Abstract
In this study, the feasibility of implementing the active chilled beam system (ACBS) in South Korea has been analyzed, and an appropriate control strategy has been proposed. While ACBS is increasingly adopted in North America and Europe, its spread in South Korea has been slow due to different climatic characteristics and a lack of diverse understanding and analysis. Furthermore, research discussing the effects of key system parameters on ACBS is notably scarce. Therefore, this study aims to assess the impact of air handling unit discharge air temperature (AHU DAT) and ACBS entering chilled water temperature (ACBS ECWT) on ACBS and propose a control strategy suitable for the South Korean climate. The applicability of ACBS, compared with existing HVAC systems using this control strategy, has been evaluated. The study incorporates two methodologies: firstly, the impact of control variables has been assessed, and a suitable control strategy has been proposed through a sensitivity analysis of these variables. Secondly, the feasibility of applying ACBS, in comparison with conventional HVAC systems, has been evaluated from the perspectives of energy and thermal comfort. It has been found that system parameters, tailored for the South Korean climate, can maintain a level of thermal comfort like existing HVAC systems while achieving up to 18% in energy savings. Overall, this research not only demonstrates the potential applicability of ACBS in hot and humid climates like South Korea but also emphasizes the need for controlling key system parameters.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 114958 |
| Journal | Energy and Buildings |
| Volume | 325 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 15 2024 |
Funding
Table 7 shows the range of ACBS ECWTs that do not experience condensation risk as the AHU DAT varies by city. Condensation occurs on the active chilled beam coil surface when the temperature of the active chilled beam coil surface is lower than the dew point temperature of the zone. The condensation risk of ACBS is the most important issue to be aware of when applying it in hot and humid climates, so cases were eliminated where this risk is likely to occur. The presence of condensation was determined when the ACBS ECWT was lower than the maximum value of the dew point temperature of the MFCORE, and cases were excluded where condensation was likely to occur. For all four cities, it was found that when the AHU DAT is at least 10\u2103, the ACBS ECWT does not condense above 14\u2103, and when the AHU DAT is at most 23\u2103, the ACBS ECWT does not condense at most 25\u2103. However, the case of AHU DAT above 24\u2103 was excluded because the maximum value of the dew point temperature of the MFCORE exceeded 25\u2103. As the AHU DAT increases, the ACBS ECWT must increase by 1\u2103 to avoid condensation. This is attributed to an increase in latent cooling load that is not handled by the reduction in cooling load taken up by the AHU cooling coil as the AHU DAT increases.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Al-Hussein Bin Talal University | |
| ACBS | |
| ACBS ECWT |
Keywords
- ACBS (Active Chilled Beam System) Entering Chilled Water Temperature
- Active Chilled Beam System
- AHU (Air Handling Unit) Discharge Air Temperature
- Cooling Energy
- EnergyPlus
- Optimization of Set-point Temperature
- Thermal Comfort
