Modeling and Simulation of a Thermal and Thermoelectric Generation System in Geothermal Installations

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a theoretical simulation and modeling of a new system to generate thermal and thermoelectric energy in building geothermal facilities. The simulation has been developed for a closed loop geothermal circuit based on a new engineering design of multiple heat exchangers and thermoelectric generators (TEG) in both upward and downward section. The paper is based on previous studies and shows the feasibility of supplying thermal energy and electric current to domestic applications especially in cold climates using existing geothermal installations. Carried out tests in small prototypes have proved the validity of the simulation within very high accuracy for the COP coefficient (99%) and slightly lower for thermal and electric energy generated, 96%. The simulation model has been applied to a real scale system showing a predicted COP value very close to the simulation result, within 95% accuracy. The analysis of the real scale model predicts the system can supply thermal energy in excess to a small community and electric energy with a covering factor up to 85% depending on weather temperature. Keywords: Thermal and thermoelectric generation. Building geothermal engineering design. Cite this Article Leticia Bottazzi, Carlos Armenta-Deu. Modeling and Simulation of A Thermal and Thermoelectric Generation System in Geothermal Installations. Journal of Thermal Engineering and Applications . 2020; 7(1): 40–49p.