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A Method to Analyze the Performance of Geocooling Systems with Borehole Heat Exchangers. Results in a Monitored Residential Building in Southern Alps

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  • Marco Belliardi

    (ISAAC (Institute for Applied Sustainability to the Built Environment), SUPSI (University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland), CH-6850 Mendrisio, Switzerland
    Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC), Politecnico di Milano, IT-20133 Milano, Italy)

  • Nerio Cereghetti

    (ISAAC (Institute for Applied Sustainability to the Built Environment), SUPSI (University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland), CH-6850 Mendrisio, Switzerland)

  • Paola Caputo

    (Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC), Politecnico di Milano, IT-20133 Milano, Italy)

  • Simone Ferrari

    (Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC), Politecnico di Milano, IT-20133 Milano, Italy)

Abstract

Geothermal heat is an increasingly adopted source for satisfying all thermal purposes in buildings by reversible heat pumps (HP). However, for residential buildings located in moderate climates, geocooling, that implies the use of geothermal source for cooling buildings without the operation of HP, is an efficient alternative for space cooling not yet explored enough. Geocooling allows two main benefits: to cool the buildings by high energy efficiencies improving summer comfort; to recharge the ground if space heating is provided by HP exploiting the geothermal source (GSHP). In these cases, geocooling allows to avoid the decreasing of the performances of the GSHP for space heating over the years. To explore these issues, a method has been developed and tested on a real case: a new residential building in Lugano (southern Switzerland) coupled with 13 borehole heat exchangers. The system provides space heating in winter by a GSHP and space cooling in summer by geocooling. During a 40 months monitoring campaign, data such as temperatures, heat flows and electricity consumptions were recorded to calibrate the model and verify the benefits of such configuration. Focusing on summer operation, the efficiency of the system, after the improvements implemented, is above 30, confirming, at least in similar contexts, the feasibility of geocooling. Achieved results provides knowledge for future installations, underlining the replication potential and the possible limits.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Belliardi & Nerio Cereghetti & Paola Caputo & Simone Ferrari, 2021. "A Method to Analyze the Performance of Geocooling Systems with Borehole Heat Exchangers. Results in a Monitored Residential Building in Southern Alps," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-18, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:21:p:7407-:d:673806
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Matteo Antelmi & Francesco Turrin & Andrea Zille & Roberto Fedrizzi, 2023. "A New Type in TRNSYS 18 for Simulation of Borehole Heat Exchangers Affected by Different Groundwater Flow Velocities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-23, January.
    2. Riccardo Toffanin & Paola Caputo & Marco Belliardi & Vinicio Curti, 2022. "Low and Ultra-Low Temperature District Heating Equipped by Heat Pumps—An Analysis of the Best Operative Conditions for a Swiss Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-19, May.
    3. Belliardi, Marco & Caputo, Paola & Ferla, Giulio & Cereghetti, Nerio & Antonioli Mantegazzini, Barbara, 2023. "An innovative application of 5GDHC: A techno-economic assessment of shallow geothermal systems potential in different European climates," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).

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