Investigation of an energy pile application and its economic analysis

Abstract

In this study, the heating and cooling needs of an airplane hangar by integrating a heat pump system into bored piles were investigated. For this purpose, U-type pile heat exchangers were installed inside the piles. 600 bored piles were integrated with heat exchangers depending on the heating requirements of the hangar. Energy calculations were performed for a single pile, and the total amount of energy that could be extracted from the ground was determined. The main goal is to supply cooling and heating for the hangar throughout the year without the use of any additional conventional system. Thus, cost-analysis results for both the heat pump and traditional system using levelized cost method were presented. The study results showed that the annual operating cost (COM)PW, total operating cost (IOM)PW, equivalent annual operating cost (COM), and total annual cost (CT) for the present condition reduced by nearly 38.5%, 35%, 35%, and 34% against the conventional system, respectively. The simple payback period was calculated as 1.1 years. Finally, it was seen that using the energy piles can provide the heating and cooling requirements of the hangar throughout the year without any additional conventional system.