Numerical evaluation of the long-term performance of energy piles in hot-dominated climates
Numerical evaluation of the long-term performance of energy piles in hot-dominated climates
Using energy piles to extract geothermal energy for heating needs has been the main focus of research in energy geostructures. In hot-dominated climates, the interest is to inject heat into the ground and extract energy for space- cooling purposes. This study evaluates the feasibility of energy piles in this operation mode through 3D numerical modelling for a case study targeted to provide 40% of the total cooling demand of a typical building in Dubai. The unbalanced energy demand causes an increase in the outlet temperature of the heat carrier fluid in the geothermal pipes and the radial soil temperature over time. Observation of long-term behaviour, however, indicates that the temperature increase is most significant in the initial years and stabilizes over time. The heat pump operating limit in terms of maximum temperature is respected over 50 years due to this stabilization behaviour. The results show that energy piles are highly effective in reducing carbon emissions and supplying renewable energy to buildings in hot climates, addressing a key societal challenge.
S. Ten Bosch; E. Ravera; Lyesse Laloui
18th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE2024)
E - Environment, water and energy
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