Helix energy pile (HEP) is a new popular ground heat exchanger that has the advantages of large heat exchange rate and low initial cost. As for the traditional helix energy pile, the tube is wound on the cylindrical wall, which is called the cylinder helix energy pile (CyHEP). Further, both analytical solution model and numerical solution model for CyHEP are built to discuss the dynamic characteristics of thermal interferences and heat transfer performance. The results indicate that four heat exchange stages for the spiral pile geothermal heat exchanger along the fluid flow direction are revealed: inlet heat exchange stage, grout thermal short-circuiting stage, small temperature difference stage and outlet heat exchange stage. Each stage has corresponding heat transfer characteristics, and reducing the length of small temperature difference stage and increasing the other stages would enhance the heat exchange of spiral geothermal ground heat exchanger. As the pile diameter increases, the heat transfer per unit tube length decreases, and the heat exchange per unit pile depth increases. As the pile depth increases, the heat transfer per unit tube length and the heat exchange per unit pile depth are reduced. And as the pitch increases, the heat transfer per unit tube length increases, and the heat exchange per unit pile depth decreases.
Part of the book: Heat Transfer
Owing to the fact that severe thermal interferences exist in the radial and generatrix directions of the traditional cylinder helix energy pile due to the limited thermal heat capacity of the pile and small ratio between coil pitch and radius of pile, therefore, a novel truncated cone helix energy pile (CoHEP) is presented to weaken the thermal interferences and improve the heat transfer efficiency. Further, both the analytical solution model and numerical solution model for CoHEP are built to discuss the dynamic characteristics of thermal interferences and heat transfer performance. The results indicate that the thermal interference of CoHEP is dynamic. The thermal interference in the upper part of the CoHEP is much smaller than the traditional CyHEP. And in general the heat flux per unit pipe length of the novel CoHEP is larger than that of the traditional CyHEP. Heat flux per unit pipe length of the CoHEP increases linearly with inlet water temperature. For the same inlet water temperature, the thermal short circuit is serious at the bottom of the CoHEP, and it’s weak in the upper part of CoHEP. Also it’s obvious that as the inlet water temperature increases, the thermal short circuit becomes more serious.
Part of the book: Heat Transfer