Aluminium false ceilings

Our first installation of a conditioning system using a radiant false ceiling with aluminium panels dates back to 1969. Now aluminium radiant false ceilings, properly improved, are an ECOPAN standard production. ECOPAN radiant false ceilings are composed of steel electro-welded pipe coils having diameter ½”. Those pipe coils, properly positioned in housings realized on aluminium plates, heat or cool the very same plates, producing a hot or cold radiation. The fluid in pipes is hot or chilled water. ECOPAN false ceilings are completely independent from the wall structure and their average temperature depends on the temperature of the vector fluid, on the pipe spacing and on the thickness of the radiant sheet.

ECOPAN false ceilings brochure

Models

ECOPAN false ceilings are composed of pre-painted aluminium panels, 0,78 mm thick. Standard colour
is matt white RAL 9010 and standard sizes are 600x600 mm and 300x600 mm, each of them available in both perforated or non-perforated versions. There are two possibilities for radiant false ceilings: with primary air run above them or without it .

Radiant false ceilings without air

When installing false ceilings for heating, it is necessary to consider that a high average temperature of the ceiling may create problems to people comfort. It is therefore necessary to respect certain values indicating, as a function of the height of the ceiling, the maximum thermal output that must never be exceeded (for example, a radiant ceiling installed 2,7 metres high can emit maximum 200 W/m2). In case of heating operation, hot water in pipe coils can reach an average temperature of about 50°C. In case of cooling, on the contrary, water temperature can never be under 18-19°C because it is depending on the dew point of the ambient air.

Radiant false ceilings with air

Above the radiant false ceiling, it is possible to run primary air in the plenum between ceiling and false ceiling. In this way the output of the false ceiling increase considerably. If used for heating, the false ceiling can emit more than 300 W/m² and is therefore in the condition to satisfy any requirement. If used for conditioning, air run above the false ceiling must have a temperature of 16°C with R.H. 80%. In these conditions the dew point of the air decreases to 12,5°C and this means that with water temperature
13°C-16°C the risk of condensation is avoided.
The spread between ambient temperature and average temperature of circulating water is high enough to allow a strong cooling emission, which may reach 80 or even 100 W/m2. This combined conditioning system with air and radiant ceiling needs a lower total cooling output than traditional systems with air only. This is a radiant system, therefore the operating temperature is to be considered, with an air temperature that can be maintained some degrees higher, providing the same comfort.

The false ceiling reduces part of the load, therefore the required quantity of air is quite smaller than in a total air system. This produces a reduction of duct size, due also to the fact that the air expands in the plenum above the false ceiling, allowing to keep a rather high speed in the main ducts.
The distribution of air in the ambient does not disturb people because it is carried out through 1,5 mm wide slits between panels, producing an inductive rainfall effect on the whole surface of the ceiling (up to 20 vol/h can be run into the room without any disturb to users). This technology is easy to design and realize, does not require any masonry and the installation times are quite limited, both in new and existing buildings. Furthermore, the possibility of absorbing noise makes this system quite suitable for the conditioning of big crowded areas.

The main advantages this system provides are the following:
- an air expansion plenum is created between ceiling and false ceiling, useful also
  as an accessible service area
- it is suitable for many architectural needs
- it can be used for noise absorption
- it does not take up any space on the floor and does not obstruct movement of people
- it allows the use of many lighting solutions
- thermal inertia is low
- air is homogeneously distributed
- there is no thermal gradient
- there is no noise
- it does not need any maintenance
- it is the perfect solution where strong air exchanges are required
- being a combined radiation-air system, it allows a significant energy saving.