The influence of the trajectory of a borehole heat exchanger on the power exchanged with the rock mass

Abstract

The article presents the influence of the trajectory of a borehole heat exchanger on the power exchanged with the rock mass. The focus is on the thermal parameters of rocks, which include thermal conductivity. This parameter can be determined using literature, laboratory tests, or in-situ using a thermal response test. The design of the borehole heat exchanger as an inclined borehole maximizes the power exchanged with the rock mass by increasing the length of the borehole exchanger in the layer with the best thermal parameters. Mathematical simulations and thermal response tests show the advantage of inclined wells over vertical borehole heat exchangers in terms of the amount of power obtained from the rock mass.