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Soil thermal characteristics for designing ground heat pump systems.

Author(s) : TARNAWSKI V. R., WAGNER B.

Summary

One of the major short-comings in designing ground heat pump systems is the lack of rapid and reliable methods for determining soil thermal characteristics at a given location. The paper describes an extended and modified version of the De Vries model for predicting thermal properties of any soil having log-normal grain size distribution. The extended model predicts soil thermal conductivity and specific heat in a full range of moisture content (from dryness to saturation) and a temperature range from -30 to 95 deg C. The computer package offers default and self-entered modes for entering data. The default mode only requires selecting a soil type from a list of 12 standard soils and soil bulk density or porosity data. The self-entered mode requires more detailed information such as soil grain size characteristics, soil compacting data, mineralogical composition, shape of grains, and thermal characteristics of soil minerals. The user may select a desirable unit system and a way of declaring soil moisture content (volumetric or a mass basis). The package also predicts so called field values (expected soil moisture range, thermal conductivity, and specific heat). Good agreement with Kersten's soil experimental data is reported.

Details

  • Original title: Soil thermal characteristics for designing ground heat pump systems.
  • Record ID : 1993-3671
  • Languages: English
  • Source: Heat Pumps for Energy Efficiency and Environmental Progress: Proceedings of the 4th International Energy Agency Heat Pump Conference.
  • Publication date: 1993/04/26
  • Document available for consultation in the library of the IIR headquarters only.

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