Maximizing thermal performance of building ventilation using geothermal and wastewater heat

• An efficient use of waste heat recovery and geothermal heat can play an important role in lowering the overall energy use of buildings. This study evaluated the potential of geothermal energy and heat recovery from residential wastewater to reduce the energy need of building-ventilation in cold climates. The performance of the mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system in a multi-family building located in central Sweden was studied. The focus of the investigation was on reduction of frosting in the air handling unit during the coldest months. Three configurations of one air preheating system fed by two renewable heat sources, wastewater and geothermal energy, were studied. It was found that compared to building without an air preheating system, the suggested air preheating systems reduced the defrosting time to 25%. By controlling and maintaining the preheated air temperature to slightly above the defrosting start, air heat recovery efficiency of MVHR above 80% was achieved for 90% of the studied time during heating season when frosting occurs. The energy need for the circulation pumps in the suggested air preheating systems was 5% of the recovered thermal energy from wastewater. The simulation results suggested that the air preheating system using wastewater heat recovery with a temperature-stratified storage tank was the most efficient one among the studied systems.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Maskinteknik -- Energiteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Mechanical Engineering -- Energy Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Renewables

Wastewater heat recovery

Geothermal heating

Balanced mechanical ventilation

Sustainability

Energy saving

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)