Nanofluid suspensions as heat carrier fluids in single U-tube borehole heat exchangers

The borehole heat exchanger (BHE) is a critical component to improve energy efficiency and decreasing environmental impact of ground-source heat pump systems. The lower thermal resistance of the BHE results in the better thermal performance and/or in the lower required borehole length. In the present study, effects of employing a nanofluid suspension as a heat carrier fluid on the borehole thermal resistance are examined. A 3D transient finite element code is adopted to evaluate thermal comportment of nanofluids with various concentrations in single U-tube borehole heat exchangers and to compare their performance with the conventional circuit fluid. The results show, in presence of nanoparticles, the borehole thermal resistance is reduced to some extent and the BHE renders a better thermal performance. It is also revealed that employing nanoparticle fractions between 0.5% and 2 % are advantageous in order to have an optimal decrement percentage of the thermal resistance.

Evaluation of Subsurface Heat Capacity through Oscillatory Thermal Response Tests

Two methods are currently available to estimate in a relatively short time span the subsurface heat capacity: (1) laboratory analysis of rock/soil samples; (2) measure the heat diffusion with temperature sensors in an observation well. Since the first may not be representative of in-situ conditions, and the second imply economical and logistical issues, a third option might be possible by means of so-called oscillatory thermal response tests (OTRT). The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an OTRT as a tool to infer the subsurface heat capacity without the need of an observation well. To achieve this goal, an OTRT was carried out in a borehole heat exchanger (BHE). The total duration of injection was 6 days, with oscillation period of 12 h and amplitude of 10 W m−1. The results of the proposed methodology were compared 3-D numerical simulations and to a TRT with a constant heat injection rate with temperature response monitored from a nearby observation well. Results show that the OTRT succeeded to infer the expected subsurface heat capacity, but uncertainty is about 15% and the radial depth of penetration is only 12 cm. The parameters having most impact on the results are the subsurface thermal conductivity and the borehole thermal resistance. The OTRT performed and analyzed in this study also allowed to evaluate the thermal conductivity with similar accuracy compared to conventional TRTs (3%). On the other hand, it returned borehole thermal resistance with high uncertainty (15%), in particular due to the duration of the test. The final range of heat capacity is wide, highlighting challenges to currently use OTRT in the scope of ground-coupled heat pump system design. OTRT appears a promising tool to evaluate the heat capacity, but more field testing and mathematical interpretation of the sinusoidal response is needed to better isolate the subsurface from the BHE contribution and reduce the uncertainty.

Borehole Thermal Analysis for a Closed Loop Vertical U-Tube DX Ground Heat Exchanger

The borehole geometry configuration and its sizing represent great challenges to the thermal equipment designer in the field of geothermal energy source. The present work represents a piece in that direction to avoid elaborate mathematical and computation schemes constraints for the preliminary design of the U-tube ground heat exchanger operates under a steady-state condition. A correlation was built for the prediction of the borehole thermal resistance. The U-tube diameter, leg spacing, borehole diameter, and the offset configuration with respect to the center of the borehole were introduced in the present correlation. An equivalent tube formula and borehole configuration were postulated to possess the same grout volume as the original loop. A variety of geometrical configurations were tested at different U-tube and borehole sizes. The predicted total thermal resistance of the borehole was implemented into the thermal design of the (DX) ground condenser to sizing the borehole U-tube heat exchanger. A hypothetical cooling unit of (1) ton of refrigeration that circulates R410A refrigerant was chosen for the verification of the present model outcomes. The predicted thermal resistance revealed an excellent agreement with other previously published work in this category.

A Simplified Thermal Design Model for a Single Vertical U-Tube Borehole Utilized in Ground-Coupled Source Heat Pumps

The present work dealt with the thermal assessments of the ground-coupled heat pump heat exchangers utilized in the field of geothermal energy source. A model was performed to predict the overall thermal resistance of a single vertical heat exchanger embedded in the borehole. The philosophy of the U-tube replacement with a single equivalent tube size was implemented with new development. Four tube sizes were used to build several borehole geometry configurations, they were (9.53) mm, (12.7) mm, (15.88) mm, and (19.05) mm accommodated in borehole sizes of (65) mm, (75) mm, (90) mm, and (100) mm respectively. Twelve borehole geometry configurations were examined as DX condensers circulate R410A refrigerant. These geometry assemblies produced a range of (0.29-0.57) for tube spacing to borehole ratio tested at (0.73) W/m K to (1.9) W/m K filling thermal conductivity range. The results of the present correlation showed good agreement with previously published correlations in the open literature. A mean temperature difference between the condensed vapor refrigerant and soil was assumed to have existed as (14) °C. Increasing the tube spacing from (2) to (3) times the tube diameter exhibited an augmentation in the heat loading of the borehole. This rise in the heat loadings of the U-tube was (8-10) % and (13-17) % for the geometry configurations of (9.53) mm and (12.7) mm tube sizes respectively. The tube diameter has also shown its importance in the thermal process of the borehole. At (75) mm borehole size and tube spacing of (2) times tube outside diameter, the predicted borehole thermal resistance for (9.53) mm tube diameter was higher than that of (19.05) mm one by (78-80) % for the test range of grout thermal conductivity.

Effects of the Circuit Arrangement on the Thermal Performance of Double U-Tube Ground Heat Exchangers

Given that the issue of variations in geometrical parameters of the borehole heat exchanger (BHE) revolves around the phenomenon of thermal resistance, a thorough understanding of these parameters is beneficial in enhancing thermal performance of BHEs. The present study seeks to identify relative changes in the thermal performance of double U-tube BHEs triggered by alterations in circuit arrangements, as well as the shank spacing and the borehole length. The thermal performance of double U-tube BHEs with different configurations is comprehensively analyzed through a 3D transient numerical code developed by means of the finite element method. The sensitivity of each circuit configuration in terms of the thermal performance to variations of the borehole length and shank spacing is investigated. The impact of the thermal interference between flowing legs, namely thermal short-circuiting, on parameters affecting the borehole thermal resistance is addressed. Furthermore, the energy exchange characteristics for different circuit configurations are quantified by introducing the thermal effectiveness coefficient. The results indicate that the borehole length is more influential than shank spacing in increasing the discrepancy between thermal performances of different circuit configurations. It is shown that deviation of the averaged-over-the-depth mean fluid temperature from the arithmetic mean of the inlet and outlet temperatures is more critical for lower shank spacings and higher borehole lengths.

Development of Analytical Model for a Vertical Single U-Tube Ground-Coupled Heat Pump System

An analytical model was built to study the thermal design of a single vertical U-tube coupled heat pump under steady-state conditions. It was based on the philosophy of U-tube replacement by an equivalent thermal resistance situated between the heat transfer medium that flows inside the tube and the borehole boundary. An obstruction factor was introduced to account for the reduction of heat flow from or to a tube in the borehole due to the presence of the second leg of the U-tube. Two Copper U-tubes with wall factors of (12.5) and (14.29) were implemented to comprise several borehole configurations to verify the present work. The shank spacing was ranged between (2) and (4) times the U-tube outside diameter producing shank spacing to borehole diameter ratio range of (0.29-0.59). The model was utilized for the assessment of DX ground heat exchangers works as a condenser for cooling purposes. Reducing of the tube spacing to tube outside diameter ratio from (3.3) to (2) for both tube wall factors showed a rise for the borehole thermal resistance in the range of (22-54)% and (26.5-28)% predicted at wall factors of (12.5) and (14.29) respectively.