Technology for Hot Spring Cooling and Geothermal Heat Utilization: A Case Study for Balneology Facility

Marek Vondra, Jiří Buzík, David Horňák, Michaela Procházková, Václav Miklas, Michal Touš, Zdeněk Jegla () and Vítězslav Máša
Additional contact information
Marek Vondra: Institute of Process Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
Jiří Buzík: HUTIRA s.r.o., Vintrovna 398/29, 664 41 Popůvky u Brna, Czech Republic
David Horňák: Institute of Process Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
Michaela Procházková: Institute of Process Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
Václav Miklas: Institute of Process Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
Michal Touš: Institute of Process Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
Zdeněk Jegla: Institute of Process Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
Vítězslav Máša: Institute of Process Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 7, 1-23

Abstract: Reducing energy costs in Europe is more challenging than before due to extreme price increases. The use of local renewable energy sources is one way to contribute to this effort. In the case of spa resorts, the use of heat from hot springs for therapeutic baths is an option. It is necessary to cool down this thermal mineral water to a temperature acceptable to the human body. However, due to the high mineral content of this water, heavy fouling can be a problem for conventional heat exchangers. The purpose of this study is to identify the suitable cooling technology in terms of required cooling capacity and waste heat recovery capability. The cooling technology was selected on the basis of a literature search. A pilot cooling unit consisting of vacuum cooler and plate heat exchanger was designed and tested in a real spa resort for six months. Both selected technologies have demonstrated the ability to cool thermal mineral water in long-term operation, as well as the possibility to utilize waste heat for domestic hot water heating. However, fouling problems occur in the plate heat exchanger. The vacuum cooler demonstrated greater operational robustness and resistance to encrustation.

Keywords: thermomineral water; hot spring; geothermal energy; balneology; waste heat; vacuum cooling; fouling (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: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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