Design of BHE-Fields

as a source of shallow geothermal energy

Marc Sauer
Dipl.-Geol. M. Sauer GbR
Zum Boden 6 35580 Wetzlar Germany
0049 6441 212910
Picture by Thomas Blomberg, Blocon
BHE: Borehole Heat Exchanger
VDI 4640
German
guideline
VDI 4640
For the design of smaller
BHE-fields (up to 30kW
heating load) the so-
called specific heat
extraction may be used.
Here the heat
conductivity and the full
load hours (heating) are
roughly taken into
account.
VDI 4640: Example
Heating load: 10,0 kW
Full load hours 1.800,0 h/a
Annual heating work: 18,0 MWh/a

Lithology: Limestone (normal underground)
Specific heat extraction: 60,0 W/m

SPF heat pump: 4,0
Evaporator load: 7,5 kW



Needed BHE length: 125,0 m

( ) 1 = SPF
SPF
load Heating
load Evaporator
extraction heat Specific
load Evaporator
length BHE =
Larger Systems (> 30 kW)
Very often the design of the BHE-fields for medium and large
facilities is also based on the specific heat extraction.
German
guideline
VDI 4640
An accurate dimensioning often results in completely different
BHE-field sizes.
Larger Systems (> 30 kW)
soil heat conductivity
undisturbed underground temperatures
groundwater
building requirements (load, full load hours and work respectively)
kind of use (only heating, heating + cooling direct / with heat pump)
seasonal performance factor SPF (required temperatures)
length of BHE
borehole resistance (BHE type, borehole diameter, filling material)
spacing
BHE-field geometry
The guideline demands that the temperatures in the underground have to be
calculated (simulated) over the planned life time (e.g. 25 years) of the system.
For this task several computer programs exist (e.g. Earth Energy Designer EED)
They take into account the following important influencing factors:
Calculating Larger Systems (> 30 kW) with EED

The dimensioning of a BHE-field is an iterative process, which means the input
parameters will be changed until the fixed temperature limits are hardly maintained, i.e.:
monthly middle temperatures in a heat transfer medium (base load): not below 0 C
minimum temperatures in a heat transfer medium (peak load): -5 C
Base load
Peak cool load
Peak heat load
Year 25
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Peak min
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Simulation with Earth Energy Designer
Examples
Residental Area with 28 Houses

Heating: 6,5 kW
2.400 h/a
COP HP: 3,8

Underground: limestone
= 2,8 W/(mK)
T
0
= 12,8C

As a single system:

Spec. extraction acc. VDI 4640
= 60 W/m

Evap.Load: 4,8 kW
BHE-Length: 80 m
Examples
Residental Area with 28 Houses

Heating: 6,5 kW
2.400 h/a
COP HP: 3,8

Underground: limestone
= 2,8 W/(mK)
T
0
= 12,8C

After simulation

6,8 kW
16,3 MWh
6,4 kW
15,4 MWh
7,0 kW
16,8 MWh
6,4 kW
15,4 MWh
6,4 kW
15,4 MWh
6,4 kW
15,4 MWh
6,4 kW
15,4 MWh
6,4 kW
15,4 MWh
89,0 m 109,0 m 85,0 m 93,0 m 98,5 m 102,5 m 102,5 m 102,5 m
8m
+ 36% + 6% +28 %
Examples
Heating load (Building): 100,0 kW
Heating load (Heatpump) 30,0 kW
Full load hours 3.500 h/a
Annual heating work: 105 MWh/a

Lithology: Limestone (normal underground)
Specific heat extraction: 60,0 W/m

SPF heat pump: 4,0
Evaporator load: 22,5 kW

BHE length: 375 m (4 x 94m)

6m
Examples
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Heating load (Building): 100,0 kW
Heating load (Heatpump) 30,0 kW
Full load hours 3.500 h/a
Annual heating work: 105 MWh/a

Lithology: Limestone (normal underground)
Specific heat extraction: 60,0 W/m

SPF heat pump: 4,0
Evaporator load: 22,5 kW

BHE length: 375 m (4 x 94m)

Examples
9m
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+ 100% Spec.Extraction: 30 W/m
Heating load (Building): 100,0 kW
Heating load (Heatpump) 30,0 kW
Full load hours 3.500 h/a
Annual heating work: 105 MWh/a

Lithology: Limestone (normal underground)
Thermal Conductivity: 2,8 W/(mK)
Undisturbed Temp.: 12,8 C

SPF heat pump: 4,0

BHE length: 752 m (8 x 94m)

Examples
Heating load (Building): 100,0 kW
Heating load (Heatpump) 30,0 kW
Full load hours 3.500 h/a
Annual heating work: 105 MWh/a
SPF 4,0

Cooling load (Building): 100,0 kW
Cooling load (Heatpump): 30 kW
Full load hours 1.700 h/a
Annual cooling work: 51 MWh/a
SPF (active cooling): 5,0

BHE length: 564 m (6 x 94m)

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6m
Spec.Extraction: 40 W/m
Calculating Larger Systems (> 30 kW)
Some pricipals:

Thermal conductivity
A higher thermal conductivity always increases the efficency of the
BHE. The heat is transported faster when conductivity is higher

Number of BHE
When changing the number of BHE also the required depth changes.
But a 100m BHE can't be replaced by 2 x 50m.
Factors:
1. Increase of temperature with depth (3K/100m)
2. A low number of BHE reduces the unfavourable effect of
mutual influence.
3. With a greater number of BHE the accessible volume of
soil /rock can be increased.
4. Also the envelope area of the BHE-field is increasing

BHE spacing
With increase spacing between the BHEs the accessible volume of soil
can be increased and the mutual influence can be reduced.
Calculating Larger Systems (> 30 kW)
Some pricipals:

Field geometry
Depending on the field geometry a BHE has more or less
neighbours. With larger number of immediate neighbours
the mutual influence increases.

Thermal borehole resistance
The thermal borehole resistance describes the loss of temperature
during heat transmission from rock to brine and vica versa.
A low borehole resistance always has positive effect on the
efficency of the BHE.

Storage effect
As a rule, the maximum efficiency can be achieved with BHE-plants
used for building heating and cooling.
The discharged heat from the building cooling is (partly) stored in the
underground and is available for building heating in winter and vice versa.
The consideration of the storage effects can cause a significant reduction
in needed depth and/or number of BHE.
Summary
W/m
50
For smaller single systems
without special requirements
the specific heat extraction
values may be used for the
design of BHEs.

For medium sized (> 30 kW)
and larger systems as well as
for systems with special
requirements (e.g. high full
load hours, cooling) a
simulation has to be made.
W/m
50
Thank you
for your attention