In this paper, we review the main advances made by our research group on the heat transfer performance of complex flow architectures embedded in a conducting solid. The immediate applications of this work include the design of ground-coupled heat pumps, seasonal thermal energy storage systems, and district heating and cooling systems. Various configurations are considered: U-shaped ducts with varying spacing between the parallel portions of the U, serpentines with three elbows, and trees with T-shaped and Y-shaped bifurcations. In each case, the volume ratio of fluid to soil is fixed. We found the critical geometric features that allow the heat transfer density of the stream-solid configuration to be the highest. In the case of U-tubes and serpentines, the best spacing between parallel portions is discovered, whereas the vascular designs morph into bifurcations and angles of connection that provide progressively greater heat transfer rate per unit volume. We show that the flow of heat into or out of a solid volume must have an S-shaped history curve that is entirely deterministic. This constructal-design principle unites a wide variety of previously disconnected S-curve phenomena (ground heat storage and retrieval, population growth, cancer, chemical reactions, contaminants, languages, news, information, innovations, technologies, economic activity).
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Research-Article
Constructal Underground Designs for Ground-Coupled Heat Pumps
A. Bejan
Engineering and Materials Science,
Duke University,
,
A. Bejan
Department of Mechanical
Engineering and Materials Science,
Duke University,
Durham, NC 27708-0300
Search for other works by this author on:
S. Lorente
LMDC (Laboratoire Matériaux et
Durabilité des Constructions),
Université de Toulouse,
Toulouse Cedex 04 F-31 077,
,
S. Lorente
UPS, INSA
,LMDC (Laboratoire Matériaux et
Durabilité des Constructions),
Université de Toulouse,
135, Avenue de Rangueil
,Toulouse Cedex 04 F-31 077,
France
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R. Anderson
Broomfield, CO 80020
R. Anderson
EigenEnergy
,239 Powderhorn Trail
,Broomfield, CO 80020
Search for other works by this author on:
A. Bejan
Department of Mechanical
Engineering and Materials Science,
Duke University,
Durham, NC 27708-0300
S. Lorente
UPS, INSA
,LMDC (Laboratoire Matériaux et
Durabilité des Constructions),
Université de Toulouse,
135, Avenue de Rangueil
,Toulouse Cedex 04 F-31 077,
France
R. Anderson
EigenEnergy
,239 Powderhorn Trail
,Broomfield, CO 80020
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING. Manuscript received May 14, 2013; final manuscript received August 28, 2013; published online November 19, 2013. Assoc. Editor: Aldo Steinfeld.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Feb 2014, 136(1): 010903 (8 pages)
Published Online: November 19, 2013
Article history
Received:
May 14, 2013
Revision Received:
August 28, 2013
Citation
Bejan, A., Lorente, S., and Anderson, R. (November 19, 2013). "Constructal Underground Designs for Ground-Coupled Heat Pumps." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. February 2014; 136(1): 010903. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4025699
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