Performance Evaluation of Active Chilled Beam in Real Office Conditions in a High-Performance Building in Heating

Active Chilled Beams (ACB) units are air induction units that handle the cooling needs of spaces with a Limited amount of primary air. These systems are energy-efficient and are widely adopted worldwide, however, in-depth investigations on the performance of ACB systems under real office conditions are still inadequate. The performance of ACB in heating mode has not been documented and deserves close investigation. The study investigated the operation of 4-pipe ACB under heating mode in a LEED Gold Building at British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver climate under steady state conditions. The air velocity and temperature distribution inside an office under heating mode were studied and found that the ACB system is effective in heating. Surface temperature distribution was found close to the setpoint temperatures. The supply velocity and supply temperature at both slots of ACB were found different. It was concluded that the difference could be uneven pressure distribution in the primary air plenum and heat exchanger design of the ACB which need further research and investigation in a controlled environment.