Feasibility study and numerical simulation of a ground source heat pump plant, applied to a residential building

To evaluate the efficiency of ground source heat pump (GSHP), an application is studied in a residential building divided in two independent apartments blocks.The numerical results are produced by using the software tool TRNSYS 16. The results include the trends of the thermo-climatic variables and a comparison between conventional and geothermal systems analyzing operational and capital costs.The GSHP studied in this paper produces a thermal power output of 29 kW in winter and a cooling power output of 26 kW during summer time.The numerical simulations have highlighted that with such a system, the GSHP has a winter coefficient of performance of 4.9, and a warm season coefficient of performance which reaches 2.3. The simulations show that the best plant configuration consists of a winter heating GSHP system and a summer free-cooling bypass. The thermo-climatic variables inside the building provide good comfort conditions.

► We modeled a ground source heat pump for residential application. ► Technical and economic analysis. ► Optimal arrangement of geothermal heat exchanger determined. ► Optimal operation studied. ► Winter heating and summer free-cooling are the best options.