4773 (RP-1037) - Incorporate Radiant Heaters over 300°F into Thermal Comfort Calculations Using BCAP

High-temperature radiant heaters—those with a surface temperature greater than 300°F—typically are applied in large occupied spaces, such as warehouses and aircraft hangers. These heaters efficiently deliver thermal comfort to specific workstations without having to condition the entire occupied space as do other heating systems.

The objective of this study was to enhance the Building Comfort Analysis Program (BCAP) methodology, which was developed under ASHRAE project RP-657, to reliably calculate the thermal comfort effect of high-temperature radiant heaters. This paper contains (1) a study of the types of hightemperature radiant heaters, (2) a review of thermal comfort and radiant heat transfer calculation methods, (3) an explanation of the new features of high-temperature heater modeling, and (4) model application/validation in a large space where a specified workstation region should be maintained thermally comfortable using a high-temperature tubular heater. The developed method can be used as a design tool for sizing and placing high-temperature radiant systems or can be used in combination with other heating systems.

Units: Dual