Abstract
Studying various innovative cooling/heating technologies as alternatives to vapor-compression refrigeration cycles has received growing attention over the last few years. Thermoelectric (TE) systems are among the promising emerging technologies in this category. In the present paper, numerical modeling and analysis is performed using COMSOL Multiphysics to assess the performance of a thermoelectric (TE)-based radiant cooling ceiling panel on the thermal comfort in a test chamber. The system consists of a rectangular test chamber (∼ 1.2 m × 1.2 m × 1.5 m) with a ceiling panel fabricated on the center of the ceiling (0.6 m × 0.6 m × 0.002 m). Four TE modules are installed on the backside of the ceiling panel producing a cooling effect to maintain the ceiling temperature at the desired level. The lowered temperature of the ceiling panel allows heat exchange through radiation and convection. A spherical object is used to model a globe thermometer (GT) and capture the mean radiant temperature inside of the chamber. The variation of mean radiant temperature and operative temperature versus time are assessed under natural convection, and the comfort level is evaluated using the PMV method based on ASHRAE Standard 55. Design challenges, such as temperature limitation to the dew point temperature, among others, will be discussed. The result of this study provides insights regarding the expected thermal comfort from TE-based radiant cooling systems under various conditions.
Thermal Comfort Analysis of Personalized Conditioning System and Performance Assessment with Different Radiant Cooling Systems
