What does the PANEL APA R20/22 radiant panel system for ceiling and wall heating and cooling include?

Radiant panel PANEL APA R20/22

The PANEL APA R20/22 ceiling and wall radiant panel system, a pre-assembled radiant heating and cooling system, is an ideal solution to ensure year-round thermal comfort in residential, commercial or industrial buildings, both new and and under renovation. Let’s analyze in more detail the characteristics of this radiant panel:

Various sizes: PANEL APA R20/22 Radiant Panels are available in five different sizes: 520x1200x15 mm, 1040x1200x15 mm, 1560x1200x15 mm, 2080x1200x15 mm and 2600x1200x15 mm. This versatility allows it to be mounted on various types of surfaces.

The completion panel is designed to enclose areas where radiant panels are not installed, thus obtaining fully insulated ceilings and walls.

The panels are made of a 15 mm thick fireproof plasterboard. Inside these, there are oxygen barrier (anti-aging) pipe coils that allow hot or cold water to circulate. Also, an ESP200 polystyrene board increases the thermal efficiency of the system.

Milled cover: To close the spaces between the panels and ensure a safe connection, a milled cover made of pre-milled fireproof plasterboard is used, with dimensions of 2600x250x15 mm.

How is the resistance structure and installation of PANEL APA R20/22 radiant panels made?

Mounting the panels requires a well-dimensioned strength structure to support the weight of the panels, water and piping for connections. The structure consists of a primary and a secondary structure.

The Radiant PANEL APA R20/22 Panel and the primary structure

UD, CD profiles and support brackets/rods: The primary structure of the PANEL APA R20/22 radiant panel consists of the following essential components. They are designed to fix the radiant panels and support the entire system.

Dimensions and spaces: It is crucial that the structure respects the dimensions of the radiant panels and the spaces intended for the connections. These include configurations such as 1200-250-1200-250 mm, 250-1200-250-1200 mm, 1200-250-250-1200 mm and 250-1200-1200-250 mm.

Correct installation: Clamps or fixing rods must be anchored in the floor at a maximum distance of 1.5 m from each other. Also, the CD profiles must be inserted into the UD profiles, leaving a small gap of about 2-3 mm to allow for expansion.

Avoid self-tapping screws between CD and UD profiles: It is important to never fix CD and UD profiles together with self-tapping screws. Instead, use only self-tapping screws with a diameter of 3.5×25 mm for the perimeter fixing of the panels.

These details ensure a robust and efficient structure for PANEL APA R20/22 radiant panels, contributing to the optimal performance of the entire system.

Radiant panel PANEL APA R20/22 - secondary structure, connections and testing

Here are some important aspects related to the secondary structure, connections and testing of the PANEL APA R20/22 radiant panel:

Secondary structure: This is made up exclusively of CD profiles, which will be positioned above the UD profiles. A distance of 3-4 mm from the wall will be left at both ends and a distance of 520 mm between them (these distances are marked on the radiant panels by a dashed straight line). Important: Secondary and primary structures will never be fastened together with self-tapping screws. The secondary structure is intended to fix the areas between the radiant panels and only self-tapping screws with a diameter of 3.5×55 mm will be used.

Connections: To make the connections between the radiant panels, quick PUSH-FIT connections will be used. These will connect the 20x2mm multi-layer pipe and the 8x1mm oxygen barrier pipe. Before inserting the pipe into the push-fit fitting, it is mandatory to use a multi-layer pipe calibrator to avoid damaging the o-rings. Also, scissors that will not damage the circumference of the pipe will be used.

Pressure test: After making the connections between the radiant panels, including the distributor and the power source, a pressure test will be performed. The test pressure will be between 3-4 bar for 24 hours. If there are no leaks, the pressure will be reduced to 1.5 bar, the operating pressure. Afterwards, two operating cycles will be performed: one in heating and one in cooling, each lasting 48 hours. At the end, the pressure report will be drawn up.

The Radiant PANEL APA R20/22 panel and the completion of the work

Expansion distance (joint): Between radiant panels, completion panels, plasterboard caps and perimeter walls, it is important to maintain a distance of 2-4 mm. This allows thermal expansion and contraction of materials without causing cracks or deformation.

45° bevels: Edges without cardboard on radiant panels, completion panels and caps will be cut at 45° (bevel). This ensures a uniform and aesthetic connection between the elements.

Space (joint) cleaning: Remove excess dust from the joints. Then apply Knauf fugenfuller joint kit to fill the gaps. This kit ensures a solid and tight connection between the elements.

Joint reinforcement: After filling, two layers of joint reinforcement tape will be applied (one layer of self-adhesive joint reinforcement tape and one layer of glass fiber reinforcement tape). This will strengthen the structure and prevent cracks over time.

Surface finish: All surface will be troweled, finished, and painted. Make sure all imperfections are corrected for a flawless final look.