Seasonal thermal storage in an aquifer for building air conditioning

Conference · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:113305

Midkiff, K C; Gelinas, K R; Brett, C E ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (United States)

This paper describes a 520 kW (peak, thermal) air-conditioning system that has operated since 1983 utilizing chilled water stored in an aquifer. Ambient, 18 C ground water is pumped from warm supply wells, chilled during cold weather by exposure to the air, and reinjected and stored up to several months in cold storage wells. During hot weather, chilled water is pumped from the cold wells and through water coils in the building air handlers. Coefficients of Performance (COP) have averaged 4.8, about double that for conventional air-conditioning. Annual energy recovery has ranged from 40 to 85 percent. This paper addresses the effectiveness and performance of the aquifer as a storage medium. Data collected from head and temperature monitoring wells allow calculation of thermal and hydraulic profiles in the aquifer. Several obstacles to the utilization of aquifers for thermal storage and remedial measures taken to overcome these obstacles are described.

• OSTI ID: 113305
• Report Number(s): CONF-950336--; ISBN 0-7918-1300-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
AIR CONDITIONERS
AQUIFERS
COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE
COLD STORAGE
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT