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Numerical investigations of the tunnel environment effect on the performance of energy tunnels

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  • Ma, Chunjing
  • Donna, Alice Di
  • Dias, Daniel
  • Zhang, Jiamin

Abstract

Energy tunnels having lining equipped with heat exchangers as heat or sink resources have gained increasing popularity in recent decades to satisfy the energy demand. This study focuses on numerical simulations based on the continuous operation of thermally activated segmental linings. It aims to analyze the tunnel environment effect on the energy performance of a typical metro tunnel section and estimate the concrete lining role in the heat transfer. Two approaches are expressed to access the system energy efficiency and validated against existing literature data. The numerical results show the influence of the temperature difference between the tunnel air and the circulating fluid and the heat transfer coefficient on the system energy efficiency, which indicates that energy is mainly exchanged with the tunnel environment in winter, but in summer, the surrounding ground plays a major role for the studied case. When evaluating the geothermal potential of an energy tunnel, it is necessary to undertake an initial assessment not only on the ground conditions, but also on the tunnel environment and the concrete lining thermal properties.

Suggested Citation

  • Ma, Chunjing & Donna, Alice Di & Dias, Daniel & Zhang, Jiamin, 2021. "Numerical investigations of the tunnel environment effect on the performance of energy tunnels," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 1279-1292.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:172:y:2021:i:c:p:1279-1292
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2021.03.104
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ji, Yongming & Wu, Wenze & Hu, Songtao, 2023. "Long-term performance of a front-end capillary heat exchanger for a metro source heat pump system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    2. Li, Chenglin & Zhang, Guozhu & Xiao, Suguang & Xie, Yongli & Liu, Xiaohua & Cao, Shiding, 2022. "Long-term operation of tunnel-lining ground heat exchangers in tropical zones: Energy, environmental, and economic performance evaluation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 1429-1442.
    3. Peinan Li & Zeyu Dai & Xi Wang & Jun Liu & Yi Rui & Xiaojun Li & Jie Fan & Peixin Chen, 2022. "A Study of the Segment Assembly Error and Quality Control Standard of Special-Shaped Shield Tunnels," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-30, March.
    4. Geisler, T. & Wolf, M. & Götzl, G. & Burger, U. & Cordes, T. & Voit, K. & Straka, W. & Nyeki, E. & Haslinger, E. & Auer, R. & Lauermann, M. & Pol, O. & Obradovic, M. & Pröll, T. & Marcher, T., 2023. "Optimizing the geothermal potential of tunnel water by separating colder sectional discharges - Case study Brenner Base Tunnel," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 529-541.
    5. Li, Chenglin & Zhang, Guozhu & Xiao, Suguang & Shi, Yehui & Xu, Chenghua & Sun, Yinjuan, 2023. "Numerical investigation on thermal performance enhancement mechanism of tunnel lining GHEs using two-phase closed thermosyphons for building cooling," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 875-886.

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