scholarly journals Solar Thermal Regeneration of Borehole Heat Exchangers in Urban and Suburban Districts

2021 ◽  
Vol 2042 (1) ◽  
pp. 012094
Author(s):  
David Sauter ◽  
Manuel Hunziker ◽  
Joachim Poppei ◽  
Fabien Cochand ◽  
Markus Hubbuch ◽  
...  

Abstract To prevent undercooling of the ground in densely populated areas, regeneration of borehole heat exchangers (BHEs), for example by solar thermal heat, may become necessary. However, the usable roof area is often small compared to the building’s heat demand, especially in urban areas. It was investigated how much regeneration is possible in districts that are supplied entirely by heat pumps with BHEs. Example buildings were modelled based on the buildings of two districts in Zurich. Uncovered PVT collectors and glazed flat-plate collectors were used as regeneration sources. The possible regeneration was determined in a simulation process that included the effects of mutual influences between the BHEs of neighbouring buildings. As expected, glazed flat-plate collectors allow for more regeneration than uncovered PVT collectors. For full regeneration, the required usable roof area relative to the annual heat demand is about 1.8m2/MWh for PVT and 1.2m2/MWh for flat-plate collectors. Large buildings often do not provide sufficient roof area for full regeneration. A sustainable heat supply of the entire district with regenerated BHEs can be possible in suburban neighbourhoods, if the bigger buildings are distributed rather evenly. In urban neighbourhoods, areas may exist in which solar thermal regeneration alone is not sufficient.

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 5119
Author(s):  
Tomasz Sliwa ◽  
Tomasz Kowalski ◽  
Dominik Cekus ◽  
Aneta Sapińska-Śliwa

Currently, renewable energy is increasingly important in the energy sector. One of the so-called renewable energy sources is geothermal energy. The most popular solution implemented by both small and large customers is the consumption of low-temperature geothermal energy using borehole heat exchanger (BHE) systems assisted by geothermal heat pumps. Such an installation can operate regardless of geological conditions, which makes it extremely universal. Borehole heat exchangers are the most important elements of this system, as their design determines the efficiency of the entire heating or heating-and-cooling system. Filling/sealing slurry is amongst the crucial structural elements. In borehole exchangers, reaching the highest possible thermal conductivity of the cement slurry endeavors to improve heat transfer between the rock mass and the heat carrier. The article presents a proposed design for such a sealing slurry. Powdered magnesium was used as an additive to the cement. The approximate cost of powdered magnesium is PLN 70–90 per kg (EUR 15–20/kg). Six different slurry formulations were tested. Magnesium flakes were used in designs A, B, C, and magnesium shavings in D, E and F. The samples differed in the powdered magnesium content BWOC (by weight of cement). The parameters of fresh and hardened sealing slurries were tested, focusing mainly on the thermal conductivity parameter. The highest thermal conductivity values were obtained in design C with the 45% addition of magnesium flakes BWOC.


2020 ◽  
Vol 154 ◽  
pp. 04003
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Hałaj

Heat pumps become more and more popular heat source. They can be an alternative choice for obsolete coal fired boilers which are emissive and not ecological. During heat pump installation designing process, especially for heat pumps with higher heating capacity (for example those suppling larger buildings), a simulation of heat balance of ground heat source must be provided. A 3D heat transport model and groundwater flow in the geothermal heat source for heat pump (GSHP) installation was developed in FEFLOW according to Finite Element Modelling Method. The model consists of 25 borehole heat exchangers, arranged with spacing recommended by heat pump branch guidelines. The model consists of both a homogeneous, non-layered domain and a layered domain, which reflected differences in thermal properties of the ground and hydrogeological factors. The initial temperature distribution in the ground was simulating according to conditions typical for Europe in steady state heat flow. Optimal mesh refinement for nodes around borehole heat exchangers were calculated according to Nillert method. The aim of this work is to present influence of geological, hydrogeological factors and borehole arrangement in the energy balance and long term sustainability of the ground source. The thermal changes in the subsurface have been determined for a long term operation (30 years of operation period). Some thermal energy storage applications have also been considered.


Author(s):  
Petr Bujok ◽  
Martin Klempa ◽  
Michal Porzer ◽  
Nikola Janečková ◽  
Adam Pytlik

VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava (VŠB-TU Ostrava) has unique conditions for analysing temperature changes in the rock mass while borehole heat exchangers have been operational for a long time. The Auditory building is heated with a system of heat pumps (borehole heat exchangers). It is one of the largest such objects in the Czech Republic. The heat of the rock mass is provided by a system of technological boreholes. The research boreholes are used for monitoring temperature changes in the rock mass while using the Auditory’s heating system. The system for monitoring boreholes within the area of technological borehole activity is called Large Research Polygon (LRP). Apart from LRP, the university also possesses another research polygon – Small Research Polygon (SRP) located at a distance from the LRP near the Energy Research Centre (ERC). All boreholes performed within both research fields are equipped with sensors monitoring the temperature changes while the Auditory building is being heated (thermal energy is recovered from the rock mass in winter) or cooled (thermal energy is transmitted to the rock mass in summer). The main objective of the research carried out in both research fields is checking the functionality and efficiency of the entire system. Certain aspects of thermal energy recuperation from the rock mass are described. The paper is closed with the results of monitoring and calculation of temperature in the surface layers to about 20 m of depth.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele Cecconet ◽  
Jakub Raček ◽  
Arianna Callegari ◽  
Petr Hlavínek

To achieve technically-feasible and socially-desirable sustainable management of urban areas, new paradigms have been developed to enhance the sustainability of water and its resources in modern cities. Wastewater is no longer seen as a wasted resource, but rather, as a mining ground from which to obtain valuable chemicals and energy; for example, heat energy, which is often neglected, can be recovered from wastewater for different purposes. In this work, we analyze the design and application of energy recovery from wastewater for heating and cooling a building in Brno (Czech Republic) by means of heat exchangers and pumps. The temperature and the flow rate of the wastewater flowing in a sewer located in the proximity of the building were monitored for a one-year period, and the energy requirement for the building was calculated as 957 MWh per year. Two options were evaluated: heating and cooling using a conventional system (connected to the local grid), and heat recovery from wastewater using heat exchangers and coupled heat pumps. The analysis of the scenarios suggested that the solution based on heat recovery from wastewater was more feasible, showing a 59% decrease in energy consumption compared to the conventional solution (respectively, 259,151 kWh and 620,475 kWh per year). The impact of heat recovery from wastewater on the kinetics of the wastewater resource recovery facility was evaluated, showing a negligible impact in both summer (increase of 0.045 °C) and winter conditions (decrease of 0.056 °C).


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