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The Effect of Shank-Space on the Thermal Performance of Shallow Vertical U-Tube Ground Heat Exchangers

Author

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  • Christopher Vella

    (Department of Environmental Design, Faculty for the Built Environment, University of Malta, L-Imsida MSD 2080, Malta)

  • Simon Paul Borg

    (Department of Environmental Design, Faculty for the Built Environment, University of Malta, L-Imsida MSD 2080, Malta)

  • Daniel Micallef

    (Department of Environmental Design, Faculty for the Built Environment, University of Malta, L-Imsida MSD 2080, Malta)

Abstract

One parameter that may affect the performance of a ground source heat pump is the shank-space, the center-to-center distance between the two branches of a vertical U-tube used in a ground heat exchanger. A 3D steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of a U-tube ground heat exchanger was used to investigate the influence of varying shank-space on the thermal performance of two isolated vertical shallow U-tubes, one 20 m deep and the other 40 m deep, given that most existing research focuses on systems making use of deeper boreholes. The models adopt an innovative approach, whereby the U-junction at the bottom of the U-tube is eliminated, thus facilitating the computational process. The results obtained show that, although the temperature drop across the U-tube varies for different shank-spaces and is lowest and highest for the closest and the widest shank-spaces, respectively, this temperature drop is not linear with increases in shank-space, and the thermal performance improvement drastically diminishes with increasing shank-space. This indicates that, for shallow U-tubes, the temperature drop is more dependent on the length of the pipework.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher Vella & Simon Paul Borg & Daniel Micallef, 2020. "The Effect of Shank-Space on the Thermal Performance of Shallow Vertical U-Tube Ground Heat Exchangers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-16, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:3:p:602-:d:314308
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    4. Joanna Piotrowska-Woroniak, 2021. "Assessment of Ground Regeneration around Borehole Heat Exchangers between Heating Seasons in Cold Climates: A Case Study in Bialystok (NE, Poland)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-32, August.
    5. Joanna Piotrowska-Woroniak, 2021. "Determination of the Selected Wells Operational Power with Borehole Heat Exchangers Operating in Real Conditions, Based on Experimental Tests," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-21, April.
    6. Ruth Borg & Rebecca Dalli Gonzi & Simon Paul Borg, 2020. "Building Sustainably: A Pilot Study on the Project Manager’s Contribution in Delivering Sustainable Construction Projects—A Maltese and International Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-15, December.
    7. Aminhossein Jahanbin & Giovanni Semprini & Andrea Natale Impiombato & Cesare Biserni & Eugenia Rossi di Schio, 2020. "Effects of the Circuit Arrangement on the Thermal Performance of Double U-Tube Ground Heat Exchangers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-19, June.

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