Measuring of Thermal Conductivities of Soils and Rocks to Be Used in the Calculation of A Geothermal Installation

Cristina Sáez Blázquez, Arturo Farfán Martín, Ignacio Martín Nieto and Diego Gonzalez-Aguilera
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Cristina Sáez Blázquez: Department of Cartographic and Land Engineering, University of Salamanca, Higher Polytechnic School of Avila, Hornos Caleros 50, 05003 Avila, Spain
Arturo Farfán Martín: Department of Cartographic and Land Engineering, University of Salamanca, Higher Polytechnic School of Avila, Hornos Caleros 50, 05003 Avila, Spain
Ignacio Martín Nieto: Department of Cartographic and Land Engineering, University of Salamanca, Higher Polytechnic School of Avila, Hornos Caleros 50, 05003 Avila, Spain
Diego Gonzalez-Aguilera: Department of Cartographic and Land Engineering, University of Salamanca, Higher Polytechnic School of Avila, Hornos Caleros 50, 05003 Avila, Spain

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 6, 1-19

Abstract: The thermal conductivity of soils and rocks constitutes an important property for the design of geothermal energy foundations and borehole heat exchange systems. Therefore, it is interesting to find new alternatives to define this parameter involved in the calculation of very low enthalpy geothermal installations. This work presents the development of an experimental set-up for measurements of thermal conductivity of soils and rocks. The device was designed based on the principle of the Guarded Hot Plate method using as heat source a laboratory heater. The thermal conductivity of thirteen rocky and soil samples was experimentally measured. Results are finally compared with the most common thermal conductivity values for each material. In summary, the aim of the present research is suggesting a procedure to determine the thermal conductivity parameter by a simple and economic way. Thus, increases of the final price of these systems that techniques such as the “Thermal Response Test” (TRT) involvs, could be avoided. Calculations with software “Earth Energy Designer” (EED) highlighted the importance of knowing the thermal conductivity of the surrounding ground of these geothermal systems.

Keywords: thermal conductivity; very low enthalpy geothermal installation; Guarded Hot Plate method; Thermal Response Test (TRT); Earth Energy Designer (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: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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