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Performance of a ground source heat pump with energy piles and borehole heat exchangers under continuous and intermittent operating modes

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  • Sun, Zhiwen
  • Kong, Gangqiang
  • Liu, Hanlong

Abstract

Ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems have garnered significant attention as sustainable solutions for building heating and cooling. This study investigated the performance of a GSHP system with energy piles (EPs) and borehole heat exchangers (BHEs), which served a two-story building. The system was field-tested under continuous operation and intermittent operation (8-h operation followed by 16-h shutdown). The thermal performance of EPs and BHEs was evaluated, and the energy efficiency of the GSHP system was analyzed and compared with that of an air source heat pump (ASHP) system. Results indicated that intermittent operation improved the total ground-side heat exchange capacity by 6.0 % in cooling mode and 12.9 % in heating mode compared to continuous operation. The power output contributions from U-loop BHEs, W-loop BHEs, single EPs, and grouped EPs were 26.6 %, 21.6 %, 30.9 %, and 20.9 %, respectively. Under continuous and intermittent modes, the GSHP system achieved energy efficiency ratios (EERs) of approximately 3.51 and 3.82, and coefficients of performance (COPs) of approximately 3.27 and 3.73, respectively. Intermittent operation led to an 8.8 % increase in EER and a 14.1 % increase in COP compared to continuous operation. The average energy efficiency of the GSHP system was approximately 53 % higher than that of the ASHP system.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun, Zhiwen & Kong, Gangqiang & Liu, Hanlong, 2025. "Performance of a ground source heat pump with energy piles and borehole heat exchangers under continuous and intermittent operating modes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:335:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225035522
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.137910
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Liu, Xinye & Zhang, Guozhu & Wang, Zhongtao & Wang, Hao & Zhao, Xu, 2025. "Performance analysis and optimal operation of PCM-backfilled energy pile for cold energy storage: A field test study," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).
    2. Gan, Zhengheng & Yin, Mei & Dou, Shiqi & Chang, Hong & Jiang, Huicheng, 2025. "Enhanced thermal performance of energy piles based on composite phase change material and random aggregate modelling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).
    3. Wang, Chenglong & Tang, Chenxi & Liu, Hanlong & Bouazza, Abdelmalek & Hu, Xiaochuan & Kong, Gangqiang, 2025. "Thermal storage performance of ground source heat pump–energy pile systems under intermittent and continuous operation in the Tibetan Plateau," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 340(C).

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