A Novel Moist Airflow Heating System for Low/Zero Carbon Buildings: a Numerical Study

Abstract

As people spend a significant portion of their day indoors, ensuring comfortable interior environments has become an unavoidable reality. Heating assumes paramount significance in regions characterised by prolonged exposure to cold climates, notably in European countries. However, the traditional heating systems currently employed for indoor heating often contribute to adverse environmental effects. This study introduces a newly devised passive heating system aimed at mitigating or potentially replacing prevailing traditional heating methods. This proposed system is theoretically researched and interpreted by integrating it within a building. Three different drive fluids (water, moist air, and air) are considered, with each fluid’s components analysed separately in accordance with the thermodynamic principles. Through these assessments, the proposed system emerges as environmentally sustainable and highly adaptable to contemporary building contexts. Furthermore, its cost-effectiveness surpasses that of conventional heating systems, marking a significant advancement in heating technology. While the coefficient of performance (COP) of the proposed system stands at approximately 1.307 when powered by electrical energy, it can surge up to 13.878 when powered by renewable energy systems such as solar collector and photovoltaic (PV).