Condensation prevention strategies in radiant cooling systems : a comprehensive review

Abstract

Radiant cooling technology is an energy-efficient alternative to the conventional air conditioning system. Condensation risk is one of the challenges hindering the application of radiant cooling systems, especially in hot and humid areas. Condensate water on radiant cooling terminals would cause adverse effects on indoor environment quality and damage building materials and assemblies. Attention has been given to condensation prevention for radiant cooling systems from early engineering practices to the latest research, but its advances have not yet been systematically reviewed and discussed. Hence, this article reviews the state-of-the-art research on condensation prevention as well as the anti-condensation strategies applied in engineering practices. The condensation prevention strategies regarding humidity control and temperature control are summarized and discussed in terms of dehumidification approaches, indoor humidity control strategies, factors influencing the surface temperature of radiant cooling terminals and the relevant temperature control strategies for condensation prevention. Research on condensation-free radiant cooling technologies are reviewed and analyzed based on their innovative system configurations. In addition, the advances in the condensation-managed radiant cooling terminals that allows surface condensation are discussed. Finally, condensation prevention considerations in design guidelines and engineering cases are summarized and comparatively analyzed. According to the review, it is deduced that condensation issue can be addressed by proper design and operation but condensation prevention strategies may fail due to unpredictable human behaviors and device fault. The novel condensation-free and condensation-managed radiant cooling terminals substantially mitigate condensation risks, yet their applicability in buildings still needs improvement. This review is expected to provide valuable insights and references for researchers and engineers engaged in the research, design, and operation of radiant cooling systems.