In-situ thermal properties of grouting materials in borehole heat exchangers

Abstract The thermal properties of grouting materials characterise the heat transfer around borehole heat exchangers (BHE). However, these properties are typically determined in the laboratory. Thus, this study aims to assess the properties of grouting materials in the field. Two BHE grouted with tw...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anna Albers, Petra Huttenloch, Yannick Reduth, Roman Zorn, Hagen Steger, Philipp Blum
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-05-01
Series:Geothermal Energy
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40517-025-00347-4
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Summary:Abstract The thermal properties of grouting materials characterise the heat transfer around borehole heat exchangers (BHE). However, these properties are typically determined in the laboratory. Thus, this study aims to assess the properties of grouting materials in the field. Two BHE grouted with two different grouting materials within unsaturated loess and limestone were excavated up to a depth of 15 m. Collected field samples show higher thermal conductivities by 13% (W/S = 0.3) and 35% (W/S = 0.8) than laboratory samples of the same material. These differences in thermal properties are mainly related to the filtration of the grouting suspension. In addition, with a short-time enhanced thermal response test (ETRT), 17% lower in-situ thermal conductivities are determined than in comparison with the field samples. The deviations are attributed to the geometry of the borehole, the trajectory of the BHE pipes and the heating cable. Thereby, this study shows the limitations when transferring laboratory-derived properties to a field site and emphasises the importance of considering site conditions, such as geology and hydrogeology.
ISSN:2195-9706