Workshop (Spain) - Geothermal laboratory for experimental thermal tests
Delivery date: February 12, 2021

This session will showcase the geothermal laboratory at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, in Spain. The first presentation will show a virtual tour of this facility, detailing its main features and singularities, which make this laboratory a reference facility. The session will also focus on the main stages of a typical experimental thermal test. Following this educational aim, an immersive virtual reality laboratory, designed for this purpose, will be used for the explanation of how this facility operates. The session will include a Q&A section as well as a round table.

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About The Project

75% of EU Building Stock is energy inefficient meaning that buildings hold untapped potential for renewables and energy efficiency. Such improvement would undoubtedly add to decarbonising the EU economy and ensuring security of supply and cost savings to many households across the EU. Shallow Geothermal Energy Systems (SGES) is stable, reliable and renewable source of energy.

Some of its key features, in comparison with RES include:

• Available and applicable everywhere
• capable of providing both heating and cooling
• high efficiency in cooling

Borehole Heat Exchangers applying SGES technology are currently installed in over 1,4 million sites across the EU with combined capacity of over 16,500 MWth

Why do we need to develop this technology further?

• unlock the great potential of geothermal energy sources
• gain competitiveness and increase awareness
• penetrating further the market of building construction and renovation

*District Heating and Cooling needs improved heating and cooling storage technologies which could largely benefit from enhanced Underground Thermal Energy Storage (UTES) technologies.



GEOCONDS aim?
Develop solutions to increase the thermal performance of the different subsystems configuring a Shallow Geothermal Energy Systems and Underground Thermal Energy Storage.

How?
By a smart combination of different material solutions under the umbrella of sophisticated engineering, optimization, testing and on-site validation.

Benefits?
An overall whole-life cycle cost reduction of about 25% is the overall aim, leading to a substantial gain in competitiveness.

Process?
GEOCOND, with a unique consortium of Companies and leading Research Institutions in the area of SGES and Materials, will focus on four key development areas in a synergetic and system-wide approach: development of new pipe materials, advanced grouting additives and concepts, advanced Phase Change Materials and system-wide simulation and optimization.

Specific Technological Objectives

The specific technological objectives of the project can be summarized as follows:

Improved thermomechanical ageing resistance and surface properties

Geothermal pipes improved (at least 15%) thermomechanical ageing resistance and surface properties (external layer good adhesion to grout and internal low flow resistance).

HDPE pipes

High thermal Conductive HDPE pipes and fitting elements.

New pipes configuration

New pipes configuration based on the use of pipes with different thermal conductivities and diameters.

New additive for grouting

New additive for grouting: Low cost structures based on chemical bondings of silica (quartz) and thermal conductive carbonous particles.

New additive for grouting

New additive for grouting: Shape Stable Phase Change Materials (SS PCMs) with low tran-sition temperatures (30-35ºC) for heat storage at DHC

Tailor-made performance grouting

Tailor-made performance grouting and thermal soil enhancement technologies (TSE).

Material Selection Support System

Material Selection Support System within an engineering methodology to optimize efficiency and minimize costs.

MEMBERS OF THE CONSORTIUM

UPV (Institute for the Applications of Advanced Information and Comm.) is a leading institution in Spain and Europe in the implementation of Shallow Geothermal Energy
AIMPLAS’ fields of work are related to technological research and development on thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic materials & products, its transformation processes and their recyclability and sustainability.
The Swedish Cement and Concrete Research Institute (CBI) is an independent industrial research institute. We perform research and development, material testing, consulting and training in the concrete and rock material field.
Sabanci University is engaged in highly effective multidisciplinary research programs, bringing together researchers with expertise spanning advanced materials, nano-bio technology...
Due to the high competence and efficiency of its R&D laboratory, Silma is actually a main reference for Taylor-Made products, solving the specific needs of the customers.
Their efforts were focused since the beginning in the area of water drive as well as the application of it to located irrigation. EXTRULINE is constantly searching for fulfilling the daily demands of their clients within their facilities...
CARMEL leading position in the industry is based on its unparalleled attention to customers’ needs, combined with its superior technological know-how and production capacity.
Çimsa produces special cements like white cements and Calcium Aluminate and innovative concrete products to pioneer the Turkish cement building materials industry in terms of innovation.
The company was involved in transferring the Thermal Response Test (TRT) for shallow geothermal investigation from prototypes within an IEA-project to a standard method used in many countries...
We are unique in our ability to offer vertically integrated skills in a range of sustainable energy technologies. We can take a project from inception to generation.
SPIN-PET is a University of Pisa spinoff but keep (preserve) his own typical authenticity character, scientific/technological solidity and distinctiveness, carry out activities in new polymer materials



This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement Nº 727583