Research on the influence of uneven solar radiation distribution on the radiant floor heating system in railway stations on Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

In cold regions, radiant floor heating systems are commonly used in public buildings due to better thermal comfort and lower energy consumption. However, in transportation buildings with many transparent envelopes such as railway stations on Tibetan Plateau, the strong solar radiation entering into the station may cause local overheating, which has a great effect on the radiant floor heating system. In this paper, a railway station on Tibetan Plateau is simulated to investigate the influence of uneven solar radiation distribution on the radiant floor heating system. Results show that due to the strong solar radiation, the floor surface temperature and indoor operative temperature in some parts of the waiting hall can reach up to 30 °C and 26 °C, respectively. The temperature difference of the floor surface can even exceed 5 °C occasionally during the heating period. According to the results, it can be found that the method of reducing the heating in the area with strong solar radiation and making full use of solar radiation for heating is an effective way to improve the indoor thermal comfort and reduce the heating energy consumption of heating system.