A critical review of passive condensation prevention for radiant cooling

Radiant cooling is a promising thermal control technology for built environment. Unfortunately, condensation limits the potential of radiant cooling. Recently, numerous technologies have been developed to address the issue of condensation on radiant cooling surfaces. Nevertheless, a special review on the condensation control for radiant cooling is absent. The passive condensation prevention for radiant cooling refers to a technology that could realize the dew-free operation of radiant cooling terminals without additional control strategies or external energy consumption. The methods of creating surperhydrophobic surfaces and adding cover shields to prevent condensation on radiant cooling surfaces are systematically reviewed, involving anti-condensation mechanisms and specific studies. Finally, the limitations of passive methods are critically discussed and perspectives are proposed, attempting to seek suitable solutions and inspire new ideas for future research. In this study, the concept of passive condensation prevention for radiant cooling is proposed for the first time. It is aimed to release the potential of radiant cooling and provide alternative ideas for the design and application of radiant cooling.