Flow Architectures for Ground-Coupled Heat Pumps

In this paper we report the main advances made by our research group on the heat transfer performance of complex stream architectures embedded in a conducting solid. The immediate application of this review work deals with ground-coupled heat pumps. Various configurations are considered: U-shaped with varying spacing between the parallel portions of the U, serpentines with three elbows, and trees with T- and Y-shaped bifurcations. In each case the volume ratio of fluid to soil is fixed. We determine the critical geometric features that allow the heat transfer density of the stream-solid configuration to be the highest that it can be. In the case of U-tubes and serpentines, the best spacing between parallel portions is discovered, whereas the vascular designs morph into bifurcations and angles of connection that provide progressively greater heat transfer rate per unit volume. Next we move to more complex underground structures, connecting several heat pumps to the same fluid loop. We conclude by comparing the merits of the two options.