Humidifying without adding humidity: Psychrometric shifts in humidity from air temperature setbacks enabled by radiant heating or cooling

Hongshan Guo, Eric Teitelbaum, Forrest Meggers

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Active humidification of the indoor environment is both expensive and cumbersome to add on top of existing air-conditioning systems. To ensure occupant comfort and health in the indoor environment, it is often important to add humidification components, particularly when the heating demand is high and the absolute moisture content in the air is coincidentally low. Conventional wisdom dictates that to increase relative humidity in the indoor environment, moisture must be added to the air. We propose an alternative method that relies on the co-benefit of radiant systems: being able to condition to lower air temperature during heating season and higher temperature during cooling season (thereby reducing the required dehumidification). This paper presents results from a preliminary study from discussions on the humidification effect without actively adding moisture, or how the air condition shifts on the psychrometric chart when radiant heating or cooling is used instead of all-air systems. Building on existing literature that have already showed the energy and comfort benefit of using radiant systems w i t h i n the indoor environment, we hope to demonstrate the magnitude of the problem across the United States through a geographical study based on averaged weather data across the country in 2018.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication16th International Conference of the International Building Performance Simulation Association, Building Simulation 2019
EditorsVincenzo Corrado, Enrico Fabrizio, Andrea Gasparella, Francesco Patuzzi
PublisherInternational Building Performance Simulation Association
Pages2562-2568
Number of pages7
ISBN (Electronic)9781713809418
StatePublished - 2019
Event16th International Conference of the International Building Performance Simulation Association, Building Simulation 2019 - Rome, Italy
Duration: Sep 2 2019Sep 4 2019

Publication series

NameBuilding Simulation Conference Proceedings
Volume4
ISSN (Print)2522-2708

Conference

Conference16th International Conference of the International Building Performance Simulation Association, Building Simulation 2019
Country/TerritoryItaly
CityRome
Period9/2/199/4/19

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Building and Construction
  • Architecture
  • Modeling and Simulation
  • Computer Science Applications

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