Earth air tunnel system

SEMINAR REPORT

SUBMITTED BY
SALPRABHA E K (11152050)

GUIDED BY
NIVYA T K
H.O.D
CIVIL ENGINEERING

In partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the award of the Degree of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
In
CIVIL ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING THALASSERY
(Engineering College Under CAPE, Estd by Govt. Of Kerala)

JULY 24
SEMINAR REPORT 2017

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
It is not possible to prepare any seminar report without the assistance and
encouragement of other people. This one is certainly no exception.

On the very outset of this seminar report I would like to extend my sincere and heartfelt
obligation towards all the personages who have helped me in this endeavor. Without their
active guidance, help, cooperation and encouragement, I would not have made headway
in the seminar report.

My sincere thanks to my guide Mrs. NIVYA T K, H.O.D. civil engineering for her
constant guidance and encouragement in carrying out this seminar, without whom this
success couldnt be achieved.

I am extremely thankful and pay my gratitude to Asst. Professor SEEMA, civil

department for her support in choosing the topic and giving proper guidance. I am also
thankful to the Asst. Professors Mrs. THAMARA C and Mrs. REMYA for their support.

I also acknowledge with a deep sense of reverence, my gratitude towards my parents and
members of my family who has always supported me morally and economically.

At last but not the least gratitude goes to all of my friends who directly or indirectly
helped me to complete this seminar report.

Any omission in this brief acknowledgment does not mean any lack of gratitude.

Thanking you,

Salprabha E K

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ABSTRACT
Ground possesses high heat capacity as well as insulation potential so, at a sufficient
depth, the ground temperature is constant. It is found that throughout the year the
temperature of earth remains almost constant at a depth of 4m. This report deals with the
principle, types and classification of earth air tunnels. The designing parameters and the
methodology based on the construction of EAT in a college classroom is detailed.
General informations regarding EAT i.e. merits, limitations, safety, applications etc are
also reviewed. Some of the major case studies have also been reviewed.

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CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION

2. SOLAR PASSIVE TECHNIQUES

3. EARTH AIR TUNNEL

3.1. PRINCIPLE

3.2. MATERIAL

3.3. LAYING

4. WORKING

4.1. REMOVING HOT AIR

4.2. MAINTAINING MODERATE EARTH TEMPERATURE

5. DESIGNING PARAMETERS

5.1. TUBE DEPTH

5.1.1. FACTORS AFFECTING THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF SOIL

5.1.2. HEAT EXCHANGE RATE OF DIFFERENT SOIL TYPES

5.1.3. TEMPERATURE GRADIENT OF EARTH ALONG ITS DEPTH

5.2. TUBE LENGTH

5.3. TUBE DIAMETER

5.4. AIR FLOW RATE

5.5. TUBE MATERIAL

5.6. SOIL NATURE AND OPERATION

5.7. EFFICIENCY

5.8. COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE

6. TYPES OF EARTH AIR TUNNEL SYSTEMS

6.1. CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM

6.2. OPEN LOOP SYSTEM

6.3. COMBINATION SYSTEM

7. CLASSIFICATION OF EARTH AIR TUNNELS

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7.1. ACCORDING TO LAYOUT OF PIPE IN GROUND

7.1.1. VERTICAL GROUND LOOP SYSTEM

7.1.2. HORIZONTAL GROUND LOOP SYSTEM

7.1.3. LAKE/POND LOOP SYSTEM

7.2. ACCORDING TO MODE OF ARRANGEMENT

7.2.1. ONE TUBE SYSTEM

7.2.2. PARALLEL TUBE SYSTEM

8. METHODOLOGY BASED ON CASE STUDY

8.1. TEMPERATURE VARIATION OF EARTH WITH DEPTH

8.2. DESIGNING PHASE

8.2.1. COOLING/HEATING LOAD

8.2.2. DUCT LAYOUT

8.2.3. ANALYSIS

8.2.4. WEIGHT OF SOIL

8.2.5. DESIGN OF FAN

8.2.6. PROTOTYPE ASSEMBLING

8.3. RESULTS

8.3.1. INPUT AND OUTPUT SPEED OF DUCT

8.3.2. COEFFICIENT OF PERFORMANCE

8.3.3. COOLING/HEAING EFFECT

8.4. CONCLUSION

9. APPLICATION OF USING EAT

9.1. SPACE COOLING

9.2. THERMAL COMFORT

10. MERITS

11. LIMITATIONS

12. CASE STUDY

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12.1. EAT FOR PASSIVE AIR CONDITIONING

12.2. NIIT UNIVERSITY

13. SAFETY

14. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

15. EFFECTIVENESS

16. MAJOR WORKS IN INDIA

17. CONCLUSION

18. REFERENCES

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1. INTRODUCTION

For the existence of our society, energy is important as we know, it is important to find
alternative sources to replace non renewable or conventional fuel or reduce its widespread
consumption and adverse impact on the environment. An efficient option does not
indicate the alternative energy source, but is synonymous of clean energy. In present
times, air conditioning is mostly employed for industrial productions and also for the
comfort of occupants. It can be achieved by vapor compression machines, but due to
ozone layer depletion and global warming by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) there is a need
to reduce high grade energy consumption; many alternative techniques are currently
explored [1]. One such method is the earth air tunnel heat exchanger systems. It uses
underground soil as heat source and providing space heating in winter season. Cold
ambient outdoor air is sent into the earth air tunnel. When air flows in the pipes of the
tunnel, heat is transferred from the earth to the air. As a result, temperature at the outlet
air from the pipes is much higher than that of the ambient air. The outlet air from the
earth-air-pipes can directly be used for space heating. Alternatively, the outlet air can be
heated further by integrated air conditioning machines. Similarly through the same
process cooling can be achieved during summer season. Both of the above uses of earth-
air-tunnel can help to reduce energy consumption.

Keeping a comfortable temperature inside a building can involve a significant amount of

energy. Dispersed heating and cooling systems are often hand-me-down to conserve the
desired air temperature, and energy vital to operate these systems generally comes from
electricity, fossil fuels, or biomass. Bearing in mind that 46% of suns energy is immersed
by the earth, another option is to use this profuse energy to heat and cool a building.

Earth-air-tunnels are considered as an effective substitute for heating and cooling of

buildings. This is basically a series of metallic, plastic or concrete pipes buried
underground at a particular depth. Through pipes fresh atmospheric air flows. According
to the temperature difference the heat transfer takes place between soil and air in pipes.
The efficient design of the system is necessary as the system will ensure good
performance. In that accordance the cross section & type of cross section of pipe, velocity
of air & nature of soil plays key role in efficiency of system. This uses green and clean
energy in order to minimize pollution and to minimize conventional energy consumption.
Also there are two major types of EATHE systems: open-loop (i.e., drawing outside air

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through the pipes to ventilate the house) or closed-loop (i.e., re-circulating the air from
the building through the earth tubes).

Earth-air-tunnel system also known as passive air conditioner, is a wonder utilization of

nature. It is also called as Earth tubes in Europe, Earth-air heat exchangers in North
America, Earth tunneling in India. These systems are known by several other names,
including air-to-soil heat exchanger, earth channels, earth canals, earth-air tunnel systems,
ground tube heat exchanger, subsoil heat exchangers, underground air pipes, and others.

The working, classifications, merits, demerits and its environmental impacts are also
discussed under this report. Case studies of some of the Earth-air tunnels constructed are
also reviewed.

Figure 1 earth-air-tunnel system

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2. SOLAR PASSIVE TECHNIQUE

Passive cooling systems use non-mechanical methods to maintain a comfortable indoor

temperature and are a key factor in mitigating the impact of buildings on the
environment. Passive cooling techniques can reduce the peak cooling load in buildings,
thus reducing the size of the air conditioning equipment and the period for which it is
generally required. Solar passive technique is basically based on the principle of taking
the maximum advantage of the local climatic conditions for desired surrounding
conditions.

3. EARTH AIR TUNNEL

Although, this technique is essentially used for cooling the air in Hot and dry climates, it
can also be used for winter heating. Earth- air tunnels may be considered as special types
of wind towers connected to an underground tunnel. The cooling process is based on the
fact that the temperature a few meters below the ground is almost constant throughout the
year. A wind tower is connected to the underground tunnel, which runs from the bottom
of the wind tower to the basement of the building. The wind tower catches the wind
which is forced down the tower into the tunnel. The temperature of the tunnel, being
lower than that of the ambient temperature, cools the air before it is circulated into the
living space. In winter, the temperature of the air tunnel is higher than the ambient
temperature and hence warms the air passing through it.

Sensible cooling can be aided by evaporative cooling. To reduce the underground

temperature, the ground can be shaded using vegetation and can be wetted by sprinkling
water. This water seeps through and dampens the tunnel walls. Consequently, air from the
tunnel is evaporatively cooled as it passes through the tunnel. Another variation possible
is to use buried pipes instead in place of tunnel.

3.1. Principle

The principles behind earth air tunnels are [2]:

a) Daily and annual temperature fluctuations decrease with increase in the depth below
the ground surface.

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b) At a depth of about 4m below ground, the temperature inside the earth remains nearly
constant round the year and it is nearly equal to the annual temperature of the place.

c) A tunnel in the form of a pipe embedded at a depth of about 4m below the ground will
acquire the same temperature as the surrounding earth at its surface and therefore the
ambient air ventilated through this tunnel will get cooled in summer & warmed in winter
& this air can be used for cooling in summer & heating in winter.

d) Thus the earth can be used as heat source or sink for heating or cooling air in the
underground pipes as the earth-air heat exchanger system utilises the stable temperature
& large thermal capacity of the earth.

e) The key concept to remember is that heat always flows from a warmer system to a
cooler system (the surrounding air and walls) so if we are warmer than the surrounding
area, the heat of our body will escape to the surrounding air until temperature equilibrium
is reached.

f) Likewise, if the air inside the room is warmer than the surrounding walls, heat will be
drawn out of the air into the walls, thus cooling the air (and warming the walls).

g) Conversely, if the air inside the room is cooler than the surrounding walls, heat will be
drawn out of the walls into the air thus warming the air (and cooling the walls), uses this
thermodynamic principal in conjunction with bare earth to help control the climate within
a manmade structure. For example an earth shelter dwelling will use the surrounding
earth to regulate its temperature throughout the year.

Figure 2 c/s of earth air tunnel system

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3.2. Materials

Most systems are usually a network of pipes made of concrete, PVC, steel, rigid or semi-
rigid plastic, plastic-coated metal pipes or plastic pipes coated with inner antimicrobial
layers. These pipes are 100 600mm (4 - 24 inches) in diameter and have a smooth inner
surface. The diameter, layout and cleanliness of the piping is critical for the overall
performance of the system.
Smaller diameter tubes require more energy to move the air and have less earth contact
surface area. Larger tubes permit a slower airflow, which also yields more efficient
energy transfer and permits much higher volumes to be transferred, permitting more air
exchanges in a shorter time period.

3.4. Laying

The underground ambient earth temperature is typically 10 to 23 C (50 -73 F ) all year
round in the temperate latitudes where most humans live. Daily and annual temperature
fluctuations decrease with the increase in depth below the ground surface.

Daily temperature variations hardly affect the earth's temperature at a depth of more than
one meter, while the seasonal variations of the ambient temperature are strongly
dampened by the earth. The earth's temperature up to a depth of 6.0 to 8.0 m (18 24
feet) is influenced by the annual ambient temperature variations with a time delay of
several months.

Avoid: - The piping system should avoid sharp 90-degree angles in the construction.
Smooth wall tubes are more efficient in moving the air; they are less efficient in
transferring energy. Two 45-degree bends produce less-turbulent, but more efficient air
flow.

Figure 3 laying of earth tubes

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4. WORKING

A tunnel is dug 4m below ground

level and network of pipes are laid.
The length of the pipe is proportional
to the area of the building that has to
be air conditioned. One of the above
system is used to circulate or
recirculate the air. Fresh air which is
drawn from inside or outside the
building, is forced into these pipes
which passes through the cooler or
heater where the air is cooled or
heated and it then pumped into the Figure 4 working of earth-air tunnel

building. This method helps air to pass through an underground air tunnel. The air thus
cooled or heated can be used directly for the conditioned space or indirectly with air
conditioners or heat pumps.

The ambient air ventilated through this tunnel will get cooled in summer and warmed in
winter. This method can be used for cooling in summer and heating in winter. This
method can be used for either partial or full cooling and/or heating of air.

4.1. Removing hot air from building

The simple method called as Stack effect system connects the vertical ducts that project
above the roof line of the building and works using the convection system of air by
sucking out the stale air. The roof is fitted with a fan which takes away the hot air from
the vertical pipes.

4.2. Maintaining moderate earth temperature

Sensible cooling can be aided by evaporative cooling. To reduce the underground
temperature, the ground can be shaded using vegetation and can be wetted by sprinkling
water. This water seeps through and dampens the tunnel walls. A slow drip watering
system may improve thermal performance. Damp soil in contact with the cooling tube
conducts heat more efficiently than dry soil.

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5. DESIGNING PARAMETERS
One of the important aspects in concern of EATHEs is categorization of the site in terms
of geology availability. The knowledge of soil thermal and physical properties (thermal
conductivity, density, diffusivity etc), depth of bed rock, depth to water and the nature of
soil is required. This information guides the designer in the selection of the type of
EATHE system to be used and in the design of the system. In a thermal model [ 3] for
greenhouse heating and cooling with EAHE in New Delhi, India, It was found on an
average 7-8 degree Celsius higher in the winter and greenhouse air temperature increased
in the winter and decreased in the summer with increasing pipe length, decreasing the
pipe diameter, decreasing mass flow rate of flowing air inside buried pipe and increasing
depth of ground up to 4m.
The various designing parameters are:

5.1 Tube depth

The ground temperature is defined by the external
climate, soil composition, thermal properties of
soil and water content. The ground temperature
fluctuates in time, but amplitude of fluctuation
diminishes with depth. The figure shows the
temperature depth variation of different types of
soil. Hence from the graph it is clear that burying
pipes/tubes as deep as possible would be ideal. A
balance between going deeper and reduction in
temperature needs to be drawn. Generally ~4m
below the earth surface it remains constant. Figure 5 Depth variation

5.1.1 Factors affecting thermal conductivity of soil

MOISTURE CONTENT It has the most notable impact on thermal conductivity. The
thermal conductivity increases with moisture to a certain point (critical moisture content).
DRY DENSITY OF SOIL As dry density increase thermal conductivity also increase.
MINERAL CONSUMPTION - Soils with higher mineral content have higher
conductivity and soils with higher organic content have lower conductivity.

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SOIL TEXTURE - Coarse textured, angular grained soil has higher thermal conductivity
VEGETATION - Vegetation acts as an insulating agent moderating the affect of
temperature.
5.1.2. Heat exchange rate for different soil types

Table 1 HEAT EXCHANGERS

5.1.3. Temperature gradient of earth along its depth [3]

Figure 6 TEMP. GRADIENT ALONG DEPTH

5.2. Tube length

The Heat Transfer depends on surface area of

the pipe which depends upon the diameter
and length of the pipe. So increased length
would mean increased heat transfer and hence
higher efficiency. After a certain length, no
Figure 7 VARIATION WITH LENGTH

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significant heat transfer occurs, hence optimize length. Increased length also results in
increased pressure drop and hence increases fan energy. So economic and design factors
need to be balanced to find best performance at lowest cost.

5.3. Tube diameter

The Heat Transfer depends on surface area

of the pipe which depends upon the
diameter and length of the pipe. Smaller
diameter gives better thermal performance
and results in larger pressure drop
increasing fan energy requirement.
Increased diameter results in reduction in
air speed and heat transfer. So economic
and design factors need to be balanced to
Figure 8 VARIATION WITH DIAMETER find best performance at lowest cost.
Optimum determined by actual cost of tube
and excavation cost.

5.4. Air flow rate

As the velocity of air increases the exit

temp decreases. For a given tube
diameter, increase in airflow rate
results in:

1. Increase in total heat transfer

2. Increase in outlet temperature
3. High flow rates desirable for
closed systems
Figure 9 Temperature variation for different velocities

For open systems airflow rate must be

selected by considering: Outlet temperature and Total cooling or heating capacity

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5.5. Tube material

The main considerations in selecting tube material are: Cost, Strength, Corrosion
Resistance and Durability

Tube material has little influence on performance. Hence the selection would be
determined by other factors like ease of installation, corrosion resistance etc. The spacing
between tubes should be enough so that tubes are thermally independent to maximize
benefits.

ISJMET [3] concluded in the experiment that its the velocity of air through the pipe
which effects the system performance greatly and not the material of the buried pipe.
Also stated that the velocity 2m/s is the most suitable and economical to achieve the
desired effect.

Figure 10 TEMP. DISTRIBUTION ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE PIPE FOR EXIT VELOCITY 2.0m/s FOR (a) STEEL PIPE (b)
PVC PIPE

5.6. Soil nature and operation period

Effect of soil thermal conductivity and time period of continuous operation of EATHE on
thermal performance has been carried out for different pipe length of EATHE using
experimentally validated CFD simulation [3]. CFD system designed to validate EATHE
model comprises of horizontal cylindrical PVC pipe of 0.10 m inner diameter with buried
length of 60 m buried at a depth of 3.7 m in a flat land with dry soil. Valves are fitted in
pipe assembly for flow control of air. At the inlet, the open end of this single pipe was
connected through a vertical pipe to a 0.75 kW, singe phase variable speed blower having
maximum speed 2800 RPM and maximum flow rate of 0.93 m3/s. ambient air is forced

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through the EATHE system with the help of blower. Velocity of air through the pipe can
be varied by changing the RPM of the blower with the help of an auto transformer (0- 270
V, 2 A. max., type: 2D-1 Phase with a least count of 1V). Energy consumption of the
blower at 5m/s is measured as 0.2 KW. Effect of thermal conductivity of soil on the
thermal performance of EATHE system has also been studied by using three different
types of soil namely S1, S2 and S3 in this study having thermal conductivity 0.52, 2.0 and
4.0Wm_1K_1.

Following color figures represents the temperature variations along pipe length after
certain interval of time for different types of soil.

Table 2 EFFECT ON SOIL TEMP. ALONG THE LENGTH OF PIPE AT DIFFERENT PERIOD OF TIME

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Figure 11 Temp. contour of air and soil at 10 m section for pipe inlet after 12 h for three soils (a) 0.52Wm/ K, (b)
2.00Wm/ K and (c) 4.00Wm/ K.

Figure 12 Temperature contour of air and soil at 30 m section from for pipe inlet after 12 h for three soils (a)
0.52Wm_1 K_1, (b) 2.00Wm_1 K_1 and (c) 4.00Wm_1 K_1.

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5.7. Efficiency

Calculating benefits from EAT is difficult due to: Soil Temperatures & Conductivity

Performance of EAT can be calculated as:

(1)

Where; To = Inlet Air Temperature

To (L) = Outlet Air Temperature

Ts = Undisturbed ground temperature

5.8. Coefficient of performance (cop)

COP based on: The Amount of heating or cooling done by EAT (Heat Flux) and the
Amount of power required to move the air through the EAT

(2)

Where, Q= Heat Flux

W= Power

COP decreases as system is operated. It can be integrated into system control strategies.

When COP down to a certain point, EAT should be shut down and conventional system
should take over.

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6. TYPES OF EARTH AIR TUNNEL SYSTEMS

6.1. Closed loop system
In this system, same air is re-circulated in the building. The air from inside the building is
blown through a U-shaped loop of pipes which are 30.0 to 150.0 m (100 to 500 feet) in
length. The air is moderated to near earth temperature before returning to be distributed
via ductwork throughout the building. The closed loop system can be more effective than
an open system, since it cools and re cools the same air.
In this case heat exchangers are located underground, either in horizontal or oblique
position, and a heat carrier medium s circulated within the heat exchanger, transferring
the heat from the ground to a heat pump or vice versa.

Figure 13 CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM

6.2. Open loop system

In this system the outside air is drawn from a filtered air intake. The cooling tubes are
typically 30.0 m (100 feet) long straight tubes drawn into the building. It is a process of
exchanging the energy contained from outdoor ventilation. During the warmer seasons,
the system pre-cools and dehumidifies, while humidifying and pre-heating in the cooler
seasons. This system helps to improve the indoor air quality while reducing total HVAC
equipment capacity.

An open system combined with energy recovery ventilation can be nearly as efficient (80-
95%) as a closed loop, and ensures that entering fresh air is filtered and tempered.

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In open system ambient air passes through tubes buried in the ground for preheating or
pre-cooling and then the air is heated or cooled by a conventional air conditioning unit
before entering the building.

Figure 14 OPEN LOOP SYSTEM

6.3. COMBINATION SYSTEM

This is a combination of both the above

systems. This can be constructed with dampers
that allow either closed or open operation,
depending on fresh air ventilation requirements.
Such a design, even in closed loop mode, could
draw a quantity of fresh air when an air
pressure drop is created. It is better to draw in
filtered passive cooling tube air than Figure 6 COMBINATION SYSTEM
unconditioned outside air.

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7.0. CLASSIFICATION OF EARTH AIR TUNNEL SYSTEM

7.1 According to layout of pipe in ground

7.1.1 Vertical ground loop system

Vertical Loops run deep into the ground and are ideal for properties lacking the larger
areas of lawn needed for a horizontal
loop. They cost more to install than
horizontal loop systems, but they have
the advantage that they can be installed
on small lots where not enough open
land exists to install a horizontal loop.

Vertical loops are also often used for

installations at large commercial
buildings, because the land area required

Figure 16 VERTICAL GROUND LOOP SYSTEM for horizontal loops for such large
buildings is often prohibitive.

7.1.2 Horizontal ground loop system

Horizontal Coiled Loops are similar to the

more common horizontal straight loops,
except rather than burying straight runs of
pipe, the pipe is spread out in flattened,
overlapping coils. This type of loop, also
known as a Slinky loop, allows for adequate
pipe surface area in shorter trenches,
allowing it to fit in some areas where

Figure 17 HORIZONTAL GROUND LOOP SYSTEM

horizontal straight loops would be impractical.

In addition to standard trench-based horizontal loops, directional bore loops can be used
when the site is heavily wooded or when there is extensive landscaping in place. A
machine is used to drill tunnels underneath the yard into which the loop pipes are then

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installed. This allows the installation to be completed with a minimum of disruption to the
existing yard.

7.1.3. Lake or pond loop system

Pond Loops take advantage of an existing

body of water located on the property to
extract energy with a minimum of
excavation work required. The coiled loops
are floated into the pond, then filled with
liquid and sunk to the bottom.

Because there is much less digging

Figure 18 POND LOOP SYSTEM required, the pond loop option is often the
lowest-cost method for sites that already
contain a suitable body of water.

7.2. According to mode of arrangement

7.2.1 One tube system

One tube system may not be appropriate to meet air conditioning requirements of a
building, resulting in the tube being too large.

7.2.2 Parallel tube system

It is a better design option. It reduces the pressure

drop and raises the thermal performance. It may be
connected in series or in parallel.

Figure 19 PARALLEL TUBE SYSTEM

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8. METHEDOLOGY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF EAT FOR

CLASSROOM (BASED ON A CASE STUDY)

First of all, temperature gradient of the earth along its depth was recorded throughout.
Then cooling and heating loads of the classroom was calculated and duct was designed
subsequently.

8.1. Temperature variation of the earth with depth

For finding the optimum temperature inside the earths surface, a separate apparatus was
made by attaching T-type thermocouples to a long stick at an interval of every 2 feet. A
total of 6 thermocouples were attached on the wooden stick and each ones wire extended
to the instrument called temperature indicator. The ground was dug 10 feet deep and
thermocouple apparatus was inserted. After inserting the apparatus, the hole was filled
with soil again in order to get correct readings. The experiment continued for 1 year and
the variation of soil temperature at various depths were noted for all seasons. The depth at
which temperature remained nearly constant all round the year was at 10 feet.

A plot between atmospheric temperature and optimum underground temperature is made.

The ambient temperature in the figure is the maximum day temperature recorded, and
averaged over whole month. The underground temperature depicts the optimum
temperature recorded at 10 feet depth, and then averaged over whole month.

Figure 20 Temperature variation

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Figure 21 Temp. Gradient along depth

8.2. Designing phase

Various variables were taken into consideration before designing the duct. These
variables were cooling and heating load of the classroom, relative humidity of the area
throughout the year, temperature gradient of the soil, and weight of the soil acting on the
surface of the duct. The weight of the soil was considered in order to design the duct in
such a way so that it does not collapse during backfill and thereafter.

8.2.1 Cooling/heating load

The cooling/heating load of the building is calculated for the given dimensions of the
room.

8.2.2. Duct layout

It is already in the literature that for duct fabrication, PVC ducts are usually preferred
over Galvanized Iron as there is not much difference in the thermal conductivity of two
materials. But this small difference can also be a major factor on the performance of the
prototype. So, it was decided to make duct in three parts. The main part would be square
in cross section. It would be made of Galvanized Iron and placed at 10 feet depth. The GI
duct would be connected with PVC round pipes at both ends. The fan would be installed
at the first PVC part and the second PVC part would lead the air to the room. The second
part of

The PVC pipe was insulated in order to prevent the temperature loss of the conditioned
air after coming in contact with the ambient temperature. Now, the whole responsibility
of heat transfer was on metallic duct lying underground.

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The pattern of the metallic part was designed through ANSYS. Various patterns were
designed and analysis was run on each pattern in order to get an idea about the output
temperature that it would give. The final pattern of the metallic part was finalized as
zigzag shape and its cross section was of square shape, with side of square being 215 mm
for proper convection of the air at design flow rate.

8.2.3 Analysis

For a readymade PVC pipe of diameter 152.4 mm, and knowing the design flow rate of
0.31 kg/s, the velocity of air flow through the pipe comes out to be around 16.7 m/s,
which reduce to 6.39 m/s in the metallic part. For getting less error in the calculations, the
square cross section of the duct is always first considered to be of circular shape with
equivalent circular diameter [27]. As the side of the square cross section of metallic part
is 216mm, its equivalent circular diameter is 246 mm and all the calculations are done by
considering the metallic part as circular pipe of 246mm. inputting a speed of 6.39m/s, the
metallic duct was again test run in ANSYS and checked for solution at the output. The
visual solution is shown in the figures given below.

Figure 22 Variation of air temperature along its way in the metallic part of the duct

At the outlet of the metallic part, the software shows a change in temperature profile. The
central part of the air is hotter than the air near the boundary layer by 20C. This is because
of the fact that the air at the innermost part goes less convection than the air near the
boundary layer. So, average of the temperature over the whole cross sectional area is

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taken which comes out to be around 302.3 K. so, the results showed a decrease in
temperature of the air by 17.7oC.

8.2.4. Weight of the soil

The metallic duct placed underground faces certain amount of weight of the soil form top.
In order to prevent the collapsing of the duct due to the soil weight, its thickness is
designed by using flexural formula. For calculations, the duct surface is considered as
simply supported beam with uniform distributed load of soil acting on it. Considering soil
density of 1200 kg/m3, the weight of soil on the duct is 7.86 kg/m. Inputting 140 MPa as
the ultimate tensile strength of GI (Galvanized Iron), the minimum thickness of the duct
sheet comes out to be 1.02 mm.

8.2.5. Designing of the fan

Relative roughness of Galvanized Iron and PVC was found and the pressure drop of the
air along its way is calculated. The pressure drop (static and dynamic) came out to be 583
Pa (2.34 inch WC). In order to overcome this pressure loss, the fan power required is
about 720 Watts (assuming suitable values of fan belt and motor efficiency). So,
centrifugal fan with radial blades was bought. The rated power on the motor was 1 hp
(747 watts approximately).

8.2.6. Prototype assembling

The prototype was assembled in different parts. The earth was dug with the help of
excavator and metallic part was laid inside at 10 feet depth. The PVC parts were then
connected with the metallic part with the help of adhesive. The openings of the metallic
part were made round and of the same size as that of the PVC parts diameter. This
ensured the proper joining of the parts which helped in preventing soil penetration in the
duct during the backfill. It might be seen in Fig. 7 that there is slight difference in the
proposed design and the actual fabricated part. This is due to the fact that it was relatively
tough to round the 1 mm GI sheet at such a small radius of curvature. So, compromise is
done at the area where duct is curved.

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Figure 23 Finalized pattern Figure 24 Fabricated part

Figure 25 Prototype after being installed at site

8.3. Results

8.3.1. Input and output speed of the duct

The prototype was test run in different weather conditions. Tests were carried out for
different input speeds and related output speeds were noted. The equation of the trend line
shows a slope of approximately 26O between outlet and inlet velocity.

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Figure 26 Relationship between inlet and outlet velocity of duct

8.3.2 Coefficient of performance

The prototype showed maximum C.O.P of 3.9 in peak summer conditions. The monthly
average value of C.O.P. is changing due to the changing ambient temperature every
month. The year average C.O.P. value of 1.97 is obtained. Also, in peak winter
conditions, the maximum C.O.P of 1.2 is obtained. Fig. shows the variation of C.O.P of
the prototype with changing months.

Figure 27 Variation of monthly average COP with time

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8.3.3. Cooling/heating effect

The maximum cooling effect the prototype has given is 2.6 KW. Like C.O.P value, the
cooling and heating value is also variable due to the variation of monthly average ambient
temperature. The year average cooling and heating provided by the prototype was 1.87
KW and 0.92 KW respectively. Table 1 shows the variation of heating/cooling effect with
time.

Table 3 Cooling or heating capacity of the prototype in a year

8.4. Conclusion

So far, there are mixed views in the context of earth-air tunnel system. While some
advantages favor it commercially, some of the restrictions hamper its use.

9. APPLICATION OF USING EATHE

Depending upon the soil type and moisture conditions, ground (and groundwater)
temperatures experience little if any seasonal variations below about 10 m. The EAHE
thus have several advantages such as they consume less energy to operate, it is expected
that air pollution problems will be minimized by using EAHEs for passive cooling and
heating purposes, in Mediterranean and tropical regions, they do not require supplemental
heat during extreme low outside temperature, they do not use compressor, CFC, or any
refrigerant, air uses as working fluid in EAHE, they have a simpler design and
consequently less maintenance, they do not require the unit to be located where it is
exposed to weathering and similarly EAHE has several application such as space heating/
cooling of resident building, provide thermal comfort and can be used in greenhouse or in
agriculture purposes.

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9.1. Space heating/cooling

Earth can be used as heat source and sink by the several researchers such as M. S. Sodha
et al. They evaluated an earth air tunnel system for cooling/ heating of a hospital complex
in India. N. K. Bansal et al. developed an EAT system to help meet summer cooling
requirements of the entire hospital complex, including the residential area.[4]

9.2. Thermal comfort

Sodha et al. built a cooling system that included a large earthair tunnel system to provide
thermal comfort inside a building complex in two different regions in India. The two
earthair tunnel systems were shown to be an effective way to precondition ambient air
during the summer. There are many factors that could be varied so as to increase the
performance of the EAHE and improve the thermal comfort in the building. Some of
these include the length of pipe, the number of pipes used, the diameter of the pipe,
velocity of air in the pipe, ground moisture content and ground reflectivity. Whilst the
indoor temperature cannot be maintained in the thermal comfort range by the use of the
EAHE system alone, such a system could usefully enhance the cooling capacity of an air
conditioning system, and thereby reduce energy consumption. The EAHE system alone
cannot maintain indoor thermal comfort within the acceptable range (2227), but it
could be used to reduce energy demand in domestic buildings in Kuwait if used in
conjunction with an air conditioning system.

10. MERITS
These systems have long life and require only low maintenance and operation costs. It
only consumes 1/3rd less energy than the conventional AC system and 100% fresh air can
be circulated in the premises. As it is a clean energy system it reduces the greenhouse
gases like CO2, methane etc. thus provides better indoor quality. ETHE based systems
cause no toxic emissions and therefore, are not detrimental to the environment. The
ground source heat pumps do use some refrigerant but much less than the conventional
systems. ETHE based systems for cooling do not need water a feature valuable in arid
areas like Kutch. This is a motivating feature for using ETHE.

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11. LIMITATIONS
It require large space to make the setup and gives limited cooling effect. The initial cost
seems to be high and the performance depends upon locations, latitude, altitude, ambient
temperature etc. It is not suitable for small scale residential buildings. It is also less
effective when the soil is dry and having low density. It is also less effective in hot humid
climates.

12. CASE STUDY

12.1. EAT for passive air conditioning

- Burkina Faso, Sub-Saharan Africa

It was shown that a 25 m long EAHX buried 1.5 m in the ground can cool air drawn in
from outside by more than 7.5C. In addition, despite the extreme outdoor temperatures,
which varied from 25C to 43C, the soil temperature at a depth of 1.5 m remained at
approximately 30.4C. The models accurately predicted the underground soil
temperature, but they did not accurately predict the difference between the temperature in
the tube and the outside air.

The biggest hindrances to implementing EAHX technology in Burkina Faso are social
and architectural norms unrelated to EAHX. For example, many homes in Burkina Faso
have corrugated steel roofs. Although steel is sturdy, it becomes very hot in the sun and
raises the temperature inside the home. Before an EAHX can be successful, architects and
engineers must design homes to take advantage passive cooling techniques.

EAHXs are a good technology to improve the quality of life in developing countries and
to reduce the electricity demand in those countries. If the developing world can reduce its
energy demand for cooling, then perhaps the IPCC's dire outlook for world emissions and
climate change can be altered.

12.2. NIIT University

-NEEMRANA, RAJASTHAN

The area conditions are :- 1) Two wings of academic block

2) One nine storey hostel block

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Operating cost :- 40% compared to AC

Result :- Indoor temperatures not exceeding 27oC except in monsoon.

13. SAFETY

If humidity and associated mold colonization is not addressed in system design,

occupants may face health risks. At some sites, the humidity in the earth tubes may be
controlled simply by passive drainage if the water table is sufficiently deep and the soil
has relatively high permeability.

The tunnel [earth-Air heat exchanger] is found not to support the growth of bacteria and
fungi; rather it is found to reduce the quantity of bacteria and fungi thus making the air
safer for humans to inhale. It is therefore clear that the use of EAT [Earth Air Tunnel] not
only helps save the energy but also helps reduce the air pollution by reducing bacteria and
fungi. Likewise, Flueckiger in a study of twelve earth-air heat exchangers varying in
design, pipe material, size and age, stated, This study was performed because of
concerns of potential microbial growth in the buried pipes of ground-coupled air systems.
The results however demonstrate, that no harmful growth occurs and that the airborne
concentrations of viable spores and bacteria, with few exceptions, even decreases after
passage through the pipe-system, and further stated, Based on these investigations the
operation of ground-coupled earth-to-air heat exchangers is acceptable as long as regular
controls are undertaken and if appropriate cleaning facilities are available.

The inner surface of the tube, including all joints must be smooth to aid in the flow and
removal of condensate. Corrugated or ribbed tubes and rough interior joints must not be
used. Joints connecting the tubes together must be tight enough to prevent water or gas
infiltration. In certain geographic areas, it is important that the joints prevent Radon gas
infiltration. Porous materials like uncoated concrete tubes cannot be used. Ideally, Earth
Tubes with antimicrobial inner layers should be used in installations to inhibit the
potential growth of molds and bacteria within the tubes.

14. EFFECTIVENESS

Implementations of earth-air heat exchangers for either partial or full cooling and/or
heating of facility ventilation air have had mixed success. The literature is, unfortunately,
well populated with over-generalizations about the applicability of these systems both

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pro and con. 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 (like Florida) where the
ambient temperature of the earth approaches human comfort temperature. The higher the
ambient temperature of the earth, the less effective it is for cooling and dehumidification.

15. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

In the context of today's diminishing fossil fuel reserves, increasing electrical costs, air
pollution and global warming, properly designed earth cooling tubes 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.

16. MAJOR WORKS IN INDIA

[3] A large earth air tunnel system meant to provide thermal comfort inside the whole
building complex at one of the hospitals in India has been evaluated by Bansal. A simple
theoretical model is developed to validate the experimental measurements and 80 m
tunnel with a cross-sectional area 0.528m2 with an air velocity of 4.8 m/s is found to have
a cooling capacity of approx. 512kWh and a heating capacity of 269kWh. The heating
capacity was found to be inadequate for providing the necessary comfort conditions.

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17. CONCLUSION
The EAT system is a promising option from energy conservation point of view, and it
extensively used for modern green building for space heating and cooling. The COP of
such a system found higher than the conventional AC. The performance of EAT system
highly depends on the depth of buried pipe, and it must be optimized. The length,
diameter and air velocity are other parameters, which affect the performance of a system.
At a depth of about 1.5-4m the temperature of ground remains almost constant. This
constant temperature is called earths undistributed temperature. The earths undistributed
temperature remains always higher than that of ambient air temperature in winter and vice
versa in summer. To utilize efficiently the heat capacity of the earth EAT system is to be
designed. The outlet of EATs can be connected to conventional air-conditioning unit, if
cooling or heating achieved is not sufficient. The use of green and clear energy in order to
minimize CFC emissions and to minimize conventional energy consumption is a prime
focus everywhere. The EAT systems can play a vital role in minimizing energy
consumption by preheating air for heating of different types of building in winter and vice
versa in summer. More the thermal conductivity of soil better is the thermal performance
of EAT system. If the length of the pipe is so small and the blower is of high voltage then
the system is useless because the temperature difference between inlet and outlet is very
less.

Earth Air Tunnel Heat Exchanger system is a recent technology to improve the quality of
life in developing countries like India and to reduce the electricity demand. EAT system
can be used as substitute for the conventional air conditioning system.

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18. REFERENCES
[1] An overview of passive cooling techniques in buildings: design concepts and
architectural interventions - Mohammed Arif Kamal.

[2] Solar passive techniques: Earth air tunnel Vishal Yardi, Utkarsh Jain, M. Islamuddin
Faraz.

[3] Analysis of various designing parameters for earth air tunnel heat exchanger system
Akshay Khot.

[4] A comprehensive review on eathe Ravindra Singh Jhala, Vikas Bansal. September
2016.

[5] Performance analysis of rectangular earth-air tunnel system used for air conditioning
of the college classroom - Arshdeep Singh, Ranjith Singh.

[6] A review on performance enhancement of air conditioner using earth air tunnel heat
exchanger Sameer Nadaf, Dipak Bhoge.

[7] Role of earth air tunnel systems to reduce the building air-conditioner load: a case
study analysis validating with stimulation approach G.R.K.D Satya Prasad, Amit
Kumar, Saista Anjum, Alakananda Sahu, Arunima Rana, Rajan Kumar. June 2016

[8] Design of earth-air heat exchanger system Trilok Singh Bisoniya. 2015

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