A Method to Analyze the Performance of Geocooling Systems with Borehole Heat Exchangers. Results in a Monitored Residential Building in Southern Alps

Marco Belliardi, Nerio Cereghetti, Paola Caputo and Simone Ferrari
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Marco Belliardi: ISAAC (Institute for Applied Sustainability to the Built Environment), SUPSI (University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland), CH-6850 Mendrisio, Switzerland
Nerio Cereghetti: ISAAC (Institute for Applied Sustainability to the Built Environment), SUPSI (University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland), CH-6850 Mendrisio, Switzerland
Paola Caputo: Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC), Politecnico di Milano, IT-20133 Milano, Italy
Simone Ferrari: Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC), Politecnico di Milano, IT-20133 Milano, Italy

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-18

Abstract: Geothermal heat is an increasingly adopted source for satisfying all thermal purposes in buildings by reversible heat pumps (HP). However, for residential buildings located in moderate climates, geocooling, that implies the use of geothermal source for cooling buildings without the operation of HP, is an efficient alternative for space cooling not yet explored enough. Geocooling allows two main benefits: to cool the buildings by high energy efficiencies improving summer comfort; to recharge the ground if space heating is provided by HP exploiting the geothermal source (GSHP). In these cases, geocooling allows to avoid the decreasing of the performances of the GSHP for space heating over the years. To explore these issues, a method has been developed and tested on a real case: a new residential building in Lugano (southern Switzerland) coupled with 13 borehole heat exchangers. The system provides space heating in winter by a GSHP and space cooling in summer by geocooling. During a 40 months monitoring campaign, data such as temperatures, heat flows and electricity consumptions were recorded to calibrate the model and verify the benefits of such configuration. Focusing on summer operation, the efficiency of the system, after the improvements implemented, is above 30, confirming, at least in similar contexts, the feasibility of geocooling. Achieved results provides knowledge for future installations, underlining the replication potential and the possible limits.

Keywords: geothermal energy; geocooling; borehole heat exchangers; residential space cooling; radiant underfloor systems (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: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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