TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING
PULCHOWK CAMPUS

Numerical Study of influence of thickness of aluminum sheet in Lightweight

Hydronic Radiant Floor Heating System for Different Pipe Layout

SUBMITTED BY
Chandra Bhusan Yadav

A THESIS PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTERS OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL SYSTEMS DESIGN AND
ENGINEERING

SUBMITTED TO
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Pulchowk Campus, Institute of Engineering
Lalitpur, Nepal
2080
INTRODUCTION
Hydronic floor heating is a method of heating a building by circulating heated water
through a system of pipes or tubes installed beneath the floor. The terms "light" and
"heavy" in the context of hydronic floor heating generally refer to the construction and
thermal mass of the floor.

1. Light Hydronic Floor Heating:

a. Low Thermal Mass Floors: Light hydronic floor heating systems are
typically designed for use with floors of low thermal mass, such as wood
or engineered wood floors.
b. Faster Response Time: These systems are known for their quicker
response time, as the low thermal mass allows for more rapid heating
and cooling of the floor.
2. Heavy Hydronic Floor Heating:
a. High Thermal Mass Floors: Heavy hydronic floor heating is designed
for use with floors of high thermal mass, such as concrete. The mass of
the floor acts as a thermal storage, retaining heat for more extended
periods.
b. Slower Response Time: These systems generally have a slower response
time compared to light hydronic systems due to the higher thermal
inertia of the floor. However, they can provide a more even and
sustained heat distribution.

Generally, the floor construction for lightweight radiant floor heating system is shown
in the figure below:

[SOURCE: D. ZHANG ET AL.(2013)]

FIGURE 1: FLOOR CONSTRUCTION FOR LRFH SYSTEM
1
 [SOURCE: ANNA ET AL. (2021)]
FIGURE 2: DIFFERENT CASES OF TILING AND FLOORING USED IN LRFH

The aim of this research work is to determine the optimal thickness

of aluminum radiant sheet in the lightweight floor heating system for different
pipe orientation and condition, i.e., the smallest thickness of the aluminum,
ensuring high efficiency and thermal comfort for various design conditions.

The following figure shows the different pipe layout used in radiant floor
heating system:

FIGURE 3: SERPENTINE LAYOUT

2
 FIGURE 4: CONCENTRIC LAYOUT
The research proposes to study the effect of thickness of the aluminum sheet for thermal
comfort and heat transfer for various pipe layout condition.

3
Main Objective

• To perform a numerical study of the effect of thickness variation of the

aluminum sheet used in lightweight radiant floor heating system.
Specific Objectives

• To model and design the floor surface for various thickness of aluminum sheet
• To model and design the floor surface for various pipe layout.
• To analyze the pressure gradient, temperature distribution for various case of
pipe layout for respective sheet thickness for optimum thermal comfort.
• To study the lightweight floor heating efficiency for various pipe layout for
respective sheet thickness.