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Geothermal Heat Pumps and Heat Exchangers

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "J: Thermal Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 8 May 2025 | Viewed by 2008

Special Issue Editor

Mining College, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
Interests: energy-related geotechnics; GSHP application in complext karstic environemt; heat transfer and storage in rock bodies; exergy analysis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In total, 40% of global CO2 emissions are from the building sector, and 60% of the total consumed energy in buildings is attributed to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Geothermal heat pumps (GHP) take advantage of the relatively constant temperature of the Earth to become highly efficient by exchanging heat with the Earth through a ground heat exchanger, allowing 20–70% of energy consumption reduction compared to conventional HAVC systems.

Nowadays, GHPs are considered as the spearhead of geothermal energy worldwide. The growth rate of the global GHP installed capacity was over 8% in the last decade, and it accounts for nearly 60% of geothermal direct use. Such an impressive development pace could not have been achieved without technology advances through different research in system designing, component modelling, controlling strategy, and optimization of thermal efficiency. The research and application of GHP systems is a multidisciplinary practice, involving complex thermal–hydrodynamic–mechanical–chemical coupled processes and governing mechanisms. The continuous development and application of GHP systems require innovative thinking and tremendous communication among different areas.

This Special Issue aims to gather original experimental, theoretical, and numerical research articles to present and disseminate the most recent advances related to the theory, experimentation, design, modelling, application, construction, and  monitoring of geothermal heat pumps and ground heat exchangers. Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to:

  • Effective and affordable site investigation technologies used in complex hydrogeological environments;
  • High-efficiency drilling technologies;
  • Advanced backfilling materials;
  • Optimization of working fluid;
  • Coupled thermal–mechanical–fluid behaviours of heat exchangers and the ground;
  • Dynamic monitoring, modelling, and prediction of ground temperature, hydrological, and mechanical fields;
  • Integrating heat pumps and ground thermal/cold storage in energy districts;
  • Application of geothermal heat pumps beyond the building sector;
  • Environmental impacts and evaluation of geothermal heat pump systems;
  • Smart, multi-source systems based on geothermal heat pumps.

Prof. Dr. Peng Pei
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 14942 KiB  
Article
Numerical Study of the Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Coupling Impacts of Shallow Geothermal Borehole Groups in Fractured Rock Mass on Geological Environment
by Yujin Ran, Jia Peng, Xiaolin Tian, Dengyun Luo, Bin Yang, Peng Pei and Long Tang
Energies 2024, 17(6), 1384; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17061384 - 13 Mar 2024
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Abstract
Fractured rock mass is extensively distributed in Karst topography regions, and its geological environment is different from that of the quaternary strata. In this study, the influences on geological environment induced by the construction and operation of a large-scale borehole group of ground [...] Read more.
Fractured rock mass is extensively distributed in Karst topography regions, and its geological environment is different from that of the quaternary strata. In this study, the influences on geological environment induced by the construction and operation of a large-scale borehole group of ground source heat pumps are analyzed by a thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) coupling numerical model. It was found that groundwater is redirected as the boreholes can function as channels to the surface, and the flow velocity in the upstream of borehole group is higher than those downstream. This change in groundwater flow enhances heat transfer in the upstream boreholes but may disturb the original groundwater system and impact the local geological environment. Heat accumulation is more likely to occur downstream. The geo-stress concentration appears in the borehole area, mainly due to exaction and increasing with the depth. On the fracture plane, tensile stress and maximum shear stress simultaneously occur on the upstream of boreholes, inducing the possibility of fracturing or the expansion of existing fractures. There is a slight uplift displacement on the surface after the construction of boreholes. The correlations of the above THM phenomena are discussed and analyzed. From the modeling results, it is suggested that the consolidation of backfills can minimize the environmental disturbances in terms of groundwater redirection, thermal accumulation, occurrence of tensile stress, and possible fracturing. This study provides support for the assessment of impacts on geological environments resulting from shallow geothermal development and layout optimization of ground heat exchangers in engineering practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geothermal Heat Pumps and Heat Exchangers)
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Review

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16 pages, 552 KiB  
Review
Properties of Earth-to-Air Heat Exchangers (EAHE): Insights and Perspectives Based on System Performance
by Nadjat Kouki, Diana D’Agostino and Andrea Vityi
Energies 2025, 18(7), 1759; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18071759 - 1 Apr 2025
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Abstract
Earth–Air Heat Exchange (EAHE) systems are an eco-friendly and energy-efficient technology as pre-heating or pre-cooling systems in civil buildings. Technically, the performance of the EAHE system is influenced by properties associated with the technology. In this paper, the focus is placed on the [...] Read more.
Earth–Air Heat Exchange (EAHE) systems are an eco-friendly and energy-efficient technology as pre-heating or pre-cooling systems in civil buildings. Technically, the performance of the EAHE system is influenced by properties associated with the technology. In this paper, the focus is placed on the properties covered by the published literature to understand how they impact the efficiency of these systems. The review scrutinizes the implication of pipe properties such as the material type (steel, Polyvinyl Chloride [PVC], concrete, or high-density polyethylene), diameter and length, and depth in the context of modern building design and energy conservation. Other properties considered in this work are air velocity and the bonding of pipes with the soil. The EAHE systems’ performance is not significantly influenced by the pipe material, unlike the pipe length and diameter. It is reported that longer pipes enhance the cooling output in the EAHE system. The pipe length positively correlates with the in-pipe air temperature. An increment in the pipe diameter led to a drop in the in-pipe air temperature. An indicative report states that an increasing air flow velocity can lead to thermal losses from pipes to their surrounding soil. The addition of sand below and above the pipe enhances the thermal conductivity, just as an increase in the moisture content of the soil will contribute. There are attempts to use additives, construction waste, graphite, and fly ash as a backfill material, but with opposing economic feasibility. Construction waste could help the EAHE system to improve by 80%. A combination of graphite and fly ash as a backfill material is cost-effective. Research on the pipe material type and standards development are limited. Overall, the pipe material type and length to adopt for an EAHE system are based on the funds’ availability for the construction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geothermal Heat Pumps and Heat Exchangers)
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