Geotechnical investigation and testing. Geothermal testing. Determination of thermal conductivity of soil and rock using a borehole heat exchanger

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Borehole Heat Exchanger ◽  
Geotechnical Investigation

scholarly journals Method of Averaging the Effective Thermal Conductivity Based on Thermal Response Tests of Borehole Heat Exchangers

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 3737
Author(s):  
Aneta Sapińska-Śliwa ◽  
Tomasz Sliwa ◽  
Kazimierz Twardowski ◽  
Krzysztof Szymski ◽  
Andrzej Gonet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Effective Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Thermal Response ◽  
Method Of Averaging ◽  
Thermal Response Test ◽  
Borehole Heat Exchanger ◽  
Measurement Results ◽  
Borehole Heat Exchangers

This work concerns borehole heat exchangers and their testing using apparatus for thermal response tests. In the theoretical part of the article, an equation was derived from the known equation of heat flow, on which the interpretation of the thermal response test was based. The practical part presents the results of several measurements taken in the AGH Laboratory of Geoenergetics. They were aimed at examining the potential heat exchange capacity between the heat carrier and rock mass. Measurement results in the form of graphs are shown in relation to the examined, briefly described wells. Result analysis made it possible to draw conclusions regarding the interpretation of the thermal response test. The method of averaging the measurement results was subjected to further study. The measuring apparatus recorded data at a frequency of one second, however such accuracy was too large to be analyzed efficiently. Therefore, an average of every 1 min, every 10 min, and every 60 min was proposed. The conclusions stemming from the differences in the values of effective thermal conductivity in the borehole heat exchanger, resulting from different data averaging, were described. In the case of three borehole heat exchangers, ground properties were identical. The effective thermal conductivity λeff was shown to depend on various borehole heat exchanger (BHE) designs, heat carrier flow geometry, and grout parameters. It is important to consider the position of the pipes relative to each other. As shown in the charts, the best (the highest) effective thermal conductivity λeff occurred in BHE-1 with a coaxial construction. At the same time, this value was closest to the theoretical value of thermal conductivity of rocks λ, determined on the basis of literature. The standard deviation and the coefficient of variation confirmed that the effective thermal conductivity λeff, calculated for different time intervals, showed little variation in value. The values of effective thermal conductivity λeff for each time interval for the same borehole exchanger were similar in value. The lowest values of effective thermal conductivity λeff most often appeared for analysis with averaging every 60 min, and the highest—for analysis with averaging every 1 min. For safety reasons, when designing (number of BHEs), safer values should be taken for analysis, i.e., lower, averaging every 60 min.

scholarly journals Novel Experimental Device to Monitor the Ground Thermal Exchange in a Borehole Heat Exchanger

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Sáez Blázquez ◽  
Laura Piedelobo ◽  
Jesús Fernández-Hernández ◽  
Ignacio Martín Nieto ◽  
Arturo Farfán Martín ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Borehole Heat Exchanger ◽  
Physical Processes ◽  
Geothermal Resources ◽  
Thermal Exchange ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Ground Source ◽  
Grouting Material ◽  
Polyethylene Container

Ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems are becoming popular in space heating and cooling applications. Despite this fact, in most countries, the role of this energy is not as important as it should be nowadays according to its capabilities for energy generation without CO2 emissions, mainly due to the lack of technical knowledge about GSHP performance. The analysis of the physical processes that take part in the geothermal exchanges is necessary to allow the optimal exploitation of the geothermal resources. For all the above, an experimental geothermal device was built in the laboratory to control the phenomena that take place in a borehole heat exchanger (BHE). A 1-m high single-U heat exchanger was inserted in the center of a polyethylene container which also included granular material (surrounding ground) and the grouting material. Temperature sensors were situated in different positions of the experimental setup. Physical processes are evaluated to finally validate the model. Numerous applications can be developed from the experimental BHE. In this research, the determination of the thermal conductivity of the material used as medium was carried out. Results of this parameter were also compared with the ones obtained from the use of the KD2 Pro device.

Determination of thermal conductivities in the laboratory and the field: A comparison

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Schindler ◽  
Sascha Wilke ◽  
Simon Schüppler ◽  
Christina Fliegauf ◽  
Hanne Karrer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
Thermal Response ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Mineralogical Composition ◽  
Fundamental Parameter ◽  
Test Field ◽  
Borehole Heat Exchanger ◽  
Drilling Core ◽  
Thermal Conductivities

<p>The thermal conductivity of the subsurface is a fundamental parameter for the design of borehole heat exchangers in shallow geothermal energy systems. An average thermal conductivity value is usually assumed. Under real conditions, however, the thermal conductivity at depth can vary considerably depending on the local petrophysical and mineralogical properties of the subsurface (e.g. porosity). Hence, the aim of this study was to compare these properties of the subsurface with the thermal conductivities measured in the laboratory and in the field and to highlight possible correlations. For this purpose, a test field was established in the northern Black Forest (Germany) by obtaining an undisturbed drilling core of about 100 m length from sandstone of the Middle to Upper Buntsandstein formation and then installing a borehole heat exchanger (BHE). Various rock parameters were determined in the laboratory on 160 selected samples of the drilling core. Among other parameters, thermal conductivities under saturated and unsaturated conditions were measured and compared with values determined by depth-resolved classical and enhanced thermal response tests in the borehole heat exchanger (TRT). Furthermore, the porosity, permeability, grain density and pore diameter as well as mineralogical composition of the sandstone were intensively studied in the laboratory. The results do not show clear correlations between thermal conductivity, permeability and density. In contrast to those reported in literature, our results indicate a moderate correlation between porosity and thermal conductivity and a more pronounced dependence on grain size.</p><p>With regard to the depth profile of the thermal conductivity, the results between laboratory and field measurements were mainly consistent. The highest thermal conductivities (4.3 W/mK in the laboratory and 4.5 W/mK in the field) confirm the suitability of the Upper and Middle Buntsandstein formation for shallow geothermal installations. Most of these rocks represent typical fluvial deposits, so that the results obtained can be easily transferred to other regions with similar sandstone deposits.</p>

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