Influence of Groundwater on the Very Shallow Geothermal Potential (vSGP) in the Area of a Large-Scale Geothermal Collector System (LSC)
The water balance in the very shallow subsurface can be influenced by capillary rise due to a high groundwater table. Since moisture content is an important factor for the thermal conductivity of soils, this can also have an influence on the very shallow geothermal potential (vSGP). For this reason,...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Geosciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/13/8/251 |
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| author | Mario Rammler Robin Zeh David Bertermann |
| author_facet | Mario Rammler Robin Zeh David Bertermann |
| author_sort | Mario Rammler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The water balance in the very shallow subsurface can be influenced by capillary rise due to a high groundwater table. Since moisture content is an important factor for the thermal conductivity of soils, this can also have an influence on the very shallow geothermal potential (vSGP). For this reason, the effect of spatial and seasonal variations in groundwater tables on moisture content in essential depth layers was investigated at a large-scale geothermal collector system (LSC) in Bad Nauheim, Germany. Quasi-one-dimensional simulations using the FEFLOW<sup>®</sup> finite-element simulation system were employed to determine site-dependent and seasonally varying moisture contents, from which thermal conductivities were derived. The model setup was previously validated based on recorded moisture contents. The simulations resulted in groundwater-related maximum seasonal and spatial differences in thermal conductivity of 0.14 W/(m∙K) in the LSC area. Larger differences of up to 0.21 W/(m∙K) resulted for different soil textures at the same depth due to different thermal properties. The results indicate that an efficient design of LSCs requires a sufficiently detailed subsurface exploration to account for small-scale variations in grain size distribution and groundwater level. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:54:37Z |
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| id | doaj.art-b0456d1e188a4f6ebc0ff60f435d8057 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3263 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:54:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-b0456d1e188a4f6ebc0ff60f435d80572023-11-19T01:17:18ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632023-08-0113825110.3390/geosciences13080251Influence of Groundwater on the Very Shallow Geothermal Potential (vSGP) in the Area of a Large-Scale Geothermal Collector System (LSC)Mario Rammler0Robin Zeh1David Bertermann2GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Department Geographie und Geowissenschaften, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 5, 91054 Erlangen, GermanyDepartment of Energy and Building, Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm, 90489 Nürnberg, GermanyGeoZentrum Nordbayern, Department Geographie und Geowissenschaften, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 5, 91054 Erlangen, GermanyThe water balance in the very shallow subsurface can be influenced by capillary rise due to a high groundwater table. Since moisture content is an important factor for the thermal conductivity of soils, this can also have an influence on the very shallow geothermal potential (vSGP). For this reason, the effect of spatial and seasonal variations in groundwater tables on moisture content in essential depth layers was investigated at a large-scale geothermal collector system (LSC) in Bad Nauheim, Germany. Quasi-one-dimensional simulations using the FEFLOW<sup>®</sup> finite-element simulation system were employed to determine site-dependent and seasonally varying moisture contents, from which thermal conductivities were derived. The model setup was previously validated based on recorded moisture contents. The simulations resulted in groundwater-related maximum seasonal and spatial differences in thermal conductivity of 0.14 W/(m∙K) in the LSC area. Larger differences of up to 0.21 W/(m∙K) resulted for different soil textures at the same depth due to different thermal properties. The results indicate that an efficient design of LSCs requires a sufficiently detailed subsurface exploration to account for small-scale variations in grain size distribution and groundwater level.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/13/8/251large-scale geothermal collector system (LSC)very shallow geothermal potential (vSGP)thermal conductivity of soilsgroundwaterquasi-one-dimensional simulation |
| spellingShingle | Mario Rammler Robin Zeh David Bertermann Influence of Groundwater on the Very Shallow Geothermal Potential (vSGP) in the Area of a Large-Scale Geothermal Collector System (LSC) Geosciences large-scale geothermal collector system (LSC) very shallow geothermal potential (vSGP) thermal conductivity of soils groundwater quasi-one-dimensional simulation |
| title | Influence of Groundwater on the Very Shallow Geothermal Potential (vSGP) in the Area of a Large-Scale Geothermal Collector System (LSC) |
| title_full | Influence of Groundwater on the Very Shallow Geothermal Potential (vSGP) in the Area of a Large-Scale Geothermal Collector System (LSC) |
| title_fullStr | Influence of Groundwater on the Very Shallow Geothermal Potential (vSGP) in the Area of a Large-Scale Geothermal Collector System (LSC) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of Groundwater on the Very Shallow Geothermal Potential (vSGP) in the Area of a Large-Scale Geothermal Collector System (LSC) |
| title_short | Influence of Groundwater on the Very Shallow Geothermal Potential (vSGP) in the Area of a Large-Scale Geothermal Collector System (LSC) |
| title_sort | influence of groundwater on the very shallow geothermal potential vsgp in the area of a large scale geothermal collector system lsc |
| topic | large-scale geothermal collector system (LSC) very shallow geothermal potential (vSGP) thermal conductivity of soils groundwater quasi-one-dimensional simulation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/13/8/251 |
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