buried pipes

Objective of this study is to evaluate the cooling potential of buried pipes and a derivative thereof, for buildings situated in Brazilian climate. In a first step, the cooling potential of these techniques is characterized independently of any building dynamic, in terms of the available temperature differential relatively to a specified comfort set point, with simulation performed by way of a specific model.

This paper deals with air-soil heat exchangers used for heating or cooling airflows used for ventilation of buildings. Basing on a previously published analytical solution concerning heat charge and discharge around an array of buried pipes, it is shown how convective air/pipe and diffusive pipe/soil heat exchange are combining, and how the characteristic exponential amplitude-dampening along the pipe is achieved. The main result consists in dimensioning guidelines, in terms of relations between airflow and pipe length necessary for complete dampening of yearly or daily amplitude.