Implementation of a geothermal heat pump system in a solar passive house

Abstract

Underground energy sources are becoming increasingly popular and now geothermal heat pumps are frequently used to heat/cool different types of buildings, including for solar passive houses. This article aims at giving a contribution in the development of the thermal modelling of borehole heat storage systems, investigating the possibility of a GSHP (ground source heat pump) implementation with vertical boreholes in a solar passive house. A case study analysing a residential solar passive house is presented as a suitable modelling tool for the estimation of the thermal behaviour of GSHP systems by combining the outcome from different modelling programs. The software DesignBuilder, Earth Energy Designer and a sizing method for borehole’s length are used for producing the numerical results. The results highlight that the length of the borehole, a major index in estimating the system’s cost, is directly influenced by fundamental variables like thermal conductivity of grout or soil. Additionally, correlations between these parameters and the coefficient of performance of GSHP were made. Furthermore, the length of borehole is very important as it is responsible for almost half of the total installation cost and triggered a difference in electricity consumption of the GSHP up to 14%.