Numerical modeling and analysis of the effect of surface groundwater flow and natural convection on the heat exchange of energy pile

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 MSc, Geotechnical Group, Civil Engineering Faculty, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

2 Professor, Geotechnical Group, Civil Engineering Faculty, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The use of renewable energy, particularly shallow geothermal energy, for heating and cooling various spaces during both hot and cold seasons has received considerable attention. Therefore, investigating the natural factors affecting the efficiency of this system, especially the groundwater flow, is of particular importance. The presence of groundwater flow significantly increases the efficiency of shallow geothermal systems. It has been found that the existence of groundwater flow significantly improves the efficiency of the shallow geothermal energy system. However, the assessment of system efficiency under the influence of groundwater flow is often subjected to error and has been inadequately addressed in the literature. In this study, an energy pile was modeled for a period of 90 days using COMSOL Multiphysics software and the finite element method, taking into account surface groundwater flow. The modeling assumes constant soil and inlet fluid temperature. The analysis was carried out for heating and cooling scenarios with various U-shaped pipe existence of groundwater flow. The results indicate that the presence of surface groundwater flow due to natural convection, independent of soil temperature, leads to a significant reduction in system performance.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

[1]         K. Amasyali, N.M. El-Gohary, A review of data-driven building energy consumption prediction studies, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 81 (2018) 1192-1205.
[2]           J. Fadejev, R. Simson, J. Kurnitski, F. Haghighat, A review on energy piles design, sizing and modelling, Energy, 122 (2017) 390-407.
[3]           S. R. Sheikhahmadi. M.A. Kiani Fordoei. M. Oliaei, 3D numerical modeling of geothermal tunnels and receivable energy, Civil Engineering Sharif. 38.2 (2022) 41–50. (In Persian)
[4]           S.M. Fattahian, M.A.Kiani Fordoei, M. Oliaei, Numerical investigation of the factors affecting the output power from heat exchanger piles, Civil Engineering Sharif. (2021). (In Persian)
[5]           H. Brandl, Energy foundations and other thermo-active ground structures, Géotechnique. 56 (2006) 81–122.
[6]          D. Pahud, M. Hubbuch, Mesures et optimisation de l’installation avec pieux énergétiques du Dock Midfield de l’aéroport de Zürich, Rapport Final, Office Fédéral de l’énergie, Berne, Suisse. (2007).
[7]          T. Mimouni, Thermomechanical Characterization of Energy Geostructures with Emphasis on Energy Piles, 2014.
[8]          L. Laloui, A. Di Donna, Understanding the behaviour of energy geo-structures, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Civil Engineering. 164 (2011) 184–19.
[9]          Y. Tong, T. Kozai, N. Nishioka, K. Ohyama, Greenhouse heating using heat pumps with a high coefficient of performance (COP), Biosystems Engineering. 106 (2010) 405–411.
[10]        D.Y. Cherati, O. Ghasemi-Fare, Practical approaches for implementation of energy piles in Iran based on the lessons learned from the developed countries experiences, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 140 (2021).
[11]        Ingersoll L.R., Theory of the ground pipe heat source for the heat pump, ASHVE Journal Section, Heating, Piping and Air Conditioning 20. (1948) 119–122.
[12]        N. Diao, Q. Li, Z. Fang, Heat transfer in ground heat exchangers with groundwater advection, International Journal of Thermal Sciences. 43 (2004) 1203–1211.
[13]         N. Molina-Giraldo, P. Bayer, P. Blum, Evaluating the influence of thermal dispersion on temperature plumes from geothermal systems using analytical solutions, International Journal of Thermal Sciences. 50 (2011) 1223–1231.
[14]         O. Ghasemi-Fare, P. Basu, Influences of ground saturation and thermal boundary condition on energy harvesting using geothermal piles, Energy and Buildings. 165 (2018) 340–351.
[15]         G.S. Jia, Z.D. Ma, Z.H. Xia, J.W. Wang, Y.P. Zhang, L.W. Jin, Influence of groundwater flow on the ground heat exchanger performance and ground temperature distributions: A comprehensive review of analytical, numerical and experimental studies, Geothermics. 100 (2022).
[16]         H.J.L.L. Witte, Geothermal response tests with heat extraction and heat injection: examples of application in research and design of geothermal ground heat exchangers, Europäischer Workshop Über Geothermische Response Tests 2001. 31 (2001) 48–63.
[17]         S. Barbieri, M. Antelmi, S. Panday, M. Baratto, A. Angelotti, L. Alberti, Innovative numerical procedure for simulating borehole heat exchangers operation and interpreting thermal response test through MODFLOW-USG code, Journal of Hydrology. 614 (2022).
[18]         L. Jacques, P. Pasquier, Obtaining the hydraulic and thermal properties of the main hydrostratigraphic units surrounding a standing column well using a thermal response test, Journal of Hydrology. 623 (2023).
[19]         N. Mehraeen, M.M. Ahmadi, O. Ghasemi-Fare, Numerical modeling of mixed convection near a vertical heat source in saturated granular soils, Geothermics. 106 (2022) 102566.
[20]         M.M. Tamizdoust, O. Ghasemi-Fare, A fully coupled thermo-poro-mechanical finite element analysis to predict the thermal pressurization and thermally induced pore fluid flow in soil media, Computers and Geotechnics. 117 (2020).
[21]         W. Zhang, H. Yang, L. Lu, Z. Fang, Investigation on the heat transfer of energy piles with two-dimensional groundwater flow, International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies. 12 (2017) 43–50.
[22]         J. Luo, J. Tuo, W. Huang, Y.Q. Zhu, Y.Y. Jiao, W. Xiang, J. Rohn, Influence of groundwater levels on effective thermal conductivity of the ground and heat transfer rate of borehole heat exchangers, Applied Thermal Engineering. 128 (2018) 508–516.
[23]         S. You, X. Cheng, C. Yu, Z. Dang, Effects of groundwater flow on the heat transfer performance of energy piles : Experimental and numerical analysis, Energy & Buildings. 155 (2017) 249–259.
[24]         Y. Zhou, Z. han Wu, K. Wang, An analytical model for heat transfer outside a single borehole heat exchanger considering convection at ground surface and advection of vertical water flow, Renewable Energy. 172 (2021) 1046–1062.
[25]         Y. Zhou, Z. xiang Zheng, G. si Zhao, Analytical models for heat transfer around a single ground heat exchanger in the presence of both horizontal and vertical groundwater flow considering a convective boundary condition, Energy. 245 (2022).
[26]         E.H.N. Gashti, M. Malaska, K. Kujala, Analysis of thermo-active pile structures and their performance under groundwater flow conditions, 105 (2015) 1–8.
[27]         W. Li, X. Li, Y. Peng, Y. Wang, J. Tu, Experimental and numerical studies on the thermal performance of ground heat exchangers in a layered subsurface with groundwater, Renewable Energy. 147 (2020) 620–629.
[28]         B.H. Dinh, G.H. Go, Y.S. Kim, Performance of a horizontal heat exchanger for ground heat pump system: Effects of groundwater level drop with soil–water thermal characteristics, Applied Thermal Engineering. 195 (2021).
[29]         F. Tang, H. Nowamooz, Factors influencing the performance of shallow Borehole Heat Exchanger, Energy Conversion and Management. 181 (2019) 571–583.
[30]         Y. Zhong, A. Bidarmaghz, G.A. Narsilio, N. Makasis, Thermo-hydraulic analysis in geothermal energy walls, Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology. 132 (2023).
[31]         M. Szijártó, A. Galsa, Á. Tóth, J. Mádl-Szőnyi, Numerical investigation of the combined effect of forced and free thermal convection in synthetic groundwater basins, Journal of Hydrology. 572 (2019) 364–379.
[32]        F. Najafian Jazi, O. Ghasemi-Fare, T.D. Rockaway, Natural convection effect on heat transfer in saturated soils under the influence of confined and unconfined subsurface flow, Applied Thermal Engineering. 237 (2024).
[33]        Q.I. Alqawasmeh, G.A. Narsilio, N. Makasis, M.J. Kreitmair, The impact of soil layering and groundwater flow on energy pile thermal performance, Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment. 38 (2024).
[34]        W. Yang, C. Zhang, T. Sun, Y. Qiang, F. Wang, A. Liu, Experimental and numerical study on thermo-mechanical behaviour of energy pile under different constraints, Applied Thermal Engineering. 243 (2024).
[35]        B.L. Amatya, K. Soga, P.J. Bourne-Webb, T. Amis, L. Laloui, Thermo-mechanical behaviour of energy piles, Géotechnique. 62 (2012) 503–519.
[36]        Y. Lou, P. fei Fang, X. yu Xie, C.S.A. Chong, F. yuan Li, C. yang Liu, Z. jin Wang, D. yong Zhu, Numerical research on thermal response for geothermal energy pile groups under groundwater flow, Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment. 28 (2021).
[37]        S. Park, D. Lee, H.-J. Choi, K. Jung, H. Choi, Relative constructability and thermal performance of cast-in-place concrete energy pile: Coil-type GHEX (ground heat exchanger), Energy, 81 (2015) 56-66.
[38]         Comsol, COMSOL MultiphysicsTM Version 4/5: User’s Guide and Reference Manual, (2018).
[39]         M.V. Lurie, Modeling of oil product and gas pipeline transportation, in:  Modeling of Oil Product and Gas Pipeline Transportation, 2009, pp. 1-214.
[40]         J. Bear, Y. Bachmat, Introduction to modeling of transport phenomena in porous media, Springer Science & Business Media, 2012.
[41]         A. Di Donna, Thermo-mechanical aspects of energy piles, Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne. 6145 (2014) 257.
[42]         2018 COMSOL, Subsurface Flow Module. User’s Guide, Subsurface Flow Module. (2018) 1–256.
[43]         D.J. Tritton, Physical fluid dynamics, Springer Science & Business Media, 2012.
[44]        N. Batini, A.F. Rotta Loria, P. Conti, D. Testi, W. Grassi, L. Laloui, Energy and geotechnical behaviour of energy piles for different design solutions, Applied Thermal Engineering. 86 (2015) 199–213.
Amirkabir Journal of Civil Engineering
Volume 56, Issue 5
2024
Pages 629-650

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics