Underground pipe cooling in the Central Valley of California
This experiment was designed to gather quantitative data about underground pipe cooling, using the nearly constant temperature earth as a heat sink for cooling air during the Central Valley's hot dry summer. Seventy-five feet of steel pipe were buried eight feet underground and air was pushed through it by a variable speed fan. Temperature and air speed sensors allowed collection of quantitative data relating to system performance. The system reliably provided cool air during hot summer afternoons. A formula was derived relating outlet temperature, inlet temperature, ground temperature, air speed, diameter of the pipe, and the length of the pipe. The data show good agreement with the formula and it may be useful as a guideline in designing underground pipe cooling systems.
- Research Organization:
- Earth Integral Inc., Davis, CA
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG03-79SF10567
- OSTI ID:
- 5836086
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-810509-(Vol.2)
- Journal Information:
- Proc. Annu. Meet. - Am. Sect. Int. Sol. Energy Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc. Annu. Meet. - Am. Sect. Int. Sol. Energy Soc.; (United States) Vol. 4.2; ISSN PMSID
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Heat and moisture conduction in unsaturated soils. Completion report. [Land area heated by nuclear power plant underground piping system]
Thermal chimney: a new device cools an old house on 100-degree California afternoons
Related Subjects
140901 -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Space Heating & Cooling
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320100* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Buildings
ANEMOMETERS
BLOWERS
CALIFORNIA
COOLING SYSTEMS
COST
ENERGY SYSTEMS
HEAT SINKS
INSTALLATION
LEVELS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NORTH AMERICA
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PIPES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SINKS
SOILS
TESTING
THERMISTORS
UNDERGROUND
USA
WESTERN REGION