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Multibeton
Underfloor Heating Design
Multibeton carry out a full design service for
underfloor heating from preliminary outline proposals through to fully
detailed coil design drawings. Full consideration is given to the type of
building and usage together with the various types of floor finish which can
include Carpet, Vinyl, Timber, Stone, Marble etc
Underfloor heating has a very high radiant
heating component and this means that comfort conditions will be achieved at
a lower ambient temperature that other types of heating such as convective.
As described in the CIBSE guide this lower mean radiant temperature can be
used for heat loss calculations when installing Multibeton underfloor heating
enabling a 10-15% reduction in energy requirements.
Since underfloor heating provides a comfortable temperature at floor level
where it is most needed the building height has less effect on the design and
no allowance need be made for stack effect in high buildings such as Atria.
This reduces the high ceiling and roof temperatures associated with
convective systems and further increases the savings in energy costs.
Physiology of
Heating
The purpose of every heating system is to provide comfortable indoor
conditions, whereby physiological criteria are fulfilled. For example it is
accepted that to be comfortable within a given environment it is necessary
for a greater degree of warmth to be provided to the lower part of the body
that the upper (warm feet - cool head). It is equally important that there is
a low temperature difference between the temperature of the air within the
room and the surface temperature of the surrounding walls.
The requirements for comfortable room surroundings are represented in graph
form by the vertical temperature profile "Ideal curve" shown in figure 1. The
various profiles show the temperature layers for typical types of heating
systems, from floor to ceiling. If we compare the temperature profiles of
various heating systems occurring in practice, with the theoretical optimum
profile No 1 then we sometimes find pronounced variations. The temperature
profile for underfloor heating is the only curve which almost perfectly
coincides with the ideal.
By
comparison heating by radiators only causes unnecessary high temperatures at
head and ceiling level, while the floor remains cold to the feet.
Expensive carpets are often used to counter the cold floor effect often
experienced in many buildings whilst with underfloor heating you are free to
choose from a wider selection of flooring materials.
Radiant floor heating makes it possible to achieve comfort conditions at
lower air temperature than would otherwise be the case. This reduces energy
consumption and provides a comfortable and healthy environment where people
need it.
With today's higher standards of installation for our buildings high
temperature radiators of smaller and smaller sizes can no longer provide an
even distribution of heat within the space, whilst underfloor heating with
low operating and surface temperatures can provide a cost effective solution
with lower energy consumption for our buildings.
1. Theoretical
Ideal heating curve.
2. MULTIBETON underfloor heating.
3. Heating by radiators internal walls.
4. Heating by radiators external walls.
5. Warm air heating.
6. Ceiling heating.
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