Basic Principles of the Chilled Beam
Chilled beams are predominantly used for cooling and ventilating spaces where indoor environment control and individual space control is valued. Chilled beams use water to remove heat from a room; they are located in the room space, and they are primarily used in locations where the humidity can be controlled.
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| A behind the scenes look at a Chilled Beam installation. |
Chilled beams provide excellent thermal comfort, energy conservation and efficient use of space due to high heat capacity of the water used as a heat transfer medium. Their operation is simple and trouble free with minimum maintenance requirements. Chilled beam also supplement the flexible use of available space while providing high temperature cooling and low temperature heating thus maximizing the opportunity for free cooling and heating. Chilled beams are used where the internal humidity loads are moderate, the primary air is dehumidified and any infiltration through the building is limited and controlled.
There are two distinct design philosophies that are considered when applying hydronic heating and/or cooling:
- Hydronic heating or cooling where the hydronic systems are integrated with the primary ventilation system. These are active beam systems.
- Hybrid heating or cooling systems where water-based devices are used in conjunction with a scaled-down ventilation system, and manage the bulk of the sensible cooling load. These systems generally use passive chilled beams.
Both active and passive beam systems provide an effective method for providing heating or cooling to a space while promoting a high level of occupant comfort and energy efficiency.
Visit Price’s website to learn more about Chilled Beam technology and how it can benefit your facility.
Learn more about selecting an Active or Passive Chilled Beam System.
Contact Mason & Barry and we will help you determine what system will best suit your facility.