Comparison of Single- and Multipipe Earth-to-Air Heat Exchangers in Terms of Energy Gains and Electricity Consumption: A Case Study for the Temperate Climate of Central Europe

Łukasz Amanowicz and Janusz Wojtkowiak
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Łukasz Amanowicz: Institute of Environmental Engineering and Building Installations, Poznan University of Technology, Pl. M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 5, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
Janusz Wojtkowiak: Institute of Environmental Engineering and Building Installations, Poznan University of Technology, Pl. M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 5, 60-965 Poznan, Poland

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 24, 1-28

Abstract: Earth-to-air heat exchangers (EAHEs) can be used in the ventilation systems of various types of buildings. Multipipe structures can be found in large-volume buildings, yet scientific analysis of such systems is rare. Annual energy gains and electricity consumption for equivalent single-pipe and multipipe systems are typically not available. This paper bridges this gap, presenting the results of experimental studies on pressure losses in three-, five- and seven-pipe EAHEs and analysis for the annual energy gains and electric energy consumption as compared to a single-pipe exchanger. The results showed that the multipipe EAHE can be successfully replaced by a single-pipe structure with the same thermal performance and similar pressure losses if a tube with the appropriate diameter is used. However, multipipe heat exchangers can also use pipes of larger diameter (manifolds and/or branches), which improves their energy efficiency and may then make them more advantageous than single-pipe structures. From this reason, ultimately, the final selection of exchanger geometry should take into account economic and environmental issues and also user preferences and their importance in the hierarchy.

Keywords: earth-to-air heat exchangers; pressure losses; multipipe; renewable energy; geothermal energy; building energy performance; ventilation (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 (9)

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