Abstract
The use of alternative and sustainable energy sources is currently a topic of great relevance worldwide. In Ecuador, there is a significant potential for harnessing geothermal energy, and a gap exists in implementing technologies that can utilize this energy source. This paper presents a design for a heating and domestic hot water system that harnesses energy from hot springs. The system was specifically tailored for a block of hotel rooms in the tourist complex ‘Terjamanco’, situated in the community of Papallacta on the eastern slope of the Andes Mountain range in Ecuador. The design follows a formal design process and compares it with a current system based on electricity for heating and LPG for hot water. Furthermore, an economic analysis was performed comparing a conventional HVAC and water heating system with the geothermal energy-based proposed alternative with an optimization of construction materials for environmental conditions. Through TRNSYS, a simulation of the proposed and based system was conducted; it was concluded that the implementation of the proposed system, along with the use of suitable construction materials, can lead to savings of over 80% in electricity bills and fuel consumption, ultimately averting the emission of up to 20 tons of CO2 annually into the environment.
