Underground Solar Air Conditioning System

Introduction-

In this project we are using a ground coupled heat exchanger with photovoltaic
cell,solar flat plate collector, humidifier , dehumidifier and some accessories for year
round air conditioning free of cost.

Working –

Air blower will get power from photovoltaic cell for its operation. Air blower will blow
the air from surrounding into the pipes. The pipes will contain two valves for winter
& summer cycle respectively.

Operation for summer cycle – The air is blown by the air blower into the pipes.
The pipes are arranged in U form inside the earth 3 to 6m .The temperature at this
depth is found to be constant throughout the year.The temperature at this height is
around 10-20°c. While in summer season the outside temperature is around
40°c,the inside temperature will be 10-20°c. So a heat exchange process will take
place inside the earth between the hot air and soil. Due to this the temperature of
air will decrease and it will attain a temperature of around comfortable human
range.

The cooled air will now pass through the second

channel which will consist of the water stored at 4m below the earth surface.This
water tank will be fully insulated from the upper earth surface in order to get the
cooled water.The air now pass through the pipes arranged in the water tank and
further release its heat there. In this way the air will attain a constant low
temperature.

The cooled air now pass through a jet condenser type system where there will be a
cross flow of this cooled air with the chilled water droplets. The interaction of air
with chilled water droplets will further decrease its temperature and the cooled air
also gets humidified. Now this fully cooled humidified air will pass through a
dehumidifier (CaCl2) in order to remove its humidity. The fully cooled dehumified air
will pass to space where cooling is required.

Operation for winter cycle – For operation around winter cycle we will shut off
the summer cycle channel . The blower will blow the air through the pipes and this
low temperature will pass through the pipes arranged in a glass covering in order
to get warmed by the green house effect. Due to green house effect the air
temperature will rise . This hot air now pass through the solar flat plate collector .
The solar flat collector will consist of arrangement of fins in order to heat up the
air. This fully heated up air will now pass through the humidifier. Now this hot
humified air will pass to space where heating is required.
Thus , we get year round conditioning with this system free of cost. Only payable
cost is initial cost is set up cost which will be recovered in terms of saving of
electricity bills.

Effectiveness -

Implementations of earth-air heat exchangers for either partial or full cooling and/or
heating of facility ventilation air have had mixed success. A key aspect of earth-air
heat exchangers is the passive nature of operation and consideration of the wide
variability of conditions in natural systems. Earth-air heat exchangers can be very
cost effective in both up-front/capital costs as well as long-term operation and
maintenance costs. However, this varies widely depending on the location latitude,
altitude, ambient Earth temperature, climatic temperature-and-relative-humidity
extremes, solar radiation, water table, soil type (thermal conductivity), soil moisture
content and the efficiency of the building's exterior envelope design / insulation.
Generally, dry-and-low-density soil with little or no ground shade will yield the least
benefit, while dense damp soil with considerable shade should perform well. A slow
drip watering system may improve thermal performance. Damp soil in contact with
the cooling tube conducts heat more efficiently than dry soil. Earth cooling tubes
are much less effective in hot humid climates where the ambient temperature of
the earth approaches human comfort temperature. The higher the ambient
temperature of the earth, the less effective they are for cooling and
dehumidification. Not all regions and sites are suitable for earth-air heat
exchangers. Conditions which may hinder or preclude proper implementation
include shallow bedrock, high water table, and insufficient space, among others. In
some areas, only cooling or heating may be afforded by earth-air heat exchangers.
In these areas, provision for thermal recharge of the ground must especially be
considered. In dual function systems (both heating and cooling), the warm season
provides ground thermal recharge for the cool season and the cool season provides
ground thermal recharge for the warm season, though overtaxing the thermal
reservoir must be considered even with dual function systems.

Environmental impact –

In the context of today's diminishing fossil fuel reserves, increasing electrical

costs, air pollution and global warming, properly-designed such air conditioner offer
a sustainable alternative to reduce or eliminate the need for conventional
compressor-based air conditioning systems, in non-tropical climates. They also
provide the added benefit of controlled, filtered, temperate fresh air intake, which is
especially valuable in tight, well-weatherized, efficient building envelopes.

Result –

IF this project is carried out in the best possible way we can get a COP of more than
20 which is an outstanding result for such system. Also we require only installation
cost which will be recovered in terms of saving of electricity bills.

Team members-

Raushan Abhijeet (ME- 8th Sem.,ASCT)

Birendra kumar (ME- 8th Sem.,ASCT)

Rakesh Kumar (ME- 8th Sem.,ASCT)