Economic Feasibility of Installing Heat Pumps at Kanjiza Spa

Abstract

A specialized rehabilitation center "Kanjiza Spa" in the northern part of Vojvodina Province in Serbia has used geothermal water for balneology and energy requirements for twenty years. The existent boiler room at the Spa has been redesigned to allow the use of geothermal water for energy requirements, and it now operates at low temperature enthalpy using plate heat exchangers.
A heat exchanging unit for thermal water with two plate exchangers of 1050 kW and 600 kW has been built, to allow the object to replace heating boilers for up to -5oC of external temperature with thermal water from a hydrothermal well at the temperature of 65oC and maximum flow rate of 11,7 l/s.
Since the Spa has expanded its capacities by building new extensions and installing air systems (air chambers), it was necessary to consider the use of heat pumps for both heating and cooling of the object, with thermal water as the main energy source.
This analysis shows the application of modern heat pumps with dry cooling towers and gives comparative costs of electric power, natural gas and geothermal energy in such a complex installation.