How open-loop heat pumps on lakes can help environmental control:an example of geothermal circular economy

Authors: Giordano, N; Canalis, L; Ceppa, L; Comina, C; Degiorgis, L; Giuliani, A; Mandrone, G; Marcon, G
Keywords: quarry lakes, greenhouses, hydrothermal energy, open loop heat pumps
Conference: European Geothermal Congress Session: Technology and Best practice – Heat Pumps
Year: 2016 Language: English
Abstract: Along Po River (NW Italy), at a few km from Torino (an area of about 1.5 million of inhabitants), many quarry lakes below the water table are present. They are huge water reservoirs with volumes ranging from 0.5 to 12 Millions m3 and depths up to 45 m. After mining activity, these lakes will be returned to community as natural elements or public parks, but present time experience of reuse is not always positive due to maintenance costs that local administrations cannot afford. By the way, not legal or border line activities are often reported in such areas. Otherwise, many of them result as abandoned.
Aim of the present study is to produce a feasibility project to generate a virtuous cycle using lake’s water as low enthalpy thermal energy source in order to feed open loop heat pump systems for providing low cost energy. In this way, areas nearby the lakes can be exploited to build greenhouses or agro-business factories using lakes as energy source for space heating and cooling, domestic hot water production or food processes requiring heat (e.g. vegetable and fruit de-hydration). In this way, these areas would be again productive and remain under civil society control.
Data from Regional Administration were collected in order to know the thermal and bio-chemical behavior of these lakes during the whole year. In addition, specific measurements were performed on some lakes in order to characterize the entire water reservoir.
A study was then conducted in order to define the best possible position of heat exchangers, pumping rates and critical distances of the final user considering their thermal energy needs.
Moreover, a specific market analysis was carried out in the surroundings in order to define what particular kind of fruit or vegetable can be commercialized in the perspective of zero-kilometer products and sustainable agriculture. Greenhouse conditions will be fitted to optimize vegetable or fruit harvesting and guidelines will be produced to help end-users in this new business.
In the future, a best practice manual will be done in order to give suggestions to private and pu
Download:
File Size: 1389KB