Temperature Drainage and Environmental Impact of Water Source Heat Pump Energy Station

Abstract

The discharge of warm water from water source heat pump (WSHP) energy stations can cause local changes in the water temperature, leading to changes in the water quality around and downstream of the discharge outlet, resulting in a cumulative effect that alters the aquatic habitat elements and affects the ecosystem stability. This study took the demonstration project of the water source heat pump energy station in the Hankou Binjiang International Business District of Wuhan City as an example. Based on measured data, this study established the control equation for the warm water discharge of the project and used FLUENT 2022 R1 software to establish a numerical model of warm water diffusion. This study analyzed the changes in discharge water temperature during unfavorable conditions in both summer and winter during dry and wet seasons by using four parameters: equal area surface, volume, length, and width of the area of influence. The results suggest that the impact of the project’s warm water discharge on the temperature of the river body will quickly decay and its impact range will be limited. Hence, the project will not have adverse effects on the water and ecological environment in the mid–lower reaches of the Yangtze River.