Heating and cooling potential of an underground air-pipe system

The annual heating and cooling potential of an underground air-pipe system has been evaluated in terms of dimensionless parameters of the system. The effect of diurnal and annual variations of environmental parameters (solar radiation, ambient temperature and relative humidity) has been considered. The results are obtained for hot—dry, cold—dry and composite climatic conditions typified by the Jodhpur, Leh and Delhi climates respectively. The effect of suitable earth surface treatments on the thermal performances of the air-pipe system has also been analysed. For wet—shaded earth surface the cooling potential of a pipe of length 50 m and radius 10 cm at a depth 6 m in Jodhpur climate is found to be 4472 kW h, while for the Leh climate under glazed and blackened earth surface conditions the heating potential of such an air-pipe system is found to be 9097 kW h.     

The relative importance of moisture transfer,soil freezing and snow cover on ground temperature predictions

Predicting ground temperature is an important part of the analysis of geothermal resources assessment and use. Thus, we develop and validate one-dimensional numerical model for heat and mass transfer in partially frozen soils. The model is implemented in HVACSIM Plus and used to simulate the thermal regime of soil profile. In addition to modeling heat conduction, model variations also includes moisture transfer, snow accumulation and melting, and soil freezing and thawing. The results are compared against experimental measurements of ground temperature for three locations in Montana, USA. The differences between simulated depth temperature with and without snow cover and freezing and thawing of soil reveal that ground temperatures are predominantly influenced by these two factors. Considering moisture transfer slightly improves temperature predictions, although it increases computational time by one order of magnitude. To balance computational efficiency with prediction accuracy, we propose an equivalent moisture content of 40–60% saturation in predicting ground temperature.     

Temperature regime of the upper layers of the earth crust and USSR geotemperature maps

The experimental and analytical data on the temperature regime of groundwaters and water-bearing rocks indicate the presence of constant temperature variations in time for periods of days to 200 million of years. Since convective heat exchange is prevalent in the transfer of surface temperature, variations (especially short-period variations, daily and annual) at depth on aquifers down to almost the whole sedimentary earth mantle, are under the influence of climatic zonation. When compiling geoisothermal maps for the upper layers of the earth crust to depths about twice the erosion depth, the space-time regularities of temperature variation determined largely by the geographical latitude and elevation of the point under investigation must be taken into account. Some geoisothermal maps for different depths, which also consider the relief, have been compiled using the method suggested.     

Influence of soil moisture content on soil solarization efficiency

Soil temperature under plastic cover is a function of incoming radiation and thermal characteristics of the mulching material and the soil. A field experiment was conducted at Fudhiliyah Agrometeorological research station to investigate how soil temperature is influenced by different soil moisture content regimes during soil solarization. Two soils, sandy loam and silty clay loam, were brought to five volumetric moisture regimes (M1–M5). The moistened soils were mulched with 180-μm-thick transparent polyethylene. Measurements of hourly soil temperatures for depths of 0.00, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.30 m were recorded from 1 June to 30 September. The results showed that the maximum soil temperatures decreased with increasing soil moisture content. The relationship between the hourly rise in soil temperature and heat flux were significantly affected by soil moisture content. Moreover, soil solarization efficiency decreased with increasing moisture content. The higher temperatures in both soils under the M4 irrigation regime resulted in faster eradication of the pathogenic fungus, Fusarium oxysporum (sp. lycopersici).     

Thermal modelling and experimental validation of ground temperature distribution in greenhouse

A periodic analysis for daily and monthly variations of ground temperature with depths is presented both under greenhouse and bare surface conditions of Delhi and for bare surface condition in other climates of India in order to design an efficient earth to air heat exchanger for greenhouse system. Calculations were carried out for a typical winter and summer day of Delhi in year 2000. Predicted values of ground temperature at 1 m depth were in fair agreement with experimental values under both conditions. Ground temperatures at various depths inside greenhouse were found to be on an average 7–9°C and 3–6°C higher than bare surface for daily and monthly variations respectively. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Developing a temperature‐dependent Kersten function for soil thermal conductivity

This paper describes the development of the Kersten function (Ke), which depends on soil temperature and the degree of saturation. The new Kersten function enables the prediction of thermal conductivities of moist soils also including high temperatures. The eight soils used in this paper represent three distinct textural groups, each having a comparable shape of Kersten function. The soil thermal conductivity is obtained from a linear interpolation between the dryness and saturation states with the Ke as the slope. The new Kersten function is valid when the degree of saturation (S_r) is greater than 0.125 and soil temperature is between 30 and 90°C. At a lower degree of saturation (i.e. 0<S_r<0.125), a linear approximation is applied to Ke. The new Ke function gives particularly good agreement with experimental data for temperatures of 30 and 50°C and for low moisture contents at all temperatures. At higher temperatures (i.e. 70 and 90°C) and moisture contents above the permanent wilting point, generally good or acceptable results were obtained. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Finite difference modeling of heat distribution in multilayer soils with time-spatial hydrothermal properties

In this study, the heat distribution throughout the profile of unsaturated multilayered soil is determined using finite difference method while its thermal diffusivity varies with time and depth. First, the input parameters such as water content, dry density and sand content of the soil profile are provided. These data are coupled with the theoretical approaches to estimate thermal properties of soil such as thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of multilayered soil. Second, finite difference method is used to model heat distributions in soil profile taking into account the initial and boundary conditions. A continuity of heat flux between each layer is performed as a condition in the numerical model. A comparison of estimated temperature within time throughout the profile with the thermal probe measurements shows a satisfactory capacity of the numerical model. Finally, different cases of nonhomogeneous and homogeneous soil show that thermal response of homogeneous and nonhomogeneous soils are almost similar at average value of thermal diffusivity where hydrothermal characteristics of each soil layer (such as water content, dry density, and soil texture) are required to calculate this average value.     

Thermal performance of a parallel earth air-pipes system

In the present analysis the thermal performance of a parallel earth air-pipe system has been evaluated in terms of annual heating and cooling potential. The influence of the pipes on each other's thermal performance has been considered. The effect of seasonal variation of environmental parameters (ambient temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity, earth temperature etc.) has been considered. The results are obtained for the hot-dry climate of Jodhpur and the composite climate of Delhi. From the various possible earth surface treatments to increase the effectiveness of earth storage systems for air conditioning purposes, the results are presented for wet-shaded earth surface conditions, the most effective earth surface treatment for the climate considered. Thermal performance of the parallel air-pipe system is evaluated for the two cases. In the first case, inlet air temperature to the pipes is taken to be the hourly mean of the ambient air temperature of the average day of each month, and, in the second case, the inlet air temperature is taken to be equal to that of a conditioned room whose set-point temperature varies from month to month.     

Evaluation of the underground soil thermal storage properties in Libya

Experimental investigation was conducted of temperature distribution through the underground soil of Tripoli (Capital of Libya). The aim of the experiment is to monitor the temperature variation of the underground soil under a depth of 4 m and around the year, in order to know the thermal capacity ability of the soil to be used as a seasonal thermal storage. The measurements covered two types of systems: the first one is dry soil and the second is dry soil covered by a glass sheet. The measurements indicate that, at a depth of 4 m, the average temperatures for the dry and dry-glass covered systems are 21, 46 °C, with maximum temperatures of 21.5 and 47 °C during December and January, and the minimum temperatures occurred in May and June, are reached values of 19, 44 °C, respectively. The temperatures for the two systems were almost constant through the year and fluctuating with a monthly period of 2π/12. Results show that, the underground thermal capacity can be used as a source of heating and cooling of buildings leading to reduce the energy consumption in this application. Furthermore, for industrial and domestic heating processes, one can utilize the dry-glass covered system to cover a significant part of the heating load. Anyhow, the experimental study may not applicable everywhere, so an analytical presentation for the system will be necessary to save money and efforts. The first step to put the analytical model in reality is to get the thermal properties of the underground soil, and this is the aim of the present study.The paper described the followed procedure during theoretical-heat transfer approach. The thermal properties were presented as a function of the ground depth, furthermore, the paper presented the measured temperatures of the two systems for Tripoli underground soil.     

Investigation of the ground thermal potential in tunisia focused towards heating and cooling applications

In this paper, an experiment has been conducted in order to record the ground temperature at different depths during 2006 in a suburb of Sfax (Tunisia) which represents an example of the South-Mediterranean climate. The temperature of the soil has also been calculated using a thermal model taking into account properties of the soil and meteorological conditions. Experimental results are compared with theoretical predictions. In order to estimate the influence of the soil properties on the ground temperature, different soil thermal conductivities are tested. A simplified model of an earth pipe system is developed. The cooling and heating capabilities produced by such a system are evaluated. This model is validated against an other published experimental model.     

套管式中深层地埋管换热器传热建模及取热分析

为了研究无干扰换热条件下,中深层地热能的实际取热性能,文章通过数值模拟方法模拟计算了套管式中深层地埋管换热器的名义取热量。模拟结果表明,套管式中深层地埋管换热器的名义取热量随着钻孔深度、大地热流、循环水流量、当地大气年平均温度的增加而增加。套管式中深层地埋管换热器周围土层的地质条件分布也影响着中深层地埋管换热器的名义取热量,具体表现为浅层土层的导热系数越小,中深层地埋管换热器的名义取热量越大;深层土层的导热系数越大,中深层地埋管换热器的名义取热量也越大。通过调整地埋管换热器的相关参数,并选择合适的地埋管埋设地点等优化措施,可使套管式中深层地埋管换热器达到可观的名义取热量。     

Performance of earth air tunnels

Corresponding to the annual variation of the meteorological data for the year 1974 at New Delhi, a study of the annual variation of the ground temperature distribution has been carried out for different surface conditions. At a depth of around 4 m the temperature remains almost constant in all the cases; it is maximum (～ 53°C) for a dry glazed black surface and minimum (～ 17-3°C) for a wet shaded surface, respectively. An earth air tunnel dug at this depth provides heating/cooling to the air flowing inside it during winter/summer. We have carried out a parametric study of the performance of such tunnels in terms of the heat gain/loss by air flowing through them.     

Investigation of thermal performance of a ground coupled heat pump system with a cylindrical energy storage tank

An analytical and computational model for a solar assisted heat pump heating system with an underground seasonal cylindrical storage tank is developed. The heating system consists of flat plate solar collectors, an underground cylindrical storage tank, a heat pump and a house to be heated during winter season. Analytical solution of transient field problem outside the storage tank is obtained by the application of complex finite Fourier transform and finite integral transform techniques. Three expressions for the heat pump, space heat requirement during the winter season and available solar energy are coupled with the solution of the transient temperature field problem. The analytical solution presented can be utilized to determine the annual variation of water temperature in the cylindrical store, transient earth temperature field surrounding the store and annual periodic performance of the heating system. A computer simulation program is developed to evaluate the annual periodic water and earth temperatures and system performance parameters based on the analytical solution. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

金塔绿洲的辐射平衡特征和地表能量研究

利用2005年5月23日~7月8日在甘肃省金塔绿洲开展的"绿洲系统能量与水分循环过程观测实验"所取得的资料,分析了金塔绿洲不同天气条件的辐射平衡、地表能量收支和土壤温度的日变化规律,并将研究时段内各量的平均值与晴天进行了对比.结果表明:不同天气条件下,辐射平衡和地表能量平衡各分量昼间变化差别较大,夜间也存在一定的差异;土壤温度随净辐射能的变化而变化,随着深度的增加,土壤温度受太阳辐射的影响变小;观测期间辐射平衡、地表能量和土壤温度平均的变化形态与晴天比较接近,云和降水的扰动削弱了除潜热通量外的其它量.     

Evaluation of heat exchange rate of GHE in geothermal heat pump systems

Total thermal resistance of ground heat exchanger (GHE) is comprised of that of the soil and inside the borehole. The thermal resistance of soil can be calculated using the linear source theory and cylindrical source theory, while that inside the borehole is more complicated due to the integrated resistance of fluid convection, and the conduction through pipe and grout. Present study evaluates heat exchange rate per depth of GHE by calculating the total thermal resistance, and compares different methods to analyze their similarities and differences for engineering applications. The effects of seven separate factors, running time, shank spacing, depth of borehole, velocity in the pipe, thermal conductivity of grout, inlet temperature and soil type, on the thermal resistance and heat exchange rate are analyzed. Experimental data from several real geothermal heat pump (GHP) applications in Shanghai are used to validate the present calculations. The observations from this study are to provide some guidelines for the design of GHE in GHP systems.     

Application of a Genetic Algorithm for Thermal Design of Fin-and-Tube Heat Exchangers

Instead of the traditional trial-and-error process, a genetic algorithm (GA) is successfully applied to thermal design of fin-and-tube heat exchangers (FTHEs). The design method uses a GA to search and optimize structure sizes of FTHEs. The minimum total weight or total annual cost of FTHEs is taken as the objective function in the GA, respectively. Seven design parameters are varied for the optimization objectives. The implementation of the design method consists of a GA routine and a thermal design routine. In the GA routine, binary coding for tournament selection, uniform crossover, and one-point mutation is adopted. In the thermal design routine, thermal design of the FTHE is carried out according to the conditions of the structure sizes that the genetic algorithm generated, and the log-mean temperature difference method is used to determine the heat transfer area under the combined structure sizes for a given heat duty. Optimization shows that it is possible to achieve a great reduction in cost or weight, whenever such objectives have been chosen for minimization. The method is universal and may be used for thermal design and optimization of FTHEs under different specified duties.     

土壤水力学特征对水平埋管换热能力的影响分析

以土壤毛管水力特征曲线为基础,通过数值模拟手段,计算分析地下水位线变化对水平换热埋管换热特性、土体热失衡风险和热泵机组技术经济特性的影响规律,并提出“单位热影响面积换热量”这一新的评价指标,讨论土壤水力学特征对水平埋管换热能力的影响规律。研究结果表明：随着地下水位线埋深变浅,埋管水平土壤含水饱和度从12%增加到100%时,在制冷工况下,水平管延米换热量增加了30%,出口水温降低了23%,单位热影响面积换热量提高了47%;制热工况下,水平管延米换热量增加了24%,出口水温升高了25%,单位热影响面积换热量提高了39%。地下水位线埋深和土壤中含水饱和度对水平埋管换热器地下换热效率影响显著。同时,不同水力特征曲线的蓄能土体热失衡风险具有差异性。     

Experimental investigation of thermal and moisture behaviors of wet and dry soils with buried capillary heating system

An experimental study of thermal and moisture behaviors of dry and wet soils heated by buried capillary plaits was done. This study was carried out on a prototype similar to an agricultural tunnel greenhouse. The experimental procedure consisted on three different measuring phases distinguished by three different operational conditions of the capillary plaits: heating at 70 °C, heating at 40 °C and without heating in summer. During an experimental run, quantities measured are soil temperature, soil water content at various depths, soil surface heat flux, solar radiation under the plastic cover, internal relative humidity, internal and external air temperature. In unsaturated moist soils, the transport of heat is complicated by the fact that heat and mass transfer is a coupled process. During the daily soil temperature variation, it was found that the surface temperature amplitude was higher in wet soil than in dry soil. The water content increased during daytime and decreased during nighttime. The diurnal variation amplitude of water content was higher without underground heating and decreased with the buried heat source temperature.