'International Information and Engineering Technology Association'
Doi
Abstract
Among renewable resources, geothermal energy is one of the most promising for its independence on
weather conditions. However, design and installation of borehole heat exchangers on low enthalpy regions
must consider numerous influencing factors. Here, we focus on the efficiency improvement in hot water
production and heating and cooling of buildings of a pilot geothermal plant, which was implemented as part
of a hybrid system within the frame of a research project at the University of Camerino (Italy). The aims of
the geothermal plant were to study the subsoil thermal properties and monitoring the parameters of the system
during operation. As an important application for the design and sizing of low enthalpy geothermal systems,
we propose a mathematical model to study the heat transfer between the fluid circulating in the pipes and the
underground, where the mutual influence between the soil and the exchanger is considered. We present results
of these approximated solutions based on experimental measurements acquired in the actual geothermal
exchangers. Laboratory and in situ tests were also carried out to investigate the underground thermal
properties and thermal regime of the heterogeneous soil sedimentary succession