Numerical Analysis of the Effect of Floor Depression on the Extent of Thermal Interaction with the Ground and Energy Management Using a Vegetable Cold Store as an Example

Abstract

The thermal interaction between cooling facilities and the ground is most often discussed in terms of the appropriate insulation of building partitions. Unfortunately, there is little information about the potential of using ground thermal accumulation to support the shaping of the microclimate in cooling facilities by embedding them in the ground. This problem is particularly important in the context of striving to reduce the energy demand of buildings. The article discusses a new scientific problem related to the effect of vegetable cold storage floors being recessed into the ground on the surrounding land’s impact range and on its energy management. Validation of the numerical model was performed based on actual year-round field surveys. These surveys were conducted in a free-standing vegetable cold storage facility located in southern Poland. The results of the study allowed us to determine the contribution of the land to the energy balance of the cold storage. A floor recessed into the ground doubled the ground’s contribution to the energy balance. The most important research results showed that the range of thermal impact on the surrounding ground also increased by 2.0 m more than that of a building with the floor located at ground level. An evaluation of the heat flow between the cold storage and the ground in the cases analyzed was also carried out. The analysis of the ground heat exchange balance on an annual basis showed high energy gains of 2055 kWh. The total energy demand for cooling was 1723 kWh, while it was 1204 kWh for heating. The results of the analysis of the heat exchange intensity between the indoor air and the ground showed that the ground contribution accounted for 16.6% of the total energy balance of the cold storage. The highest energy gains from the ground were found in October and amounted to 478 kWh. Due to the summer shutdown, there was an intense heat flow to the ground in July, which amounted to 588 kWh.