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Investigation of ground heat exchange under winter conditions in desert climate

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Abstract

A promising approach to lowering winter heating requirements is the use of ground-coupled heat exchange systems. This is especially important given the rising cost of energy and the pressing need to address global warming and environmental harm brought on by the use of fossil fuels. In this study, we investigated the capability of ground-coupled systems in the Pakistan Cholistan desert. With high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipework, we focused on important parameters such air intake and output temperatures, humidity, and airflow velocity. According to our research, the system generates a notable 18 °C temperature differential between the input and output pipes while it is operating at night. Despite fluctuations in external temperature, this temperature difference during daytime operation remains constant at 17 °C. The system maintains an average temperature differential of 14 °C throughout the day and night, demonstrating its ability to deliver reliable heating. Additionally, a drop in airspeed from 8 to 5 m/s causes a temperature increase of roughly 0.5 °C. This condition is linked to increased air interaction within the pipeline at slower speeds. During the winter season, the inlet air exhibits a humidity level ranging from 80 to 90%, which subsequently decreases to 48 to 58% after passing through the pipe system. This variation in humidity levels between the inlet and outlet is due to the temperature difference between these points, resulting in a comfortable indoor environment suitable for various activities. Our research carries significant implications for reducing reliance on depleting and costly fossil fuels in the region, while also providing a sustainable green energy solution. Future research avenues include exploring novel pipe materials and varying pipe system depths to enhance heat transfer efficiency. Additionally, the integration of hybrid green energy solutions, such as coupling air turbines with solar or wind energy, holds promise for further investigation.

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Abbreviations

EAHE :

Earth Air Heat Exchanger

m/s :

Meter per second

ΔT :

Temperature Difference

HDPE :

High-Density Polyethylene Pipe

mScm− 1 :

Milli Siemens Per Centimeter

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

W :

Watt

C :

Centigrade

K :

Thermal conductivity in W/m. K

ṁ:

Mass Flow Rate

Q:

Heat Transfer Rate

ρ:

Density

BTU:

British Thermal Unit

J/g °C :

Joules per gram Celsius

A:

Cross-Sectional Area

Q:

Heat Transfer Rate (Convection)

h:

Convection Heat-Transfer Coefficient

RH:

Relative Humidity

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge support from the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, and Jiangsu Funding Program for Excellent Postdoctoral Talent (2022ZB667).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cholistan Institute of Desert Studies, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

    M. U. B. Riaz

  2. Department of Botany, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan

    A. Riaz

  3. College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

    T. Shahbaz

  4. Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, C0A 2A0, Canada

    M. Awais

  5. School of Climate Change and Adaptation, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 4P3, Canada

    M. Awais

  6. Research Center of Fluid Machinery Engineering and Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China

    M. Awais

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Contributions

Muhammad Usama bin Riaz helped in methodology, investigation, writing original draft. Ariba Riaz was involved in conceptualization, resources, project administration. Tayyab Shahbaz, wrote the review and edited and curated the data. Muhammad Awais helped in optimization.

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Correspondence to M. U. B. Riaz.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Editorial responsibility: S. Mirkia.

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Riaz, M.U.B., Riaz, A., Shahbaz, T. et al. Investigation of ground heat exchange under winter conditions in desert climate. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-024-05669-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-024-05669-7

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