction in the district heating network. To achieve this, the regulation should be adjusted so that the water releases as much heat as possible before leaving the system.
- Low Water Flow and Higher Temperature Difference (ΔT): By reducing the water flow, the water has more time to release heat, resulting in a lower return temperature. Delta T (the difference between supply and return) should be high, preferably 10-15°C, to effectively transfer the heat.
Do you need to keep the ventilation unit running at night to meet the heating needs of the building?
- Swegon recommends running the unit during cold weather conditions outside of regular working hours, preferably with a circulation function that blocks outdoor air and reheaters for optimal energy efficiency. To extract heat from the comfort modules, the unit needs to be operational and delivering airflow.
- The duration for which the unit needs to be operational depends on the building's climate shell, but for new buildings according to current building regulations, a circulation flow of approximately 30% of the maximum flow is recommended between November and March. This applies to a reference building and may vary depending on the specific conditions of the building.
What cost savings are possible?
- Heating from the ceiling using comfort modules with combined heating and cooling offers significant advantages in installation calculations. A 2-pipe system for heating and cooling via comfort modules is a cost-effective system solution compared to a traditional solution with comfort modules for cooling and radiators.
- The installation cost for a system with comfort modules for heating and cooling from the ceiling is 5-7% lower. The calculation is based on the entire system, including heating and cooling production, pipe installation, ventilation, control, and electricity.
- Heating and cooling with comfort modules in a 4-pipe system can be a more expensive solution compared to comfort modules for cooling and radiators. It is primarily the insulation for the pipes that drives up the costs in this solution.
References
Our product range for heating and cooling
Showing 12 of 15 products
Whilst we have made every effort to ensure information on this website is up to date and accurate, the technical specification and availability of products/services listed on this website may vary market to market and are subject to change without notice. Please contact your regional representative or visit your local website for further details.