Abstract : |
Title: Sustainable energy reduction, production and management at PXL-Tech
Project Researcher: Amaia Larrañaga Arregui
Names of the promoters:
Vanheusden Gwen, Company promoter gwen.vanheusden@pxl.be
Vandormael Wim, Hogeschool PXL promoter wim.vandormael@pxl.be
This project is about the energy reduction, production and management of the PXL-Tech building in Diepenbeek. Its aim is to focus on geothermal energy and analyse if this energy production system would be viable for the building.
PXL-Tech building has an energy consumption which is over its real heating needs. Therefore, it is losing money and creating an environmental damage which can be avoided.
The main research question of this project is to know if it is profitable to install a geothermal system in the surroundings of the PXL-Tech building, in order to reduce the heating consumption. At the same time, this project will help to analyse the current heating system.
In order to get the results, a primary research was done about the characteristics of the building as well as, the technologies and machines that are related to geothermal energy. Moreover, some measurements to obtain data related to infiltration heat losses were made, as I will explain later.
Basing on this information, calculations to see the energy needs of the building were made and they were compared with the PXL-Tech’s current figures, so as to ensure that they were realistic. After that, the suitable geothermal system to fulfill these values was chosen.
Finally, an economic and environmental analysis of the new technology was made. In this way, it was possible to break down which improvements would suppose for the building the geothermal installation and also, which would be the negative aspects.
The results revealed that the new installation would suppose an important saving in terms of economy (%40, 74) and pollution (%29, 86). Nonetheless, there would be difficulties in terms of technology and available area for this installation. The building needs to have a considerable heating ability and there is not a big offer in the market among this kind of heat pumps. Likewise, the investment that has to be done would be considerable and the payback would be long (32 years).
Finally, some cogeneration technologies and suggestions were mentioned. It is said it could be interesting to make future analysis in this branch, owing to the fact that the energy needs either for electricity or heating are substantial and therefore, it could be a more suitable system for PXL-Tech. |