• Journal of the Korean Society for Geothermal and Hydrothermal Energy
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

A novel steel-pipe energy pile is introduced, in which the deformed rebars for main reinforcing are replaced with steel pipes in a large diameter cast-in-place energy pile. Here, the steel pipes act as not only reinforcements but also heat exchangers by circulating the working fluid through the hollow hole in the steel pipes. Under this concept, the steel-pipe energy pile can serve a role of supporting main structures and exchanging heat with surrounding mediums without installing additional heat exchange pipes. In this study, the steel-pipe energy pile was constructed in a test bed considering the material properties of steel pipes and the subsoil investigation. Then, the thermal performance test (TPT) in cooling condition was conducted in the constructed energy pile to investigate thermal performance. In addition, the thermal performance of the steel-pipe energy pile was compared with that of the conventional large diameter cast-in-place energy pile to evaluate its applicability. As a result, the steel-pipe energy pile showed 11% higher thermal performance than the conventional energy pile along with much simpler construction processes.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Geothermal and Hydrothermal Energy
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.14-22
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• 2023

Steel-pipe civil structures, including steel-pipe energy piles and cast-in-place piles (CIPs), utilize steel pipes as their primary reinforcements. These steel pipes facilitate the circulation of a working fluid through their annular crosssection, enabling heat exchange with the surrounding ground formation. In this study, the cooling performance of a ground source heat pump (GSHP) system that incorporated steel-pipe civil structures was investigated to assess their applicability. First of all, the thermal performance test was conducted with steel-pipe CIPs to evaluate the average heat exchange amount. Subsequently, a GSHP system was designed and implemented within an office container, considering the various types of steel-pipe civil structures. During the performance evaluation tests, parameters such as the coefficient of performance (COP) and entering water temperature (EWT) were closely monitored. The outcomes indicated an average COP of 3.74 for the GSHP system and the EWT remained relatively stable throughout the tests. Consequently, the GSPH system demonstrated its capability to consistently provide a sufficient heat source, even during periods of high cooling thermal demand, by utilzing the steel-pipe civil structures.