Defining radiant floor circuits
The "Circuit" section of the main toolbar contains the options for adding underfloor heating circuits to the model:
Circuit
Adds a radiant floor circuit to the work area by drawing its outline on a floor plan.
When entering a circuit, the program requires the following parameters to be defined. If a value is locked, it will not be altered when the results are updated, but will remain unchanged.
Circuit parameters can be defined locally or inherited from the information entered for the room type (under "General options", then selecting "Libraries" and "Room types").
- Reference
Circuit reference. - System
Selecting panel and pipe types. Libraries for these types can be created and edited via the "Pipe types" and "System types" options available under "General options" in the "Project" section. - Mortar layer
- Defining the following characteristics of the mortar layer:
- Thickness
- Thermal conductivity
- With inserts (optional)
- Thermal conductivity of the components
- Volume proportion of the parts on the board
- "Layout" tab
Specifies the data that defines the circuit layout:- Pipe spacing in the occupied area (Lock/Unlock)
- Pipe spacing in the peripheral area
- Pipe spacing in the service area (Lock/Unlock)
- Surface of the occupied area (Lock/Unlock)
- Surface of the service area (Lock/Unlock)
- Service area surface (Lock/Unlock)
- Circuit pipe length (Lock/Unlock)
- Service pipe length (Lock/Unlock)
- "Space floor" tab
Defines the thermal resistance of the following structural elements:- Floor covering (Lock/Unlock)
- Structural base (roof) (Lock/Unlock)
- Structural base (plaster) (Lock/Unlock)
- "Lower adjacent space" tab
Indicates whether the lower enclosure is heated or not. In Open BIM Systems underfloor heating programs, this option allows you to adjust the calculation by incorporating the necessary material layers in this case. The "Internal temperature of the lower enclosure" is defined using the option mentioned below.- Heated (optional) (Lock/Unlock)
- "Heating" tab
Allows users to view or edit the following heating calculation parameters:- Temperature drop (Lock/Unlock)
- Design indoor temperature (Lock/Unlock)
- Maximum surface temperature in the occupied area (Lock/Unlock)
- Maximum surface temperature in the peripheral area (Lock/Unlock)
- Indoor temperature of the lower adjacent space (Lock/Unlock)
- Supply temperature (manifold) (Lock/Unlock)
- Required capcity (Lock/Unlock) (for type A-C and B systems)
- Higher power requirement (Lock/Unlock) (in E-type systems)
- Lower power requirement (Lock/Unlock) (in E-type systems)
- "Cooling" tab (optional)
Allows users to view or edit the following cooling calculation parameters:- Temperature drop (Lock/Unlock)
- Design indoor temperature (Lock/Unlock)
- Minimum surface temperature of the occupied area (Lock/Unlock)
- Minimum surface temperature of the peripheral area (Lock/Unlock)
- Internal temperature of the lower compartment (Lock/Unlock)
- Supply temperature (manifold) (Lock/Unlock)
- Power required (Lock/Unlock) (for type A-C and B systems)
- Higher power requirement (Lock/Unlock) (in E-type systems)
- Lower power requirement (Lock/Unlock) (in E-type systems)
- Checks
Checks whether the power supplied is greater than or equal to the power required.- Power supplied (in A-C and B-type systems)
- Maximum power input (Lock/Unlock) (in E-type systems)
- Lower power input (Lock/Unlock) (in E-type systems)
- View checks
Access a list of circuit checks, including a summary of results and a description of the calculation. - Automatic circuit step selection
Automatically selects the step for the active and peripheral zones of the circuit (from those available, depending on the system) to perform the checks in accordance with the defined conditions.
Generate circuits
Automatically generates radiant floor circuits and their layout on the visible floor plan or on all floor plans, based on the geometry of the previously defined rooms and the information provided in the edit panels that appear when you click this option.
You can configure circuit generation by enabling the following options:
- Minimum area of the space (optional)
- Maximum area of the space (optional)
- Maximum pipe length (optional)
- Delete existing circuits (optional)
- Delete existing layouts (optional)
- Generate in all the floor plans (optional)
Subsequently, if necessary, the generated circuits and their layout can be modified or adjusted to suit the actual circumstances of the project.
Split circuit
This allows you to split an underfloor heating circuit into several circuits by drawing a line between various points along its perimeter.
| Note: |
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| The use of circuits with a smaller surface area ensures that the circuits do not have excessively long pipework. |
Peripheral area
This allows you to define a peripheral area by selecting the side of a circuit.
Peripheral areas are zones within the building (for example, the part of the building closest to the façade) where the surface temperature and heat transfer differ from those defined in the occupied area.
Concentrating the pipes in the peripheral area makes it possible to increase the power supplied by the circuit within the building.
Layout
This allows you to define the layout of a circuit that has already been entered.
When you select this option, the program requires you to specify the following parameters:
- Layout type
Select the line type from the following:- Automatic
- Serpentine (automatic)
- Clockwise spiral
- Counter-clockwise spiral
- Coil (automatic)
- Clockwise parallel coil
- Counter-clockwise parallel coil
- Perpendicular clockwise coil
- Perpendicular counter-clockwise coil
- Clearance at the edge of the area
Once you have confirmed, define the route by selecting a point on the circuit’s outline in the plan view. At the selected point, you can connect the pipe to the radiant floor system.
Edit layout
This allows you to modify the layout of previously generated underfloor heating circuits.
When using this option, the program allows you to redefine the circuit layout by clicking directly on the desired points on the floor plan.
Update layouts
This allows you to update the layout of underfloor heating circuits that have been previously generated or modified.
When you select this option and click on a circuit whose layout has been modified, the program allows you to choose one of the following options:
- Keep the route
Keeps the route of the selected circuit. - Update the layout
Regenerates the layout of the selected circuit. To do this, the "Layout type" and the "Margin from the edge of the area" are specified again.
