Passive cooling in buildings using earth–air heat exchangers

Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV)

Confidenciality: No

Education area(s): Sistemes i Tecnologies de Conversió d'Energia

APS: No

Title in different languages: Passive cooling in buildings using earth–air heat exchangers

Abstract: This thesis investigates the application of Earth–Air Heat Exchangers (EAHEs) as a passive cooling strategy under the climatic and soil conditions of Tarragona and Poltava. Numerical simulations in COMSOL Multiphysics model transient heat transfer in buried pipes, while parametric analyses assess the effects of pipe length, diameter, depth, and air velocity. Results demonstrate summer indoor air temperature reductions of up to 8 °C, with optimal performance observed at burial depths of 4.5 m. The study confirms that EAHEs offer an effective, energy-efficient alternative to conventional cooling, enhancing building resilience and sustainability in the face of climate change.

Subject: Refrigeració

Academic year: 2024-2025

Language: en

Work's public defense date: 2025-09-10

Subject areas: Mechanical engineering

Student: Tron, Nataliia

Department: Enginyeria Mecànica

Creation date in repository: 2026-03-23

Keywords: Earth-Air Heat Exchanger, passive cooling, Comsol Multiphysics

Title in original language: Passive cooling in buildings using earth–air heat exchangers

Access Rights: info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Project director: Bourouis Chebata, Mahmoud