Seasonal thermal energy storage
Inter-seasonal thermal energy storage also called seasonal thermal energy storage (STES) works in a very similar way to ground source heat pumps in that heat or coolth is store in, effectively, a battery with the main difference being that rather than extracting the existing heat or coolth from the ground via the coupling effect, it actively stores heat in the ground for use many months later.
Most inter-seasonal systems are heating systems that use solar collection to increase the amount of heat energy collected during warmer summer months. The solar collection systems can be relatively simple with a network of pipes laid close to the surface beneath a dark heavy finish, such as black tarmac. As such they can be laid beneath road systems, car parks or playgrounds. Similar to ground source heat pumps, a second system of pipework is installed deeper into the ground, or potentially beneath a buildings foundations.
At a depth of around 7 metres the earth's temperature tends to remain at a natural constant 10 degrees, which is the temperature standard ground source heat pumps run at, in these seasonal systems the extra heat within the solar collectors beneath the surface is pumped down to the deeper levels to achieve a constant temperature of around degrees. The ground loops are specifically designed to be able to take these increased levels of heat and store this over longer periods of time. In the colder winter months when outside temperatures are lower, the heat from the deep pipe systems is extracted via a heat pump and can be used to heat buildings during the colder months.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
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