4E analysis of an underfloor heating system integrated to the geothermal heat pump for greenhouse heating

Authors: FATİH ÜNAL, AHMET ERHAN AKAN, BÜNYAMİN DEMİR, KAAN YAMAN

Abstract: In this study, 4E (energy, exergy, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental) analysis of an underfloor heating system integrated with the geothermal heat pump of a greenhouse with a usage area of 90 m2 has been made. When the results of the 4E analysis applied to the system and its elements were examined, the energy efficiency of the heating system in the winter months has been determined to be 77.85% and the exergy efficiency 30.61%. According to the results of exergoeconomic analysis, the levelized energy cost of the system has been determined as 0.894 dollar/h, the unit exergy cost as 0.826 dollar/h, and the exergoeconomic factor value as 51.12%. According to the results of the exergoenvironmental analysis, the part-based environmental impact of the system was 0.0910 mPts/s, the environmental impact value due to exergy was 0.1823 mPts/s, and the exergoenvironmental factor value was 37.77%. In addition, the equivalent CO₂ emission value that will occur if the heating requirement of the greenhouse is met with a natural gas boiler instead of a geothermal heat pump was investigated and a comparison was made between the two systems. Accordingly, it has been determined that the emission of 909.75 kg equivalent carbon dioxide to the environment will be prevented in the 4-month period, which is considered the heating season, by using the heat pump. As a result, the examined heating system has been evaluated as the effective system for heating the greenhouse, reducing energy consumption, and reducing emissions that cause environmental pollution.

Keywords: Greenhouse, energy analysis, exergy analysis, exergoeconomic analysis, exergoenvironmental analysis, equivalent CO₂ emission

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