Radiant ceiling panels for continuous runs
Thermatile TWELVE Radiant Panels are water-based radiant ceiling panels for runs longer than 3.6 metres. Each 600 mm wide module has a 12 mm copper D tube bonded to a rigid 5.5 mm aluminium composite panel, and modules join with flexible hoses to form continuous runs in suspended grid, plasterboard and open ceilings, or on walls.
Manufactured in Leicester by S & P Coil Products Limited, Thermatile TWELVE heats schools, colleges, offices, hotels and other commercial and public buildings, with outputs independently tested to EN 14037. Thermatile TWELVE shares its smooth white underside with Thermatile TEN Radiant Panels, used for single panels up to 3.6 m, so both types can be mixed in one ceiling.
Continuous runs
Modules join with flexible hoses for runs longer than 3.6 m
Ceiling options
T-bar grid, plasterboard, tile replacement, free hanging or wall mounted
EN 14037 tested
Independently tested outputs per linear and square metre
Made in Leicester
Manufactured and supported by SPC in the UK
107 to 351 W/m
Output per linear metre, from low to high water temperatures, tested to EN 14037
Long runs
For runs over 3.6 m: 1.8 to 3.6 m modules join with push-fit hoses, with the flow and return at one end
600 mm grid
Drops into standard 600 mm T-bar ceilings, with plasterboard and tile replacement versions
5.5 mm panel
Rigid, lightweight 3-layer aluminium that needs no edge profile in the grid
What are Thermatile TWELVE Radiant Panels?
Thermatile TWELVE Radiant Panels heat a room mainly by radiation from the panel’s underside to the people and surfaces below. A cartridge of 12 mm copper D tubes, flattened for full contact, is bonded to a three-layer aluminium composite panel, with rigid insulation on the upper side as standard so little heat is lost into the ceiling void.
The 12 mm tube keeps pressure drops at reasonable levels over long runs. Thermatile TWELVE modules terminate in 22 mm copper connectors: the first panel carries the flow and return for the whole run, middle panels join with push-fit interconnecting hoses, and the last panel has bends at one end.
Free-hanging Thermatile TEN-TWELVE radiant panels at St Helens School, London
What sizes do Thermatile TWELVE Radiant Panels come in?
Thermatile TWELVE modules are supplied in a standard nominal width of 600 mm, to suit a suspended ceiling grid, and in four nominal lengths from 1800 to 3600 mm in 600 mm increments. Actual sizes are slightly less than nominal, so modules fit between T bars and allow for expansion. Other widths are available on request.
| Nominal size (mm) | Use |
|---|---|
| 1800 x 600 | 1.8 m module, joined end to end with other modules into longer runs |
| 2400 x 600 | 2.4 m module, joined end to end with other modules into longer runs |
| 3000 x 600 | 3.0 m module, joined end to end with other modules into longer runs |
| 3600 x 600 | 3.6 m module, joined end to end with other modules into longer runs |
Choosing a panel type or installation method? Read our guides: What Is the Thermatile TEN-TWELVE and Which Installation Type Do You Need? and Radiant Panels Explained: What Is Radiant Heating? You can also see the full range of SPC radiant heating and cooling panels.
How much heat does a Thermatile TWELVE Radiant Panel give?
Thermatile TWELVE outputs range from 107 to 351 W per linear metre between 20 and 60°C excess temperature (mean water temperature minus room air temperature).
- Outputs independently tested to EN 14037, the test standard for ceiling-mounted radiant panels
- Low water content for a fast response to heating demand
- Rigid, non-fibrous insulation fitted as standard to limit heat lost into the void
Can radiant panels work with heat pumps?
Yes. Radiant panels work well with low temperature hot water, and Thermatile TWELVE outputs are published from 20°C excess temperature, so panels can be selected for heat pumps and other low water temperature systems.
- At Manchester College Wythenshawe, 20 runs of Thermatile TEN-TWELVE panels were designed for 55/50°C water
- SPC’s selection software matches panel lengths and runs to your water temperatures and flowrate
- A minimum flowrate of 0.014 l/s keeps the water flow turbulent
Can Thermatile TWELVE panels cool as well as heat?
Free-hanging Thermatile TWELVE panels, supplied without insulation, can be used for cooling as well as heating.
- Chilled water must stay above the dew point of the room air so the panels do not sweat
- Control the chilled water temperature to the room humidity and/or fit condensation sensors
- Insulate and vapour seal the pipework to and from the panels
Read more: Can Radiant Panels Be Used for Cooling as Well as Heating?
Full Thermatile TWELVE output data, per linear metre and per square metre, is in the brochure.
Thermatile TWELVE installation options, controls and accessories
Thermatile TWELVE Radiant Panels are supplied in nominal sizes to sit in exposed T-bar grids, with versions for other ceiling types and for walls.
T-bar grid (TB)
Drops into the grid in place of omitted tiles, hung on independent wire hangers.
Plasterboard (PB)
A pre-fitted frame screws into a supported aperture, or a two-part recessed frame with push-fit locking gives repeatable access.
Wall mounted
Vertical or angled from the wall at high level, with brackets and support struts supplied.
- Tile replacement (TR): heated tiles with bespoke dimensions and alignment fittings for metal and fibre tiled ceilings with concealed grids.
- Free hanging: panels hung from the soffit in open ceilings, with an extruded aluminium trim around the edge (not for grids).
Thermatile TWELVE panels have no electrical connections of their own. Runs are grouped into zones, each controlled by a valve and actuator. Each SPC zone control kit includes:
- A Belimo rotary actuator (230 V, open-close) and a Belimo zone valve, in five sizes from ½” to 1½” to suit the water flowrate, with other sizes on request
- A digital thermostat wired to the actuator, or a programmable thermostat as an option
- An SPC black bulb sensor, which measures the effective temperature in the space
Every kit comes with a 5-year warranty as standard. See the zone kit data sheets in the literature library.
Thermatile TWELVE Radiant Panels can be supplied with the hoses, hanging kits and guards needed for installation.
- Flexible hoses: EPDM rubber with stainless steel braid, 22 x 22 mm push-fit interconnecting and mains hoses as standard, complying with BSRIA BG 4/2004
- Hanging wire kits: 1.5 mm wire with single-handed height adjustment, in ready-to-use 3 m kits; rod hanging brackets optional
- Ball guards: a rigid plastic dome fitted over the panel so balls and shuttlecocks cannot become trapped, with end caps for angled wall-mounted panels in sports halls (read about ball guard radiant panels)
- Finishes: matt white as standard; digitally printed images (Thermatile STYLE), perforations and special finishes on request
Project support from SPC: from survey to commissioning
SPC manufactures and supplies Thermatile TWELVE Radiant Panels for installation by your chosen mechanical and electrical contractor, and supports the project at every stage. Our Radiant CPD is CIBSE approved and can be booked for your practice.
Site surveys
SPC's technical sales team can visit site to review panel positions and ceiling type before order.
Selection and layout
Each quotation gives flow rates, pressure drops and a general arrangement of every panel run.
Radiant CPD
Our CIBSE approved CPD, Radiant Heating & Cooling Panels: Fundamentals and Design Guide, can be delivered to your practice.
Area Sales Managers
Your local SPC Area Sales Manager is on hand for questions, site visits and installation queries.
Specifying Thermatile TWELVE Radiant Panels
Panel selection from SPC and free BIM objects for your model.
Get a panel selection
Send us your drawings and design conditions and SPC will select Thermatile TWELVE panel lengths and run layouts for your project.
Download BIM objects
Add Thermatile TEN-TWELVE ceiling grid and free-hanging panels to your BIM model, free to download from SPC on bimstore.
SPC radiant panels in UK projects
SPC radiant panels are installed in buildings across the UK, including schools, colleges, libraries, museums, hotels, restaurants and workshops. Projects include Manchester College Wythenshawe, St Helens School in London, Marlborough College, Cannock Chase High School, Liskeard Library, the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nottingham. See SPC’s radiant panel projects.
Thermatile TWELVE specification summary
| Detail | Spec |
|---|---|
| Panel width | 600 mm nominal (actual size slightly less, to fit between T bars), other widths on request |
| Module lengths | 1800 to 3600 mm nominal in 600 mm steps, joined into continuous runs |
| Panel | 3-layer composite aluminium, 5.5 mm maximum thickness |
| Heating element | 12 mm diameter copper D tube cartridge bonded to the panel |
| Connections | 22 mm o/d copper; 22 x 22 mm push-fit interconnecting and mains hoses available from SPC |
| Insulation | Rigid, non-fibrous insulation fixed to the upper side by default, Class 0 fire rated, with anti-convective seal (both BS 476-7 Class 1) |
| Output | 107 W/m (179 W/m²) at 20°C to 351 W/m (585 W/m²) at 60°C excess temperature |
| Testing | Outputs independently tested to EN 14037 |
| Max. operating temperature | 85°C |
| Max. operating pressure | 10 bar, tested to a minimum of 16 bar |
| Min. water flowrate | 0.014 l/s, to ensure turbulent flow |
| Installation | T-bar grid (TB), plasterboard (PB), tile replacement (TR), free hanging or wall mounted |
| Hanging | Wire hanging brackets as standard, rod hanging brackets optional, wire hanging kits available |
| Finish | Matt white as standard; digital imagery, perforations and special finishes on request |
| Controls | SPC zone control kit: Belimo valve and actuator, digital thermostat, black bulb sensor; 5-year warranty as standard |
| Maintenance | Largely maintenance free; clean with a dry cloth or non-abrasive detergent |
| Manufactured | Leicester, UK, by S & P Coil Products Limited (ISO 9001:2015) |
Full Thermatile TWELVE output data and installation details are in the brochure and IOM 53 below.
Discuss your radiant panel project
Whether you are heating a school, college, office, hotel or another commercial or public building, send us your drawings for a Thermatile TWELVE selection, request a site survey or book the Radiant CPD. Call +44 (0)116 249 0044, email spc@spc-hvac.co.uk or use the form below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thermatile TEN is used for single panels up to 3.6 m nominal, with flow and return connections at the same end. Thermatile TWELVE is used whenever a panel run is longer than 3.6 m: its 12 mm tube keeps pressure drops at reasonable levels over long runs. SPC selects the panel type for you with its selection software, and both types have the same white underside, so they can be mixed in one space. See Thermatile TEN Radiant Panels.
Each run is made of 1.8 to 3.6 m modules. The first panel carries the flow and return pipes for the run, middle panels are joined with short 22 x 22 mm push-fit interconnecting hoses, and the end panel has bends instead of connectors. SPC sets the number of modules and the water flowrate for each run, and the quotation shows the flow rate and pressure drop of every run.
Yes. LTHW (low temperature hot water) and LPHW (low pressure hot water) are two names used in the UK for the same type of wet heating system. Thermatile TWELVE Radiant Panels work on LTHW systems up to 85°C and 10 bar.
The minimum mounting height depends on the mean water temperature: the hotter the water, the higher the panels should be, so people sitting below are not uncomfortable from uneven radiant heat. IOM 53 includes a chart of minimum mounting height against mean water temperature for static occupancy comfort (ISO 7730). Where people move around the space, higher water temperatures or lower mounting heights can be used.
Yes. Plasterboard panels are supplied with an extruded frame around the edge. The installer cuts an aperture to suit the panel, fits timber battens around it, hangs the panel on wires and screws the frame through the plasterboard into the battens. A two-part recessed frame with push-fit locking is available where repeat access is needed.
Yes. The Thermatile TEN-TWELVE BIM object on bimstore covers the ceiling grid and free-hanging versions and is free to download. For other installation types, use the dimensions in IOM 53 or ask SPC.
Yes. Thermatile TWELVE panels can be supplied with ball guards, a rigid plastic dome over the top of the panel that stops balls and shuttlecocks becoming trapped. Angled wall-mounted panels can also have guards on the top and end caps on the sides.
The panels have no electrical connections. Panels are grouped into zones, each with a valve and actuator switched by a thermostat. Black bulb sensors are often used because they measure the effective (resultant) temperature in a radiant-heated space; if an air temperature sensor is used, the setpoint can be a couple of degrees lower in heating mode. The SPC zone control kit includes all three parts.
Radiant panels are largely maintenance free. Clean the underside with a dry cloth or a non-abrasive, non-corrosive detergent. The waterways are copper and the hoses EPDM rubber, so any flushing or inhibitors must be suitable for those materials.
