Thermal Potential of Soil as a Source of Energy for Heating and Cooling of Buildings

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This article describes the problem of the operation of modern and, in the future, under-construction buildings and the need to install energy-efficient heating and cooling systems. The proposed system utilizes the thermal potential of the soil with an annual cycle for heating and cooling purposes of the building. In winter mode, the refrigerant circulates in the system via gravitational forces when it boils at the bottom of the heat pipe immersed in the soil, taking heat from the latter, and condenses at the top of the heat pipe, transferring heat to the air or liquid coolant of the building heating system. The refrigerant then flows downward due to gravity. However, during the summer, lifting the refrigerant condensed in the lower in-ground portion of the heat pipe to the top to evaporate and cool the building is a difficult engineering task, especially if the goal is not to use electricity. Liquid lift options used in an energy-efficient building HVAC system were described. A review of possible solutions that can lift fluids to the top with minimal energy input was also performed. Two different types of capillary lift systems, ultrasonic lift, the possibility of combining the above methods, and osmotic lift, steam pump lift, and the classic submersible pump were all considered. A qualitative comparative analysis of the proposed variants was performed, and the final result based on the scheme was provided. The tasks for further research and experiment setting were also proposed.