A case study of a long-duration thermal response test in borehole heat exchangers

Georgia Radioti, Benjamin Cerfontaine, Robert Charlier, Frederic Nguyen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Shallow closed-loop geothermal systems are worldwide applied providing economical and environmental benefits. This paper presents an in-situ study of four Borehole Heat Exchangers of 100 m long, installed in an heterogeneous bedrock in the campus of the University of Liege (Liege, Belgium). A Thermal Response Test (TRT) of a heating phase of 7 months was conducted in one of the boreholes. During this test, temperature was measured at the pipe inlet and outlet, as well as along the four boreholes by the fiber optics. To further investigate the measured data, the test was simulated by 3D numerical modeling. The comparison of the measured data with the numerical results allowed to detect the critical parameters for the behavior of the BHE and for the temperature evolution in the surrounding rock mass. In this case study, the behavior of the BHE could be predicted based on the results of a typical-duration TRT (of a few days), considering the ground an homogenous and isotropic material. However, the thermal plume in the surrounding ground seems to be influenced by several factors, such as the bedrock heterogeneity, the distance to the heating source, air temperature variations and thermal effects at the borehole bottom end.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 4th Congrès International de Géotechnique - Ouvrages -Structures
EditorsHoang-Hung Tran-Nguyen, Henry Wong, Frederic Ragueneau, Cuong Ha-Minh
Place of Publication978-981-10-6713-6
PublisherSpringer Verlag
Pages637-643
Number of pages7
ISBN (Print)978-981-10-6712-9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2018

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Civil Engineering
Volume8
ISSN (Print)2366-2557
ISSN (Electronic)2366-2565

Keywords

  • Geothermal systems
  • High-resolution temperature profiles
  • Numerical modeling
  • Thermal response test

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'A case study of a long-duration thermal response test in borehole heat exchangers'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this