Using Ground Source Heat Pumps for Micro-scale 5G DHC in Eastern 1 Mediterranean conditions
Date Issued
2023
Abstract
Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs) are one of the most well-known types of geothermal
energy systems. GSHP systems are used for heating and cooling extract/reject heat from/to the
ground through the coupling of a HP with Ground Heat Exchangers (GHEs). GHEs essentially
consist of a network of underground tubes with a circulating refrigerant fluid. GSHPs can
achieve a higher performance than the conventional Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs), thus
seeing an increased interest, following the European Union (EU) “Fit for 55” target and the
“nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB)” derivative. However, the high initial cost and the
consequent long payback period has been a preventive factor for GSHP systems use in the
residential sector.
An alternative application of Geothermal energy that has seen increased interest is the District
Heating (DH). This could actually make GSHP systems more viable, contributing to lower
cost, lower maintenance and lower carbon emissions. Although such systems for DH exist in
central and northern Europe, where heating demand is higher compared to southern Europe,
the infrastructure required for a central unit and distribution however, makes the application
not readily available. An alternative to the above could be the use of GSHP systems at a micro
scale level.
To this end, the current paper investigates the potential of using GSHP systems for 5
th
Generation (5G) DH, but also DHC (district heating and cooling), in a micro-scale urban
environment. In particular, some theoretical case studies are developed for “islands” (i.e.,
residential blocks) at a neighbourhood level in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Typical
multiple multi-story residential buildings or multiple detached residential buildings within a
residential block, of nZEB characteristics, are included in the study. The investigation is
performed computationally. Once the heating and cooling demands, along with the
corresponding peak loads have been estimated per case, the Ground Loop Design (GLD)
software is used to size the appropriate vertical GHEs for various configurations. Then the
COMSOL Multiphysics software is employed for examining the effect of the unbalanced
ground temperature and the temperature gain/loss from the heat distribution. Based on a
parametric analysis, the obtained results seem to favor the possible use of GSHP systems for
DHC at a residential micro-scale level in relation to cost reduction, environmental friendliness
and renewable energy use.
energy systems. GSHP systems are used for heating and cooling extract/reject heat from/to the
ground through the coupling of a HP with Ground Heat Exchangers (GHEs). GHEs essentially
consist of a network of underground tubes with a circulating refrigerant fluid. GSHPs can
achieve a higher performance than the conventional Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs), thus
seeing an increased interest, following the European Union (EU) “Fit for 55” target and the
“nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB)” derivative. However, the high initial cost and the
consequent long payback period has been a preventive factor for GSHP systems use in the
residential sector.
An alternative application of Geothermal energy that has seen increased interest is the District
Heating (DH). This could actually make GSHP systems more viable, contributing to lower
cost, lower maintenance and lower carbon emissions. Although such systems for DH exist in
central and northern Europe, where heating demand is higher compared to southern Europe,
the infrastructure required for a central unit and distribution however, makes the application
not readily available. An alternative to the above could be the use of GSHP systems at a micro
scale level.
To this end, the current paper investigates the potential of using GSHP systems for 5
th
Generation (5G) DH, but also DHC (district heating and cooling), in a micro-scale urban
environment. In particular, some theoretical case studies are developed for “islands” (i.e.,
residential blocks) at a neighbourhood level in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Typical
multiple multi-story residential buildings or multiple detached residential buildings within a
residential block, of nZEB characteristics, are included in the study. The investigation is
performed computationally. Once the heating and cooling demands, along with the
corresponding peak loads have been estimated per case, the Ground Loop Design (GLD)
software is used to size the appropriate vertical GHEs for various configurations. Then the
COMSOL Multiphysics software is employed for examining the effect of the unbalanced
ground temperature and the temperature gain/loss from the heat distribution. Based on a
parametric analysis, the obtained results seem to favor the possible use of GSHP systems for
DHC at a residential micro-scale level in relation to cost reduction, environmental friendliness
and renewable energy use.
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