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Experimental and numerical study on heat storage and extraction characteristics of single and double U-tube borehole heat exchangers for thermal energy storage

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  • Wang, Xiru
  • Feng, Guohui
  • Huang, Kailiang
  • Lu, Weidong
  • Liu, Qiaoyu
  • Cheng, Yuqian

Abstract

An experimental system was constructed to compare the heat transfer performance of the single U-tube (sBHE) and double U-tube borehole heat exchangers (dBHE) in a cross-seasonal borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) context. Experimental results demonstrated that the dBHE significantly augmented the mean heat exchange rate per unit depth, by over 45 % during heat injection and more than 80 % during extraction, compared to the sBHE. A large-scale simulation model validated these findings, showing dBHE's superior performance at identical flow rates and the potential for further gains with increased flow rates. For constant storage capacity, dBHE provided 5 % greater heat injection and 13 % higher extraction than sBHE. The implementation of dBHE in large-scale BTES projects (≥100,000 m3) can reduce the number of boreholes by at least 10 %. Furthermore, dBHE allows for a 5 °C reduction in the required heat source temperature (>65 °C) to match the performance of sBHE. Based on these findings, the utilization of dBHE is recommended to enhance heat injection, heat extraction, and cycle energy efficiency in large-scale BTES systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Xiru & Feng, Guohui & Huang, Kailiang & Lu, Weidong & Liu, Qiaoyu & Cheng, Yuqian, 2026. "Experimental and numerical study on heat storage and extraction characteristics of single and double U-tube borehole heat exchangers for thermal energy storage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:257:y:2026:i:c:s0960148125024565
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.124792
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    References listed on IDEAS

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