Passive Chilled Beam System

The passive chilled beam system works on the principle of using a chilled water heat exchanger installed in a terminal in the ceiling to offset the sensible cooling loads in the occupied space similar to the active chilled beam system. However the passive chilled beam does not use primary air to induce the room air through the heat exchanger but uses natural convection. It works on the principle that the air in the ceiling void is cooled in the heat exchanger and will then fall into the room creating a natural convection air current through the heat exchanger coil. As the air warms in the room it rises to the ceiling void and the cycle continues. A separate primary air system is required but only for ventilation and humidity control and therefore the air quantities are small.

The system is very energy efficient because the system uses relatively high chilled water temperatures in the terminal heat exchanger resulting in large savings in first cost and running costs for the system's water chillers. There are also big savings in fan energy to move air around the building because the system does not rely on air to offset the sensible cooling loads and the primary air can be reduced to only that needed for ventilation and humidity control.

Barcol-Air can supply passive chilled beams in many configurations integrated with the ceiling system. The ceiling system needs to be selected carefully to ensure there is sufficient free flow of air to facilitate the convection air current. 

AIRFIT P Series Passive Chilled Beam 

AIRFIT P-300 

AIRFIT P-600