Radiant heating design and testing

Radiant heating has been used In this locality for at least six years.Some of the early Installations were designed with a very limited knowledge of this type of heating.The success of these first Installations Indicates that radiant heating is versatile and that a simple design procedure should bo possible.Many designs have been published, but most of these attack the problem from a mathematical viewpoint.Since none of these design procedures have been accepted by the average builder, The Engineering Experiment Station set up a research project to gather Information which would he useful In the amplication of radiant heating.Chapter one presents the first step In this research.The radiant heating laboratory was designed to represent an average residence heated by a floor panel.It served an a proving ground for the panel testing equipment.It also proved valuable as a laboratory for testing and comparing control systems and the products of various manufacturers which are on the market for panel Installations.Chanter two deals with the application of the panel test to the Wessel residence.This test Indicates a Possible output of 52.7 Btu per sq ft hr at a panel surface temperature of 88° F. based on a 12 day test.The effect of this panel design and edge Insulation Is presented with suggestions for designing future Installations.Chapter three Is the development and application of a design 'procedure for radiant heating with a floor panel.This procedure Is the result of research on radiant heating articles published by various authorities as well ns the incorporation of information gained In the radiant heating laboratory and the Weasel residence test.Chapter four, presents Information on the use of various floor covering materials with a floor panel.This is primarily a comparison test which shows the effect of using the various available floor coverings.