1.
Department of Engineering Sciences, National University of Science & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
2.
Department of Manufacturing Engineering & Management, National University of Science & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
Email: antash.najib@pnec.nust.edu.pk (A.N.); engineer.ahmed.memon@gmail.com (M.A.M.)
*Corresponding author
Manuscript received April 12, 2024; revised May 10, 2024; accepted June 20, 2024; published September 18, 2024.
Abstract—Current research endeavors increasingly emphasize achieving net-zero operations by curbing building energy consumption. Among these efforts, radiant cooling systems offer the potential to reduce energy use, yet their implementation often entails complexity and high costs. This study evaluates the performance of a low-cost ground-source direct radiant floor cooling system for a four-story residential home in South Asia (Karachi, Pakistan). The system uses cold water from an existing underground concrete storage tank commonly found in South Asia, which is supplied to the radiant floor system covering half of the top floor. The water then flows up to an existing overhead storage tank where it can be used to supply building water needs. The system supplements existing air-air split air-conditioning units without requiring extensive modification. The study used an infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of the water in the underground tank and the air temperature of the floor between 1 PM to 5 PM for several days. A mathematical model based on Engineering Equation Solver (EES) was used to estimate the cooling capacity of the system and potential energy savings. The results show that when the air temperature is maintained at 25°C, the radiant system can provide an average cooling capacity of 12 Wm2. Compared to the existing air-conditioning system, the system would save 319 W of electricity, with less than 3 W of additional pumping power due to pressure loss in the radiant pipes.
Developing detailed models of building load and underwater tank heat transfer and validating the results using an experimental setup may lead to further insights.
Keywords—hydronic cooling, radiant cooling, building energy efficiency, ground-source direct cooling
Cite: Antash Najib and M. Ahmed Memon, "Ground-Source Direct Radiant Cooling System Using Existing Overhead and Underground Water Storage Tanks for South Asian Weather,"
International Journal of Engineering and Technology, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 159-163, 2024.
Copyright © 2024 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).
