Modeling of driveway as a solar collector for improving efficiency of solar assisted geothermal heat pump system: a case study

It is well known that rooftop solar thermal panels increase both power rates of circulation pumps and initial investment cost of solar assisted ground source (geothermal) systems. To avoid both of them it means that the unnecessary energy consumption rates of circulation pump(s) and their initial capital cost, rather than installing rooftop solar thermal panels, driveways can be used as solar collectors for improving efficiency of geothermal heat pump systems (GSHP) and declining initial capital cost of SAGSHPs. Mainly this idea was first put in the middle by Jefferson W. Tester. In this paper, we will examine modeling of driveway as solar thermal panel to enhance efficiency of solar assisted geothermal heat pump system (SAGSHP) depends on its different operating types; yet we will give only a case that is investigated theoretically for solar assisted geothermal heat pump systems. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.