Research progress and challenges of energy diaphragm wall

Abstract

Energy diaphragm walls (EDWs) harness shallow geothermal energy through the internal circulation of fluid in heat exchange pipes, thereby providing buildings with energy-efficient, low-carbon, and sustainable energy solutions. However, the influencing factors of EDWs are complex and are subject to the coupling effects of multiple physical fields. To deeply understand the operational mechanism of EDWs and promote the development and engineering application of this technology, this paper comprehensively reviews the current state of research on engineering cases, experimental studies, and numerical calculations concerning heat exchange efficiency, thermodynamic behavior, analysis/design methods, and multi-field coupling of the walls. A review of previous research indicates: 1) the optimal spacing between HEPs in EDWs can be designed based on the anticipated geothermal energy extraction cost; 2) the stress caused by temperature changes in the wall is greater than that caused by excavation, and the thermal stress within the wall is unevenly distributed, leading to the creation of bending moments; 3) reducing the spacing between pipes can improve heat exchange efficiency in the short-term, but has minimal long-term impact and increases costs. This work can provide technical references and directions for development for researchers and related practitioners.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

EDW / geothermal energy / heat transfer efficiency / thermo-mechanical response / multi-field coupling

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