IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i15p3909-d1707453.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Performance Degradation of Ground Source Heat Pump Systems Under Ground Temperature Disturbance: A TRNSYS-Based Simulation Study

Author

Listed:
  • Yeqi Huang

    (School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China)

  • Zhongchao Zhao

    (School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China)

  • Mengke Sun

    (School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China)

Abstract

Ground temperature (GT) variation significantly affects the energy performance of ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems. Both long-term thermal accumulation and short-term dynamic responses contribute to the degradation of the coefficient of performance (COP), especially under cooling-dominated conditions. This study develops a mechanism-based TRNSYS simulation that integrates building loads, subsurface heat transfer, and dynamic heat pump operation. A 20-year case study in Shanghai reveals long-term performance degradation driven by thermal boundary shifts. Results show that GT increases by over 12 °C during the simulation period, accompanied by a progressive increase in ΔT by approximately 0.20 K and a consistent decline in COP. A near-linear inverse relationship is observed, with COP decreasing by approximately 0.038 for every 1 °C increase in GT. In addition, ΔT is identified as a key intermediary linking subsurface thermal disturbance to efficiency loss. A multi-scale response framework is established to capture both annual degradation and daily operational shifts along the Load–GT–ΔT–COP pathway. This study provides a quantitative explanation of the thermal degradation process and offers theoretical guidance for performance forecasting, operational threshold design, and thermal regulation in GSHP systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Yeqi Huang & Zhongchao Zhao & Mengke Sun, 2025. "Performance Degradation of Ground Source Heat Pump Systems Under Ground Temperature Disturbance: A TRNSYS-Based Simulation Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:15:p:3909-:d:1707453
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/15/3909/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/15/3909/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Khaled Salhein & C. J. Kobus & Mohamed Zohdy, 2022. "Control of Heat Transfer in a Vertical Ground Heat Exchanger for a Geothermal Heat Pump System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-24, July.
    2. Xie, Yiwei & Hu, Pingfang & Peng, Donggen & Zhu, Na & Lei, Fei, 2023. "Development of a group control strategy based on multi-step load forecasting and its application in hybrid ground source heat pump," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).
    3. Shin, Ji-Hyun & Cho, Young-Hum, 2024. "A variable water flow rate control method of hybrid geothermal heat pump systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    4. Sagia, Z. & Rakopoulos, C. & Kakaras, E., 2012. "Cooling dominated Hybrid Ground Source Heat Pump System application," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 41-47.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xie, Yiwei & Hu, Pingfang & Li, Siyi, 2024. "Development of a doubly-fed compound control for hybrid ground source heat pump systems in hot summer and cold winter areas," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(PA).
    2. Nguyen, Hiep V. & Law, Ying Lam E. & Alavy, Masih & Walsh, Philip R. & Leong, Wey H. & Dworkin, Seth B., 2014. "An analysis of the factors affecting hybrid ground-source heat pump installation potential in North America," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 28-38.
    3. Lee, Joo Seong & Park, Honghee & Kim, Yongchan, 2014. "Transient performance characteristics of a hybrid ground-source heat pump in the cooling mode," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 121-128.
    4. Song, Jiancai & Wang, Kangning & Bian, Tianxiang & Li, Wen & Dong, Qianxing & Chen, Lei & Xue, Guixiang & Wu, Xiangdong, 2025. "A novel heat load prediction algorithm based on fuzzy C-mean clustering and mixed positional encoding informer," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 388(C).
    5. Ruiz-Calvo, F. & De Rosa, M. & Acuña, J. & Corberán, J.M. & Montagud, C., 2015. "Experimental validation of a short-term Borehole-to-Ground (B2G) dynamic model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 210-223.
    6. Liu, Zhijian & Li, Yuanwei & Xu, Wei & Yin, Hang & Gao, Jun & Jin, Guangya & Lun, Liyong & Jin, Guohui, 2019. "Performance and feasibility study of hybrid ground source heat pump system assisted with cooling tower for one office building based on one Shanghai case," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 28-37.
    7. Zhi, Chengqiang & Zhou, Xiang & Hong, Xiaoyu & Wang, Aoxue & Ye, Wei & Zhang, Xu & Chen, Hongxin, 2025. "Field study of the long-term performance and reliability of large-scale ground source heat pump systems applied to a mixed-use complex of buildings," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    8. Prieto, Alejandro & Knaack, Ulrich & Klein, Tillmann & Auer, Thomas, 2017. "25 Years of cooling research in office buildings: Review for the integration of cooling strategies into the building façade (1990–2014)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 89-102.
    9. Liu, Y. & Qin, X.S. & Chiew, Y.M., 2013. "Investigation on potential applicability of subsurface cooling in Singapore," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 197-206.
    10. Khaled Salhein & Abdulgani Albagul & C. J. Kobus, 2025. "A Comprehensive Review of Heat Transfer Fluids and Their Velocity Effects on Ground Heat Exchanger Efficiency in Geothermal Heat Pump Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-50, August.
    11. Gang, Wenjie & Wang, Jinbo, 2013. "Predictive ANN models of ground heat exchanger for the control of hybrid ground source heat pump systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1146-1153.
    12. Ozbek, Berk Baris & Aydın, Hakkı & Merey, Şükrü, 2024. "Ground source cooling to increase power generation from geothermal power plants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    13. Shuiping Zhu & Jianjun Sun & Kaiyang Zhong & Haisheng Chen, 2021. "Numerical Investigation of the Influence of Precooling on the Thermal Performance of a Borehole Heat Exchanger," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    14. Ma, Peizheng & Wang, Lin-Shu & Guo, Nianhua, 2014. "Modeling of hydronic radiant cooling of a thermally homeostatic building using a parametric cooling tower," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 172-181.
    15. Sarwo Edhy Sofyan & Eric Hu & Andrei Kotousov & Teuku Meurah Indra Riayatsyah & Razali Thaib, 2020. "Mathematical Modelling and Operational Analysis of Combined Vertical–Horizontal Heat Exchanger for Shallow Geothermal Energy Application in Cooling Mode," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-20, December.
    16. Liu, Zhijian & Xu, Wei & Zhai, Xue & Qian, Cheng & Chen, Xi, 2017. "Feasibility and performance study of the hybrid ground-source heat pump system for one office building in Chinese heating dominated areas," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 1131-1140.
    17. Lee, Joo Seong & Song, Kang Sub & Ahn, Jae Hwan & Kim, Yongchan, 2015. "Comparison on the transient cooling performances of hybrid ground-source heat pumps with various flow loop configurations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 678-685.
    18. Li, Chao & Guan, Yanling & Jiang, Chao & Deng, Shunxi & Lu, Zhenzhen, 2020. "Numerical study on the heat transfer, extraction, and storage in a deep-buried pipe," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 1055-1066.
    19. You, Tian & Wu, Wei & Shi, Wenxing & Wang, Baolong & Li, Xianting, 2016. "An overview of the problems and solutions of soil thermal imbalance of ground-coupled heat pumps in cold regions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 515-536.
    20. Olabi, Abdul Ghani & Mahmoud, Montaser & Soudan, Bassel & Wilberforce, Tabbi & Ramadan, Mohamad, 2020. "Geothermal based hybrid energy systems, toward eco-friendly energy approaches," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(P1), pages 2003-2012.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:15:p:3909-:d:1707453. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.