scholarly journals Underground Energy Storage Utilizing Concrete Building Foundation: Experimental and Numerical Approach

Author(s):  
Magdy M. Mousa ◽  
Ayman M. Bayomy ◽  
Julie Wang ◽  
Seth B. Dworkin ◽  
M. Z. Saghir

Space heating and cooling represents 63% of total building energy demand. In the present study, the concept of concrete foundation piles was used as an underground storage medium. This system requires no additional drilling costs or space, unlike conventional boreholes. A lab-scaled experiment facility was designed to experimentally investigate the thermal response of a concrete pile during the charging and discharging processes. The amount of energy stored and released during each process was evaluated. A flow rate parametric study was also conducted to explore the effect of the laminar and turbulent flow behaviour. In order to complement the experimental study, an extensive CFD model was developed and compared with the experimental data. There was good agreement between the numerical and experimental results for each process at different flow rates. The results revealed that increasing the flow rate increases not only the heat rejection and extraction but also the storage efficiency. Keywords: borehole, energy pile, thermal storage, thermal response, ground source heat pump

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdy M. Mousa ◽  
Ayman M. Bayomy ◽  
Julie Wang ◽  
Seth B. Dworkin ◽  
M. Z. Saghir

Space heating and cooling represents 63% of total building energy demand. In the present study, the concept of concrete foundation piles was used as an underground storage medium. This system requires no additional drilling costs or space, unlike conventional boreholes. A lab-scaled experiment facility was designed to experimentally investigate the thermal response of a concrete pile during the charging and discharging processes. The amount of energy stored and released during each process was evaluated. A flow rate parametric study was also conducted to explore the effect of the laminar and turbulent flow behaviour. In order to complement the experimental study, an extensive CFD model was developed and compared with the experimental data. There was good agreement between the numerical and experimental results for each process at different flow rates. The results revealed that increasing the flow rate increases not only the heat rejection and extraction but also the storage efficiency. Keywords: borehole, energy pile, thermal storage, thermal response, ground source heat pump


Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 2496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Carnieletto ◽  
Borja Badenes ◽  
Marco Belliardi ◽  
Adriana Bernardi ◽  
Samantha Graci ◽  
...  

The design of ground source heat pumps is a fundamental step to ensure the high energy efficiency of heat pump systems throughout their operating years. To enhance the diffusion of ground source heat pump systems, two different tools are developed in the H2020 research project named, “Cheap GSHPs”: A design tool and a decision support system. In both cases, the energy demand of the buildings may not be calculated by the user. The main input data, to evaluate the size of the borehole heat exchangers, is the building energy demand. This paper presents a methodology to correlate energy demand, building typologies, and climatic conditions for different types of residential buildings. Rather than envelope properties, three insulation levels have been considered in different climatic conditions to set up a database of energy profiles. Analyzing European climatic test reference years, 23 locations have been considered. For each location, the overall energy and the mean hourly monthly energy profiles for heating and cooling have been calculated. Pre-calculated profiles are needed to size generation systems and, in particular, ground source heat pumps. For this reason, correlations based on the degree days for heating and cooling demand have been found in order to generalize the results for different buildings. These correlations depend on the Köppen–Geiger climate scale.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 5471
Author(s):  
Peng Li ◽  
Peng Guan ◽  
Jun Zheng ◽  
Bin Dou ◽  
Hong Tian ◽  
...  

Ground thermal properties are the design basis of ground source heat pumps (GSHP). However, effective ground thermal properties cannot be obtained through the traditional thermal response test (TRT) method when it is used in the coaxial borehole heat exchanger (CBHE). In this paper, an improved TRT (ITRT) method for CBHE is proposed, and the field ITRT, based on the actual project, is carried out. The high accuracy of the new method is verified by laboratory experiments. Based on the results of the ITRT and laboratory experiment, the 3D numerical model for CBHE is established, in which the flow directions, sensitivity analysis of heat transfer characteristics, and optimization of circulation flow rate are studied, respectively. The results show that CBHE should adopt the anulus-in direction under the cooling condition, and the center-in direction under the heating condition. The influence of inlet temperature and flow rate on heat transfer rate is more significant than that of the backfill grout material, thermal conductivity of the inner pipe, and borehole depth. The circulating flow rate of CBHE between 0.3 m/s and 0.4 m/s can lead to better performance for the system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 267
Author(s):  
Han-Tang Lin ◽  
Yunn-Horng Guu ◽  
Wei-Hsuan Hsu

Global warming, climate change, and ever-increasing energy demand are among the pressing challenges currently facing humanity. Particularly, indoor air conditioning, a major source of energy consumption, requires immediate improvement to prevent energy crises. In this study, various airfoil profiles were applied to create a window-type convection device that entrains air to improve convection between indoor and outdoor airflows and adjust the indoor temperature. How the geometric structure of the convection device affects its air entrainment performance was investigated on the basis of various airfoil profiles and outlet slit sizes of the airflow multiplier. The airfoil profiles were designed according to the 4-digit series developed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. The results revealed that airfoil thickness, airfoil camber, and air outlet slit size affected the mass flow rate of the convection device. Overall, the mass flow rate at the outlet of the convection device was more than 10 times greater than at the inlet, demonstrating the potential of the device to improve air convection. To validate these simulated results, the wind-deflector plate was processed using the NACA4424 airfoil with a 1.2 mm slit, and various operating voltages were applied to the convection device to measure the resulting wind speeds and calculate the corresponding mass flow rates. The experimental and simulated results were similar, with a mean error of <7%, indicating that the airfoil-shaped wind-deflector plate substantially improved air entrainment of the convection device to the goal of reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions.


Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 715
Author(s):  
Cristina Andrade ◽  
Sandra Mourato ◽  
João Ramos

Climate change is expected to influence cooling and heating energy demand of residential buildings and affect overall thermal comfort. Towards this end, the heating (HDD) and cooling (CDD) degree-days along with HDD + CDD were computed from an ensemble of seven high-resolution bias-corrected simulations attained from EURO-CORDEX under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). These three indicators were analyzed for 1971–2000 (from E-OBS) and 2011–2040, and 2041–2070, under both RCPs. Results predict a decrease in HDDs most significant under RCP8.5. Conversely, it is projected an increase of CDD values for both scenarios. The decrease in HDDs is projected to be higher than the increase in CDDs hinting to an increase in the energy demand to cool internal environments in Portugal. Statistically significant linear CDD trends were only found for 2041–2070 under RCP4.5. Towards 2070, higher(lower) CDD (HDD and HDD + CDD) anomaly amplitudes are depicted, mainly under RCP8.5. Within the five NUTS II


Author(s):  
Leon M. Headings ◽  
Gregory N. Washington

The goal of this research is to develop a framework for replacing conventional heating and cooling systems with distributed, continuously and electrically controlled, building-integrated thermoelectric (BITE) heat pumps. The coefficient of performance of thermoelectric heat pumps increases as the temperature difference across them decreases and as the amplitude of temperature oscillations decreases. As a result, this research examines how thermal insulation and mass elements can be integrated with thermoelectrics as part of active multi-layer structures in order to minimize net energy consumption. In order to develop BITE systems, an explicit finite volume model was developed to model the dynamic thermal response of active multi-layer wall structures subjected to arbitrary boundary conditions (interior and exterior temperatures and interior heat loads) and control algorithms. Using this numerical model, the effects of wall construction on net system performance were examined. These simulation results provide direction for the ongoing development of BITE systems.


2012 ◽  
Vol 252 ◽  
pp. 433-437
Author(s):  
Zhi Yang Yuan

The ground-source heat pump is a system which takes the shallow surface soil energy as the source of heating and cooling. The temperature of ground source is relatively stable throughout the year, which makes the ground-source heat pump have the higher operation efficiency compared with the traditional air-conditioning system.Study on the ground-source heat pump with properties of thermal dynamics used in heating and air comditioning by ecomomic analysis is still an important issue. In this paper, the ground-source heat pump and the traditional heating and air-conditioning system have been compared in terms of their economic competitiveness. Firstly, it is required to compare the ground-source heat pump with the traditional heating method in terms of the heating economy. Afterwards, it is necessary to compare the ground-source heat pump with the conventional electric refrigeration in terms of the air-conditioning economy. Finally, it is needed to conduct the comprehensive and economic analysis for the ground-source heat pump and the boilers and air conditioning, which includes four programs.


Author(s):  
Thomas Ceyrowsky ◽  
Andre Hildebrandt ◽  
Martin Heinrich ◽  
Rüdiger Schwarze

Abstract A volute’s loss coefficient is highly sensitive to Mach number, circumferential velocity and flow rate at volute inlet. In case of a backswept impeller, these parameters are coupled to each other. An increased flowrate leads to a steeper absolute flow angle at impeller exit and hence to a decrease of circumferential velocity. The absolute Mach number is also altered. Therefore, in order to investigate the effects of flowrate and flow angle separately, one would have to vary the diffuser width together with the flowrate, keeping the flow angle constant. This corresponds to coupling the volute with aerodynamically similar impellers, designed for higher and lower flowrates. Since this is elaborate, there is no adequate study available in open literature, assessing a volute’s global loss map. In this work, a new numerical approach for the prediction of a volute’s representative loss map is presented: The volute is calculated by means of steady CFD as a standalone component. The inlet boundary conditions are carefully selected by means of 1D and applied together with different diffuser widths. This allows for separate investigation of the impacts of flow angle, flow rate and Mach number. Validation against full stage CFD confirms the applicability of the standalone model. The results exhibit that minimum losses do not necessarily occur at the theoretical matching point but either when the volute is smaller or bigger, depending on the inlet flow angle. Investigations of the loss mechanisms at different operating conditions provide useful guidelines for volute design. Finally, the validity of these study’s findings for volutes with different geometrical features is examined by comparison with experimental data as well as with fullstage CFD.


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