An Environmental and Economic Assessment for Selecting the Optimal Ground Heat Exchanger by Considering the Entering Water Temperature

Jimin Kim, Taehoon Hong, Myeongsoo Chae, Choongwan Koo and Jaemin Jeong
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Jimin Kim: Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
Taehoon Hong: Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
Myeongsoo Chae: Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
Choongwan Koo: Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
Jaemin Jeong: Department of Architectural Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea

Energies, 2015, vol. 8, issue 8, 1-25

Abstract: In order to solve environmental problems such as global warming and resource depletion in the construction industry, interest in new renewable energy (NRE) systems has increased. The ground source heat pump (GSHP) system is the most efficient system among NRE systems. However, since the initial investment cost of the GSHP is quite expensive, a feasibility study needs to be conducted from the life-cycle perspective. Meanwhile, the efficiency of GSHP depends most significantly on the entering water temperature (EWT) of the ground heat exchanger (GHE). Therefore, this study aims to assess the environmental and economic effects of the use of GHE for selecting the optimal GHE. This study was conducted in three steps: (i) establishing the basic information and selecting key factors affecting GHE performances; (ii) making possible alternatives of the GHE installation by considering EWT; and (iii) using life-cycle assessment and life-cycle cost, as well as comprehensive evaluation of the environmental and economic effects on the GHE. These techniques allow for easy and accurate determination of the optimal design of the GHE from the environmental and economic effects in the early design phase. In future research, a multi-objective decision support model for the GSHP will be developed.

Keywords: ground source heat pump; ground heat exchanger; entering water temperature; life-cycle assessment; life-cycle cost (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: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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