Numerical investigation on thermal performance enhancement mechanism of tunnel lining GHEs using two-phase closed thermosyphons for building cooling

Abstract

To date, the tunnel lining GHEs have encountered issues with the relatively low heat exchange rate and the rapid decline of heat exchange rate with time. This is because the huge heat accumulation around the tunnel lining GHEs obstructs the heat transfer between the absorber pipe and the surrounding rock during the GHEs operation. Hence, to improve the heat accumulation and enhance heat exchange rate, the two-phase closed thermosyphon (TPCT), an efficient device for long-distance heat transfer, was employed in the tunnel lining GHEs to build a thermally induced channel between absorber pipes and the surrounding rock, accelerating heat transfer between the absorber pipe and surrounding rock. The heat transfer model of the tunnel lining GHEs using TPCTs was built to analyze the thermal performance enhancement mechanism of tunnel lining GHEs using TPCTs for building cooling with different thermal conductivities of primary lining concrete and surrounding rock, and convective heat transfer coefficients (CHTCs) on tunnel internal walls. The results showed that throughout a 90-day operation, TPCTs dramatically boosted the heat injection rate of tunnel lining GHEs from 16.5 to 27.0 W/m2 with an increase of 63.6%. Thermal conductivities of the primary tunnel lining concrete have significant effects on the heat injection rates of the GHEs with TPCTs. The heat injection rates increased from 27.0 to 36.4 W/m2 as thermal conductivities of the concrete increased from 1.85 to 10.7 W/m K, and the enhancement rate ranged from 63.6% to 94.7% when compared to tunnel lining GHEs without TPCTs. The enhancement rate of tunnel lining GHEs with TPCTs decreased with increasing thermal conductivity of surrounding rock and CHTC, reaching up to 122.1% under the thermal conductivity of 1.4 W/m K and CHTC of 0 W/m2 K. Overall, TPCT greatly enhances the heat injection rate of tunnel lining GHEs, implying that it is a promising technology.