Floor Radiant Cooling System

Under optimal design conditions capacities of a floor system up to 16 btu h ft can be achieved with more typical capacities in the 8 to 12 btu h ft range.

Floor radiant cooling system. Since radiant heating systems tend to be in the floor the obvious choice would be to use the same circulation system for cooled water. Chilled water between 55f to 58f is circulated through the pipes which are embedded in either floor or ceiling. The capacity of a radiant cooling system depends on factors such as insulation pipe spacing floor construction and indoor air temperatures. Similarly water can accumulate on flooring cooled by a radiant floor cooling system.

Radiant cooling systems have been embedded in the ceilings of adobe homes taking advantage of the thermal mass to provide a steady cooling effect. Homes built on concrete slabs are prime candidates for radiant heating systems and radiant floor cooling takes advantage of the same principle using chilled water. But mackay writes that he is building in climate zone 6a where humidity ranges between 20 and 35. The house will be well insulated and well sealed walls insulated to r 30 the roof insulated to r 60 and airtightness at 1 5 ach50.

A radiant floor cooling system will not solve humidity issues but installing a large or whole house dehumidifier can do this job very easily at about the cost of an ac. Radiant cooling slabs use similar design and sizing principles as a hydronic radiant floor system using the same types of pex pipes manifolds and pumps as in heating.