Performance evaluation of active chilled beam systems for office buildings – A literature review

The applications of Active Chilled Beam (ACB) technology have increased over the two decades and received a lot of attention in research publications due to its ability to provide a suitable indoor climate for building occupants with minimum energy use. In the literature, no comprehensive review on ACB systems has been reported. This study provides a review of the ACB technology by investigating its functions, component and control strategies, design and testing techniques, and its applications for office buildings. Literature shows that ACB systems fulfil sensible cooling demands for office setups and can provide a space-friendly solution by making effective use of ceiling space in buildings. The cooling demands can be met with high induction rates, proper coil circuitry design, and optimum chilled water supply temperature. The high induction rates with more even air-jet patterns inside the terminal unit of ACBs can be achieved by using nozzles of different sizes, cross-sections, and lengths. Studies show that a reduction in energy use up to 30% can be achieved by ACBs as compared to conventional HVAC systems.