Thermoeconomic diagnosis as a tool to account the effect of climate change in buildings thermal facilities. Case study of a geothermal facility in Spain

Abstract

The energy demand supplied to buildings thermal facilities is changing due to the rise in ambient temperature provoked by climate change. Thus, the aim of this work is to develop a tool for quantifying the effects of climate change on thermal facilities, filling a research gap in the area of thermoeconomic diagnosis in relation to the effects produced by the change in ambient temperature. In turn, this diagnosis links the rise in ambient temperature with the exergy value of the facilities' matter flows, that depends on the reference temperature characterized with the ambient temperature. TRNSYS software is used to model a facility in two climate scenarios: one, at the current location and the other, warmer, which represents the one affected by climate change. Data obtained from both simulations is introduced in a thermoeconomic software that gives the fuel impact indicator and the thermodynamic costs of the flows with respect to the reference condition. It is found, that the rise in ambient temperature means a decrease in the quality of the DHW flow by −838 kWh/year and an increase in the irreversibilities of 838 kWh/year, resulting in an increase in the thermoeconomic costs of the DHW flow. This effect is detectable only with the techniques based on the second principle such us thermoeconomic diagnosis. Therefore, this research presents a novel tool to fight against climate change, as shown by the results.