Nested shallow geothermal systems

García-Gil, Alejandro; Mejías Moreno, Miguel; Garrido Schneider, Eduardo; Marazuela, Miguel Ángel; Abesser, Corinna; Mateo Lázaro, Jesús; Sánchez Navarro, José Ángel. 2020 Nested shallow geothermal systems. Sustainability, 12 (12), 5152. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125152

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12125152

Abstract/Summary

The long-term sustainability of shallow geothermal systems in dense urbanized areas can be potentially compromised by the existence of thermal interfaces. Thermal interferences between systems have to be avoided to prevent the loss of system performance. Nevertheless, in this work we provide evidence of a positive feedback from thermal interferences in certain controlled situations. Two real groundwater heat pump systems were investigated using real exploitation data sets to estimate the thermal energy demand bias and, by extrapolation, to assess the nature of thermal interferences between the systems. To do that, thermal interferences were modelled by means of a calibrated and validated 3D city-scale numerical model reproducing groundwater flow and heat transport. Results obtained showed a 39% (522 MWh·yr−1) energy imbalance towards cooling for one of the systems, which generated a hot thermal plume towards the downgradient and second system investigated. The nested system in the hot thermal plume only used groundwater for heating, thus establishing a positive symbiotic relationship between them. Considering the energy balance of both systems together, a reduced 9% imbalance was found, hence ensuring the long-term sustainability and renewability of the shallow geothermal resource exploited. The nested geothermal systems described illustrate the possibilities of a new management strategy in shallow geothermal energy governance

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125152
ISSN:	2071-1050
Additional Keywords:	GroundwaterBGS, Groundwater
Date made live:	09 Nov 2020 11:04 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/528890

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125152

ISSN:

2071-1050

Additional Keywords:

GroundwaterBGS, Groundwater

Date made live:

09 Nov 2020 11:04 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/528890