Geothermal heat pump systems use ground heat as a lower thermal source through the use of underground heat exchangers that harness available renewable energy.
Optimal geothermal system operation depends on understanding the ground's dynamic response to the time-varying thermal loads required by the building. This allows for short- and long-term prediction of ground and fluid temperature trends in relation to the geometry of the probe field, whether vertical or horizontal. Measurement of the ground's thermophysical properties and the thermal resistance of the underground exchanger is also crucial.
The research focuses on several areas, including the development of innovative TRT machines, 3D numerical analysis of time-varying conduction in the ground, the development of hybrid models for calculating heat transfer functions, and the definition of design criteria for sizing vertical probe fields to improve existing national and international standards for sizing probe fields.
In nuclear energy, the GeNERG research group conducts studies on innovative nuclear fuel cycles, aimed at minimizing nuclear waste and optimizing the exploitation of mineral resources, through transmutation analyses and reactor lifetime calculations using various ad-hoc calculation codes.
Furthermore, within a broader vision of the nuclear fuel cycle, GeNERG also studies scenario analyses and aspects related to the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. The research group also studies issues related to the analysis of innovative fission and fusion reactors/systems, and issues related to the design and neutronic and thermofluid dynamic analysis of nuclear reactors.
Laboratories
- Thermophysical Properties (PTLab)
- Applied Thermofluid Dynamics (TFALab)
- Two-Phase Fluids
Publications
- D. Dalla Pietà, M.Fossa, Modeling and Design of Borehole Heat Exchangers for Ground-Source Heat Pump Applications, XXIV Congresso Nazionale UIT, Napoli 21-23, june 2006
- M.Fossa, O.Cauret, M.Bernier, Comparing the Thermal Performance of Ground Heat Exchangers of Various Lengths, Effstock Int. Conference, Stockholm, June 2009.
- E. Zanchini, S. Lazzari, A. Priarone, “Improving the thermal performance of coaxial borehole heat exchangers”, Energy 35, 657–666 (2010).
- D. Chersola, G. Lomonaco, G. Mazzini, 2015, “Cross sections influence on Monte Carlo based burnup codes applied to a GFR-like configuration”, Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science, ASME;
- D. Chersola, G. Lomonaco, R. Marotta, 2015, “The VHTR and GFR and their use in innovative symbiotic fuel cycles”, Progress in Nuclear Energy, Elsevier;
