Numerical simulation of large-scale GCHP systems in the presence of groundwater flow

Heat exchange performances of ground heat exchangers (GHEs) in Ground-Coupled Heat Pump (GCHP) systems are more or less affected by the advection of groundwater flow, if groundwater flows exist in the stratum. Under the influence of groundwater flow, heat exchange rates can be enhanced, while thermal interferences between GHEs should be considered if a large number of wells are drilled with a short spacing. In this paper, the heat exchange performances of large-scale GCHP systems with groundwater flow in a shallow stratum, in Akita Plain, Japan, are predicted with numerical simulation for determining the optimum operation strategies of the GCHP systems.