Theoretical and Experimental Cost–Benefit Assessment of Borehole Heat Exchangers (BHEs) According to Working Fluid Flow Rate

Borja Badenes, Miguel Ángel Mateo Pla, Teresa Magraner, Javier Soriano and Javier F. Urchueguía
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Borja Badenes: Instituto Universitario de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones (ITACA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera S/N, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Miguel Ángel Mateo Pla: Instituto Universitario de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones (ITACA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera S/N, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Teresa Magraner: Instituto Universitario de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones (ITACA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera S/N, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Javier Soriano: Department Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Instituto Tecnológico del Agua (ITA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera S/N, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Javier F. Urchueguía: Instituto Universitario de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones (ITACA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera S/N, 46022 Valencia, Spain

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-29

Abstract: In ground-source heat-pump systems, the heat exchange rate is influenced by various design and operational parameters that condition the thermal performance of the heat pump and the running costs during exploitation. One less-studied area is the relationship between the pumping costs in a given system and the heat exchange rate. This work analyzes the investment and operating costs of representative borehole heat-exchanger configurations with varying circulating flow rate by means of a combination of analytical formulas and case study simulations to allow a precise quantification of the capital and operational costs in typical scenario. As a conclusion, an optimal flow rate minimizing either of both costs can be determined. Furthermore, it is concluded that in terms of operating costs, there is an operational pumping rate above which performance of geothermal systems is energetically strongly penalized.

Keywords: shallow geothermal energy; Borehole Heat Exchangers (BHE); optimization assessment; Thermal Response Test (TRT); pressure losses; hydraulic assessment; cost saving; EED (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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