Did you know that the new SIA 384/6:2021 standard requires a more detailed consideration of thermal interaction effects between geothermal borehole heat exchangers (BHEs)? The reason for this is that thermal interaction effects among BHEs critically influence the performance of such heat exchangers, with the potential to cause detrimental energy performance and efficiency drops over the lifetime of such energy systems.
Example of a 3D computational model used by GEOEG to design a large-scale borehole field.
The design of vertical BHEs is a complex and iterative process, which must consider at least the following elements:
  • Building energy requirement profiles and resulting dynamic load profiles
  • Thermophysical properties of the site
  • Hydrogeological properties of the site
  • Available space for borehole development (e.g., distance from building parcels)
  • Actual spatial configuration of the boreholes
  • Available space from neighboring borehole installations
  • Thermal interaction effects between boreholes of individual or neighboring fields
For this complex endeavor, the new SIA 384/6:2021 recommends designs of BHEs to employ adequate numerical modeling procedures. Only in this manner can efficient and resilient BHE systems be achieved.
At GEOEG, we have the most advanced tools to succeed in this endeavor. Using advanced numerical modeling software for multi-physical systems, we are able to take into account all the governing physical processes for the operation of BHEs, to thoroughly reproduce thermal interactions among such heat exchangers, and to analyze in detail their energy performance and efficiency with due consideration of the fluid dynamics taking place inside the tubes of the BHEs.
You are welcome to contact us if you need any support for your projects.