Enhancing the efficiency of geothermal energy pile foundations
Not stated
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
- Application deadline
- Year-round applications
About the project
About the Project The construction industry is reportedly responsible for 38% of global carbon emissions. The proposed project aims to develop specifications for energy efficient geothermal pile foundations capable of extracting maximum energy from the ground, for use in heating or air-conditioning of a building. These are called smart geothermal energy piles (GEPs) and, unlike conventional borehole heat exchangers, GEPs do not require separate boreholes. The project will use COMSOL Multiphysics software, case studies and artificial intelligence methods to simulate the energy performance of different combinations of pile-soil and energy loop (e.g. HDPE – high density polypropylene ethylene) properties including loop configuration, pile dimensions and installation depth, soil types and fluid properties circulated in the loops. The project is timely as it contributes to both the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13 (affordable clean energy and climate action) and the UK’s 2050 target for net zero carbon. The simulations will be used to define parameters and equations representing the influence of the GEP system design and soil conditions on the geotechnical and thermal response of the GEPs, for different sites and weather situations. The long-term impact of the project is that it will revolutionize the design of sustainable buildings, in a manner that will increase the UK’s economic competitiveness and quality of life. The short- and medium-term impacts are lower domestic energy costs, reduced demand for fossil fuels and de-carbonisation of the construction process.