The role of passive cooling in the thermal balance of the ground and in improving the efficiency of a ground-source heat pump system
author:
AGNIESZKA CHMIELEWSKA, EWELINA STEFANOWICZ, JULIA SAWICKA
ORCID ID:
0000-0002-8362-5035, 0000-0001-9216-9046
No:
10/2025 Instal pp.7-13
DOI:
10.36119/15.2025.10.1
This paper presents an analysis of the impact of ground heat regeneration on the efficiency of a ground source heat
pump (GSHP) system in a residential building located in Wrocław, Poland. Based on a dynamic energy model
developed in TAS EDSL [1] and a borehole heat exchanger simulation using Earth Energy Designer [2], two system
variants were compared: one with passive cooling (free-cooling) and other without passive cooling. The results show
that regeneration of ground heat exchanger during the summer allows for higher brine inlet temperature, stabilized
heat pump operation, and improved seasonal performance factor (SCOPon). Passive cooling also enhances indoor
thermal comfort at a relatively low energy cost. The study confirms the importance of designing GSHP systems with
integrated summer regeneration as a means to improve long-term energy efficiency and environmental performance.
Keywords:
About Authors:
dr inż. Agnieszka Chmielewska, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8362-5035, dr inż. Ewelina Stefanowicz, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9216-9046,
mgr inż. Julia Sawicka ‒ Katedra Klimatyzacji, Ogrzewnictwa, Gazownictwa i Ochrony Powietrza, Politechnika Wrocławska, Wrocław, Polska
Corresponding author: agnieszka.chmielewska@pwr.edu.pl
