Analytic models and effective resistances for coaxial ground heat exchangers

Ground heat exchangers (GHE) have been extensively studied in the past decades in order to optimize the heat exchange with the ground in particular when they are coupled with a building equipped with heat pumps. Ground heat exchangers can be categorized in several ways: vertical, horizontal or even pile heat exchangers. In the special case of vertical heat exchangers, the single U-tube and double U-tube are the most common configurations but coaxial boreholes have drawn attention in recent years. This paper provides some new insight on this configuration based on analytical models that were validated with numerical simulations. The outcome of the study gives new comprehension on the effective borehole resistance associated with coaxial configurations in ground heat exchangers design.

Automated summary

This paper provides new insights on the configuration of coaxial heat exchangers in ground heat exchangers, giving a new understanding of the effective borehole resistance through analytical models validated with numerical simulations.