16th World Road Meeting

SUSTAINABLE ASPHALTIC PAVEMENTS: GETTING ENERGY FROM THE ROADS

Authors Name
PASCUAL MUOZ Pablo (main author)(speaker) VEGA NOVO Pablo RODRIGUEZ HERNNDEZ Jorge CASTRO FRESNO Daniel SERRANO BRAVO Pedro RODRIGUEZ BAYN Joseba CORTS DE LA FUENTE Christian GARCA SERRADA Carlos LVAREZ GARCA Sonia LUIS PEA Jos

Paper No 517

E-mail
pascualmp@unican.es

Institution

Country

UNIVERSIDAD DE CANTABRIA Spain Spain GITECO. University of Cantabria GITECO. University of Cantabria GITECO. University of Cantabria. GITECO. University of Cantabria. Spain Spain Spain Spain Spain Construcciones y Obras Llorente, S.A. Construcciones y Obras Llorente, S.A. Spain Spain Spain

[Categories] 3.7 Roundtable - Responsible development Keywords sustainable roads, solar energy, asphaltic collector,, heat storage, permeable pavements
Presentation type : Oral Contact : pascualmp@unican.es Submission date : 2010-04-20 17:43:57 Jury validation date : 2009-10-01 10:53:20

SUSTAINABLE ASPHALTIC PAVEMENTS: GETTING ENERGY FROM THE ROADS

Pablo Pascual Muoz* Mechanical Engineer. GITECO. University of Cantabria. Department of Transports. Phone: +34 942-203943. Spain. pascualmp@unican.es Amaya Vega Novo Chemist. GITECO. University of Cantabria. Department of Transports. Phone: +34 942-203943. Spain. vegana@unican.es

1/8

16th World Road Meeting

Jorge Rodrguez Hernndez PhD. Civil Engineer. GITECO. University of Cantabria. Department of Transports. Daniel Castro Fresno PhD. Civil Engineer. GITECO. University of Cantabria. Department of Transports. Pedro Serrano Bravo PhD. Civil Engineer. University of Cantabria. Department of Structural and Mechanical Engineering Joseba Rodrguez Bayn PhD. Civil Engineer. GITECO. University of Cantabria. Department of Transports. Christian Corts de la Fuente Servi Cant, S.A. Carlos Garca Serrada Construcciones y Obras Llorente, S.A. Sonia lvarez Garca Construcciones y Obras Llorente, S.A. Jos Luis Pea Agrupacin Fnix A.I.E.

ABSTRACT
Traditionally, the construction of roads has not been a fully sustainable activity, both from the point of view of energy consumption and the emission of gasses to the atmosphere. Nowadays, these deficiencies are improving and the line of research on Sustainable Asphalt Pavements, integrated in the FENIX project, pretends to be part of the change through the development of asphalt pavements capable to capture and store energy from the sun. The surface layer of the pavement is in charge of working as a solar collector, taking advantage of the bituminous mix thermal properties to obtain part of the heat radiated by the sun and taking it to the storage area. The subbase of the pavement becomes the thermal energy storage. A nearby permeable pavement surface over it helps harvest the rain water so that the gravel-water medium inside the subbase is used as a heat storage. The aim of this communication is to introduce the work methodology carried out during the research. A brief state of the art of the models and methods of collecting and storing energy in the roads is presented. Laboratory tests and future experimental areas leading to determine the final structure of the system are described in detail. In addition some possible applications are proposed. Finally, some preliminary results are shown to support the use of roads as a source of clean and renewable energy able to make up for part of the current energy demand and decrease fossil fuel consumption.

1. INTRODUCTION
Reducing fossil fuels consumption and emission of gases into the atmosphere goes through the research and development of new forms of energy generation, cleaner and environmentally friendly. Getting energy from the heating of pavements subjected to solar radiation seems to be a more than

2/8

16th World Road Meeting

convenient way of having that kind of energy, considering the high temperatures (up to 70 C in some areas) that can be reached on its surface. The Construction Technology Research Group (GITECO in its Spanish initials) of the University of Cantabria, through the research in sustainable asphalt pavements (PAS) within the framework of the FENIX Project, aims to address the challenge of implementing new concepts of safer and more sustainable roads by studying and developing the capacity of asphalt to collect and store energy from the sun. Along this paper the current status of the research is presented. To this end, the paper starts with a brief review of the state of the art of the methods and systems of heat collection in pavements. Then, a description of the laboratory tests is carried out. Finally, the main characteristics of the pilot PAS system to be set up are described.

2. BACKGROUND / STATE OF THE ART

Several references can be found on the idea of using a pavement (asphalt or concrete) as a heat collector and then storing the energy for thermal applications. Examples shown in the following lines can prove it, and place the PAS system in the vanguard of these technologies.

2.1. Heat Collection

With the initial aim of studying the effect of temperature variations in the risk of failure of the pavement structure, Ramadhan and Wahhab (1) placed thermocouples at different depths on roads made of flexible and rigid pavements. Then, regression models to predict temperatures in both types of pavements were generated. Hermansson (2),(3) and (4) and Yavuzturk, et al. (5), with data obtained from the Long-Term Pavement Performance Program (LTPP)", developed finite differences simulation models to predict the yearly temperature distribution through the pavement. In turn, Minhoto et al. (6) studied the temperature gradient in asphalt pavements with a three-dimensional finite element model. To validate the simulation, a serie of thermocouples were placed at different depths in a road located in the north of the country (Portugal). The results proved, again, the accuracy of this kind of numerical analysis. On the other hand, Sokolov and Reshef (7) and Chaurasia (8) proposed the use of concrete blocks with tubes embedded inside as active solar collectors, supplying energy for heating and/or cooling a house or getting hot water at a low cost. Bilgen and Richard (9), in turn, study experimental and theoretically the action of solar radiation over a concrete slab (working in this case as passive solar collector), determining the relative influence of some parameters on its thermal behavior. In the late seventies in the United States, a patent entitled "Paving and solar energy system" (10) describes a method to heat the water of a pool by making it to flow through some pipes situated under a pavement exposed to the sun. In the Netherlands, the research developed in this field by companies and universities has been very successful. The study carried out by Van Bijsterveld et al. (11) should be mentioned. This paper analyzes the behavior of an asphalt collector with polymeric pipes embedded inside. The influence in the temperature distribution of parameters such as pipe depth, distance between tubes, or water flow through the pipes are studied. From this work the asphalt collector called "Road Energy System (RES)" comes out. In the UK, the evolution of these systems moves up in line with the research in the Netherlands. The technology called Interseasonal Heat Transfer" entails a great advance in this field. This system

3/8

16th World Road Meeting

uses an asphalt pavement to absorb energy from the sun and stores it in the ground so that it can be used for heating or cooling of buildings. Furthermore, the work carried out by some researchers as Rajib Mallick in the Worcester Institute of Technology, or Stephen Coupe and Susanne Charlesworth in the University of Coventry (12), are on the way of the innovation or optimization of these techniques.

2.2. Heat Storage

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is related to energy storage at high or low temperature for later utilization. Heat storage for solar thermal applications is a way to compensate the mismatch between heat production and energy needs. Thermal energy can be stored by means of Sensible heat, latent heat and chemical energy (13). During the last decade, TES have been of interest for many thermal applications as heating and cooling spaces and sanitary hot water (14). Water is a useful, cheap and easily available element for sensible heat storage in heating and hot water application. Its specific heat is higher than other materials; however, due to its high-pressure vapor, it is preferable the use of water for heat storage at low temperatures, within the range of 25-90 C. Therefore, water represents a heat storage medium suitable for systems of low-temperature from a thermodynamic point of view (15). Underground Thermal Energy Storages (UTES) are normally used to store heat and cold during long periods (16), using the capacity of the land to extract or deposit heat due to its facility to maintain a nearly constant temperature throughout the year from a particular depth. The same principle is valid for shallow subsoil in geothermal applications (17). The temperature of subsoil is close to the mean annual air temperature in the same area. For this reason, shallow or low enthalpy geothermal energy resources are combined with geothermal heat pumps which extract or inject heat to the subsoil at relatively low temperatures through heat exchangers with a fluid inside. Geothermal heat pumps in closed horizontal loop systems do not need deep excavations and one meter depth is enough to apply this technology. The permeable pavements were originally developed to reduce runoff water and the formation of water laminas on the surface (18). This sustainable urban drainage system could be utilized moreover as an energy storage device as part of a geothermal or solar energy system (18). Investigations carried out by researchers at the University of Coventry are beginning to develop systems for the use of rainwater stored in the subbase of permeable pavements that integrate these water reservoirs with geothermal heat pumps (19). Based on the technologies described, the present project aims to develop a heat storage medium in the subbase next to the solar collector pavement based on the thermal properties of the shallow subsoil combined with the rainwater stored inside.

3. SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
The PAS is a new technology implemented in a system made of three main elements: an asphalt solar collector, the subbase of a pervious pavement, where the energy is stored, and a heat pump system responsible for amplifying the energy stored before. In this way, a building for housing or even an industrial building could be supplied with clean energy for cooling, heating or getting sanitary hot water. The asphalt collector is a new device whose aim is to get part of the energy coming from the sun by taking advantage of the suitable thermal properties of the bituminous mix. Once the energy is absorbed, it is carried to the place for its storage, the subbase.

4/8

16th World Road Meeting

The subbase consists of a water and gravel reservoir with a heat exchanger located in the bottom for the extraction and deposition of heat in this storage medium through a heat exchanger. If water losses by evaporation are avoided, the heat collected by the asphalt pavement is stored in this environment. Moreover, the insulating ability of the pervious pavement makes the subbase saturated with water a possible heat storage medium which involves minor modifications in the original construction of these structures.

4. METHODOLOGY OF THE LABORATORY TESTS 4.1. Heat Collection

The laboratory tests aimed to study the heat collection of asphalt pavements when they are affected by the solar radiation can be sorted out in two different groups: a first group dedicated to the analysis of the thermal behavior of typical materials in roads (bituminous materials mainly) and a second group where the heat absorption capacity of a new prototype of asphaltic collector is studied. Thus, in the first stage of the research, irradiation tests have been carried out in which specimens of different materials used in road construction have been subjected to the thermal solicitation of a solar simulator lamp specially designed for this purpose. Four different bituminous mixes and a common concrete are irradiated by the solar lamp. The specimens are slab shaped with dimensions 50x50x10 cm3. The slabs are laid in a special cast over a bed of aggregates and surrounded by a polymer for their proper isolation. Temperature at different depths (included surface temperature), lamp and surface irradiation, room temperature and room humidity are measured. Furthermore, a computer model is built to simulate the thermal behaviour of the tested slabs. Physical properties as densities and specific heats of aggregates and mixes are experimentally measured while conductivities are first taken from the literature and then backcalculated when the simulated and real temperature curves are correlated. After these general tests, where the asphalt mix is treated as a whole, a new stage of tests are carried out in which the most important component of the mix (in volume), the aggregates, and the most determinant characteristic for a road to work as solar collector, its surface condition, are analyzed from the thermal point of view. Cylindrical specimens with four different type of aggregates (limestone, ofite, cornubianite and quartzite), all with different thermal properties, are irradiated by the solar lamp. Similarly, specimens with four different types of surface conditions (new, worn, worn and dusty, and painted in white) are also tested. Again, irradiations, temperatures and thermal properties are obtained in order to study the influence of those variables on the thermal behaviour of the asphalt mixes. In the second part of the research, a new prototype for laboratory of asphaltic collector is subjected to several tests in order to check its suitability to work as solar collector. This new prototype, slab shaped, is 40cm long, 26cm wide and 10cm tall, and a new cast has been specially designed for this purpose. During the test, water is introduced from the water supply network through the asphalt collector. In each test, the collector is subjected to a constant irradiation by the solar simulator, and has a predetermined initial temperature. The water inlet and output temperatures are measured continuously, while the flow values of the fluid and the surface temperature of the specimen are taken every 15 minutes. Room temperature and humidity are also measured. The full test takes six hours to be completed. Thus, the most important variables for the analysis (inlet and outlet water temperatures, solar irradiation, water flow and surface temperature) are correlated so that values of efficiency can be

5/8

16th World Road Meeting

obtained. Then, these values can be compared with the efficiency values of typical solar collectors.

4.2. Heat Storage

The thermal behavior of the permeable pavements is studied by the manufacture of a laboratory prototype, which consists of a structure composed of the materials that are employed in the construction of a common permeable pavement: porous asphalt pavement, base formed of gravel and subbase formed of limestone aggregate and water. The gravel and limestone aggregates are free of small particles and a geotextil separating the base and subbase is placed to avoid clogging the subbase void spaces. The structure is watertight with 1.2 mm PVC geomembrane and insulated with 60 mm extruded polystyrene sheets over its entire surface except on top, which corresponds to the porous asphalt pavement. The subbase is filled with water up the level in which the geotextil is located. The temperature probes are placed at different depths from the surface. The laboratory tests are conducted to obtain the steady state in the subbase after heating it with an electrical resistance. The aim of acquiring the quasi-stationary state is to reach the saturation of the system when the subbase has stored the maximum thermal energy at different temperatures. The results are assessed to determine the heat losses through the surface by obtaining the cooling curves, which represent the necessary time for the water-gravel medium to achieve the ambient temperature. The stratification curves obtained, based on the four temperature probes positions along the subbase, provide information about the thermal behaviour of these structures. Finally, the thermal response of porous asphalt permeable pavement is evaluated and the results obtained are compared with a total insulated structure, which serves as a reference to investigate different typologies of permeable pavements. Thus, the heat losses or insulating ability of permeable pavements are outlined for thermal energy storage proposes. On the other hand, water analyses have been done in order to asses the water quality deterioration due to temperature fluctuations applied in the subbase. No relevant alterations have been detected due to the lack of contaminants presented in the laboratory; however the same standard methods will be employed for the monitoring of an outdoor site project related to this thermal application.

5. FUTURE EXPERIMENTAL AREA

The project Sustainable Asphaltic Pavements (PAS) entails the execution of an experimental area to implement all the knowledge obtained through the laboratory tests. Thus, once the laboratory period is finished, the next stage of the project must be to set up the whole system by installing the three main modules for heat collection, heat storage and heat exploitation, in an experimental area located in a city of Spain. Among all the possible infrastructures, a parking lot only for light vehicles was considered the best option as future pilot area. There, it is in the subbase of the parking places where the energy is stored while the surface asphaltic layer covering the lane is the energy collector. The application selected to exploit the energy obtained in the parking is the sanitary hot water. In order to choose the right place for the experimental car parking, several criteria have been used. An economic criterion, which classifies the possible places according to the cost of the construction work. An environmental criterion, which takes into account the possibility of supplying energy to a building already erected. A climatic criterion, which states the need to survey the solar irradiation and the wind power so that future results can be correlated. Finally, a practical criterion which helps to evaluate the suitability of the construction or the ease of installation of the measurement instruments.

6/8

16th World Road Meeting

As mentioned before, this parking is completely instrumented. Temperature and irradiation sensors and hydraulic devices are responsible for measuring all the variables required to obtain the energetic efficiency of the PAS system. Thus, pyranometers are placed to measure the solar irradiation, which is actually the inlet energy. Temperature sensors are in charge of measuring the environmental temperature, the inlet and outlet temperature of the water from the collection and storage module and the temperature in the subbase. Some flow meters are also installed to regulate the water flow through the necessary pipes. All these devices are properly connected to a control system that automatizes the measures.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This paper is based on the initial literature review for the Fenix Project. The development of the Fenix Project (www.proyectofenix.es) has been possible thanks to the financial contribution of the Center for Technological and Industrial Development (CDTI) within the framework of the Ingenio 2010 Programme, through the CENIT Programme. The companies and research centers involved in the project wish to express their gratitude for the contribution.

REFERENCES
(1) Ramadhan, R. and Wahhab, A. (1997). Temperature variation of flexible and rigid pavements in Eastern Saudi Arabia. Building and Environment 32(4): 367-373. (2) Hermansson, Ake. (2000). Simulation model for the calculation of pavement temperatures, including the maximum temperature. Transportation Research Record, 1764(19): 180-188. (3) Hermansson, Ake. (2001). Mathematical model for calculation of pavement temperatures: comparison of calculated and measured temperatures. Transportation Research Record, 1764(19): 180-188. (4) Hermansson, Ake. (2004). Mathematical model for paved surface summer and winter temperature: comparison of calculated and measured temperatures. Cold regions science and technology, 40(1-2): 1-17. (5) Yavuzturk, C., Ksaibati, K. and Chiasson, A.D. (2005). Assessment of temperature fluctuations in asphalt pavements due to thermal environmental conditions using a two-dimensional, transient finite-difference approach. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 17(4): 465-475. (6) Minhoto, M.J., Pais, J.C., Pereira, P.A.A. and Picado-Santos, L.G. (2005). Predicting asphalt pavement temperature with a three-dimensional finite element method. Transportation Research Record, 1919(11): 96-110. (7) Sokolov, M. and Reshef, M. (1992). Performance simulation of solar collectors made of concrete with embedded conduit lattice. Solar Energy, 48(6): 403-411. (8) Chaurasia, P. B. L. (2000). Solar water heaters based on concrete collectors. Energy, 25(8): 703-716. (9) Bilgen, E. and Richard, M.A. (2002). Horizontal concrete slabs as passive solar collectors. Solar Energy, 72(5): 405-413. (10) Wendel, I.L. 1979. Paving and solar energy system and method. United States, Patent number: 4.132.074, 1979-01-02. (11) Van Bijsterveld, W.T., Houben, L.J.M., Scarpas, A. and Molenaar, A.A.A. (2001). Using Pavement as Solar Collector. Effect on pavement temperature and structural response. Transportation Research Record, 1778(17): 140-148. (12) Coupe, S.J., Charlesworth, S and Faraj, A.S. (2008). Combining Sustainable Drainage Infrastructure with Renewable Energy Devices: Feasibility, performance and compliance with the Code for Sustainable Homes. 11th International Conference on Urban Drainage, Edinburgh, Scotland, Uk. (13) Duffie J.A., Beckman W.A. (1991). Solar engineering of thermal processes. 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons Hasnain, S.M. (1998). Review on sustainable thermal energy storage technologies, part I: heat storage material and techniques. Energy Conversion and Management 39 (11):

7/8

16th World Road Meeting

1127-1138. (14) Dincer, I. (2004). Thermal Energy Storage. Encyclopedia of Energy. Elsevier. Vol 6. (15) Hasnain, S.M. (1998). Review on sustainable thermal energy storage technologies, part I: heat storage material and techniques. Energy Conversion 39 (11): 1127-1138. (16) Novo, A.V., Bayon, J.R., Castro-Fresno, D., Rodriguez-Hernandez, J. (2009). Review of seasonal heat storage in large basins: Water tanks and gravel-water pits. Applied Energy. DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2009.06.033. (17) Lund, J.W., Freeston, D.H., Boyd, T.L. (2005). Direct application of geothermal energy: 2005 Worldwide review. Geothermics 34(6): 691-727. (18) Pratt, C.J. (1999). Use of permeable, reservoir pavement constructions for stormwater treatment and storage for re-use. Water science and technology 39(5): 145-151. (19) Scholz, M. and Grabowiecki, P. (2009). Combined permeable pavement and ground source heat pump systems to treat urban runoff. Journal of chemical technology and biotechnology 84: 405-413.

8/8