Optimization of Medium-Deep Borehole Thermal Energy Storage Systems

Arrays of medium-deep borehole heat exchangers are characterized by their slow thermal response and large storage capacity. They represent suitable thermal energy storage systems for seasonally fluctuating heat sources such as solar energy or district heating grids. However, the economic feasibility of these systems is compromised by high investment costs, especially by the expensive drilling of the boreholes. This study presents an approach for the simulation and optimization of borehole thermal energy storage systems. To ex emplify the concept, a software tool is used to optimize the number and length of borehole heat exchangers with regard to a specific annual heat demand. The tool successfully determines the ideal size of the thermal energy storage. Furthermore, the prediction of the system's performance also indicates that borehole thermal energy storage systems only operate efficiently in large-scale applications. With the presented tool, many aspects of borehole thermal energy storage systems can he simulated and optimized.