Integrating Geothermal and Solar Energies for Design and Development of Self Sustainable Cooling System

Abstract

Geothermal energy uses the internal heat of the planet earth for the production of electricity generation, space heating, and cooling, agriculture, aquaculture, etc. With over 350 potential sites in India for incorporating Geothermal energy in power production, there is an assured decrease of dependence on non-renewable resources. Indian HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air conditioning) market predicts a 7 percent increase in demand for HVAC systems within a decade corroborating the increased use of geothermal energy in space heating. For cooling purposes, heat from space(cooling area) is withdrawn by heat exchanger units and it is transferred to the heat sink(ground) using a network of High-density polyethylene(HDPE) tubing underground. To run this forced convention power is required for compressor units, injection wells, and heat pumps. With the increase in load, the power consumption of these units increases making geothermal cooling efficiency redundant. So this paper discusses the study of the coupling of PV cells for powering the energy-consuming units of geothermal cooling systems. Calculations for the dissipation of energy through underground heat exchangers and the total length of underground tubing are shown. Parameters of the capacity of heat pump, condenser, evaporator, and compressor units are discussed. CAD Modelling software SolidWorks is used for the design and assembly of the cooling system. A hypothetical case study of a commercial building in Ahmedabad, Gujarat is done to provide numerical data in the calculation of efficiency under different ambient temperatures, COP calculations and to calculate dissipation in heat exchangers, etc. The Paper also discusses the power consumed by different units and the standard size of PV cells panel to produce the required powered.