IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science

PAPER • OPEN ACCESS You may also like

- Research on Benefit Analysis of CCHP-
Is Ground Source Heat Pump the Future of Space WSHP System in Vehicle to Building
Xin Zhao, Hailin Mu, Nan Li et al.
Cooling in Southeast Asia? - A novel testing and theoretical approach
for air-source heat-pump water heater with
flash tank vapor-injection
To cite this article: Arif Widiatmojo and Youhei Uchida 2023 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 1199 Liu Xianglong, Hu Guang, Zeng Zhi et al.
012030
- International patent analysis of water
source heat pump based on orbit
database
Na Li

View the article online for updates and enhancements.

This content was downloaded from IP address 103.178.218.4 on 13/10/2023 at 11:26

2nd ASEAN International Conference on Energy and Environment IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1199 (2023) 012030 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1199/1/012030

Is Ground Source Heat Pump the Future of Space Cooling in

Southeast Asia?

Arif Widiatmojo, Youhei Uchida

Renewable Energy Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science
and Technology (AIST), 2-2-9 Machiikedai, Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture 963-
0298

Corresponding email : arif.widiatmojo@aist.go.jp

Abstract. The rapid economic growth of Southeast Asian countries is followed by accelerated
population and energy demand growth. On the other hand, the region still relies heavily on
fossil fuels as the primary source of electricity. As a result, there is a growing concern about
future regional energy sustainability. Space cooling has become one of the fastest-growing
energy sectors. Introducing a new space cooling technology capable of providing a higher
thermal efficiency can be an alternative solution. The Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) is a
proven technology to reduce the required energy for space cooling and heating in four-season
countries. However, its performance in the tropical climate is still questionable. This paper
describes the challenges of GSHP application in tropical climates, such as in Southeast Asia.
The research conducted to investigate the suitability of GSHP system application in Southeast
Asia is also discussed. While more data are being gathered from several GSHP pilot tests in
Vietnam and Thailand, the short to medium-term performance data analysis shows its
advantages over the conventional Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) or standard air conditioner.
However, extensive research is still required to evaluate its long-term performance and the
financial advantages over the ASHP.

Keywords: Ground source heat pump, Southeast asia, electricity demand, space cooling

1. Introduction
Thailand accounts for 21.7% of the primary energy demand in Southeast Asia [1]. By 2015, the
national primary energy consumption and total electricity generation were respectively 135 million
tons of oil equivalent and 178 TWh, with fossil fuel accounting for 80.7% and 91.6%, respectively. In
2017, the generation of electricity emitted 96.035 MT of CO2 [2]. Thailand is the second larges energy
consumer in Southeast Asia and is heavily dependent on energy imports due to its limited energy
resources. Vietnam is one of the countries in the region with the fastest economic growth. While coal
is the largest energy source for electricity generation (53%), the share of renewable energy from
hydroelectric generation is 26%. The significant renewable energy share is advantageous. However,
the rapidly growing energy demand poses another challenge for the government.
Space cooling is one of the fastest-growing energy sectors in the world. The demand for air
conditioners has increased rapidly in Southeast Asia, accelerated by population and economic growth,
climate change, and a higher demand for comfort. In the region, the residential sector accounts for the

Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution
of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd 1
2nd ASEAN International Conference on Energy and Environment IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1199 (2023) 012030 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1199/1/012030

second-highest electricity demand after the industrial sector, growing at an average annual rate of
7.5%, primarily due to the increasing number of electrical appliances [3]. The ever-increasing energy
and electricity demand, including in the space cooling sector, has led to a growing concern about
future energy sustainability in the region. In addition, Southeast Asian countries have also established
strict roadmaps toward achieving 2050 net-zero carbon emissions. Therefore, introducing an efficient
space-cooling technology becomes essential [5]–[6].
The Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association reported that in 2018, Indonesia,
Vietnam, and Thailand were respectively the first, second, and third countries in terms of air
conditioner demands, with a total of 2.3 million, 2 million, and 1.5 million units per year. Further, the
annual regional air conditioner demand increased from 12.2 million units in 2011 to 16.4 million units
in 2016, equivalent to an average annual growth rate of 6.1%. Japan leads the Southeast Asian air
conditioners market, followed by South Korean and Chinese manufacturers.
The Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) has been proven as an efficient way to reduce energy
consumption compared to Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) or typical air conditioners. However, it
remains unknown whether GSHP could perform efficiently over a long period under Southeast Asian
climate and specific geological conditions.

2. Barriers to GSHP application in Southeast Asia

Applying GSHP in tropical regions such as Southeast Asia encounters several challenges. These
challenges can be classified into technical, financial, social, and policy [7].

2.1. Technical barriers

2.1.1. Absence of seasonal thermal balance

The application of GSHP in four-season countries allows a thermal balance between heat rejection
(summer) and heat extraction (winter). The annual heat rejection/extraction cycle allows seasonal
thermal energy storage. In tropical regions, GSHP is applied mainly for cooling, where the heat is
continuously rejected into the ground. Consequently, the ground temperature will gradually increase,
reducing the heat pump's thermal efficiency. Researches have found that the presence of groundwater,
high rainfall rate, and the proper design of ground heat exchanger could alleviate the long-term
thermal build-up. However, more research is still required [7].

2.1.2. High ground temperature

A GSHP thermal efficiency is highly dependent on the ground temperature. In most four-season
countries, the average ground temperature within 100 m is around 15 – 17 OC. The higher temperature
difference between the ground and atmospheric (air) increases the thermal advantages of GSHP. While
the temperature difference between air and ground in tropical countries is small, the thermal efficiency
is supposed to be lower than in four-seasons regions. Figure 1 shows the temperature difference
between ground and air based on the groundwater surveys in the Bangkok area.

Ground temperature

Ambient temperature Ground temperature

Ambient
temperature

Figure 1. Ground temperature and ambient (atmospheric) temperature range in Bangkok (left) and
Hanoi (right)

2
2nd ASEAN International Conference on Energy and Environment IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1199 (2023) 012030 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1199/1/012030

2.1.3. Challenging design and installation

The GSHP system requires the installation of ground heat exchangers. Two types of closed-loop
arrangements are commonly used, vertical and horizontal ground heat exchangers. The vertical closed-
loop system requires the construction of boreholes for the heat exchanger pipes. In contrast, the heat
exchangers are buried at a relatively shallow ground level in the horizontal closed-loop system. Other
systems incorporate the open-loop system by pumping water to the surface as a heat carrier and re-
inject back into the aquifers. Despite the availability of the choices for the installation, it still requires
the proper design and execution. On the other hand, the installation of ASHP is simple and widely
known.

2.1.4. Lack of thermal performance data in the tropical region

To the author's knowledge, there is still limited research focused on the performance evaluation o
GSHP in the tropical region. The performance data is crucial to analyze the GSHP application in
different geological conditions, ground heat exchanger design, and heat loads. It is also important to
provide further consideration for system optimization and design.

2.2. Financial barriers

2.2.1. High investment cost

Compared to ASHP, a GSHP system requires higher installation costs. Borehole construction costs an
average of 50 to 70% of the total upfront cost, depending on various onsite conditions. Also, the
GSHP system requires a heat exchanger pipe and a uniquely designed heat pump unit, including the
additional labor installation cost. In the future, the introduction of GSHP into the regional air
conditioner market will be affected by the cost competitiveness of the GSHP itself. The major
challenge would be to design and optimize the GSHP system to get the highest thermal performance
while reducing the investment cost [8].

2.2.2. No existing market

Currently, the market in Southeast Asia is still unavailable. With the increasing demand for ASHP,
there is a potential market for the GSHP if the system’s suitability for the regional climate and
geological conditions can be proved.

2.2.3. Low electricity price

Most electricity prices in Southeast Asian countries are still heavily dependent on financial subsidies
from the respective government. The low electricity price reduces the competitiveness of energy
saving by the GSHP application. Despite its current low price, the general trend shows the increasing
price over time, which could make the energy saving by the GSHP application more attractive [9].

2.2.4. No government incentives

At present, the incentives from the government aimed at the promotion of higher-efficiency appliances
are still limited. Furthermore, the GSHP system is still beyond the scope of priorities for most
Southeast Asian governments.

2.3. Social barriers

2.3.1. Lack of knowledge of GSHP technology

Although the GSHP is a mature and proven technology, the technology is still less known to most
Southeast Asian people.

2.3.2. Lack of awareness of energy conservation

Another important factor restricting the use of highly efficient appliances is the lack of awareness on
energy conservation. Based on the author’s personal account, AC users in Southeast Asian countries
often set the AC temperature lower than the typical value for average indoor thermal comfort.

3
2nd ASEAN International Conference on Energy and Environment IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1199 (2023) 012030 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1199/1/012030

2.4. Policy barriers

The introduction of GSHP will require active support from policymakers. The policy should be able to
provide an attractive solution for the GSHP application. It can be in any form: direct incentives, tax
policy, competitive research funding, providing facilities for GSHP research, and accelerating
collaborative research.

3. Research on GSHP application in Southeast Asia

The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) have established
research collaborations with Thailand and Vietnam to introduce the GSHP system and investigate its
applicability. So far, four GSHP systems have been installed to provide essential thermal performance
data. The detail of the research output can be found in the published articles [9–12].

3.1. Thailand
A total of three systems have been installed in Thailand in collaboration with Chulalongkorn
University and the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) of Thailand.

3.1.1. Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok Campus

A GSHP system was established in 2014 utilizing two vertical borehole heat exchangers with a single
U-tube configuration. Due to imperfect drilling, one borehole collapsed, leaving only 15m depth for
the heat exchanger pipe. A 50m single U-tube heat exchanger was successfully installed in another
borehole. A GSHP with 4 kW cooling capacity was installed alongside an ASHP with 3.42 kW
cooling capacity for performance comparison (see figure 2). Figure 3 is an example of a performance
comparison between GSHP and ASHP [8]. The result shows an average of 28.6% less electricity by
using GSHP than ASHP for a given temperature. Further analysis of this system can be found in
[9,11,12].
Broken
ASHP

ASHP
GSHP

Figure 2. A GSHP system installed in Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok Campus

Figure 3. Power consumption comparison between GSHP and ASHP against outside air temperature
(reproduced from [9])

4
2nd ASEAN International Conference on Energy and Environment IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1199 (2023) 012030 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1199/1/012030

3.1.2. Chulalongkorn University, Saraburi Campus

At this site, two GSHP systems were installed and connected to a ground heat exchanger loop. The
first GSHP (herein after GSHP 1) is a system similar to that installed on the Bangkok campus. The
second GSHP (GSHP 2) is a locally modified GSHP system from an ASHP (see figure 4). This
arrangement allows a direct comparison of the thermal performance between two GSHP systems.
Additionally, an ASHP was also installed for further comparative analysis. All three systems were
installed in a laboratory room for cooling purposes.
The ground heat exchanger loop was installed in the horizontal arrangement. The arrangement
significantly reduces the installation cost as the drilling is omitted. However, the shallow ground
temperature fluctuates following the atmospheric temperature and also sensitive to direct solar
radiation. Thus, the shallow/horizontal ground heat exchanger is expected to have less thermal
performance than the vertical ground exchanger.
Figure 5 shows the installation of the ground heat exchanger loop by human labor. Figure 6 shows the
power consumption comparison between GSHP 1, GSHP 2, and ASHP during two different periods.
From December to January, which is the lowest temperature period, GSHP 1 and GSHP 2 consumed
40.3% and 15.1% less energy, respectively, compared to ASHP. Even though both GSHPs utilize the
same ground heat exchanger, GSHP 1, equipped with an inverter, consumed lower energy than GSHP
2. However, the advantage does not exist during the hottest period, from May to June.
This study confirms two significant results. Firstly, the advantage of the GSHP system with shallow
ground heat exchangers over the ASHP and, secondly possibility of cost reduction of GSHP by local
production of GSHP system. These two considerations provide insight into the possible cost reduction
scenario.

Figure 4. Modification of an ASHP into a GSHP by replacing the main heat exchanger unit

Capillary
mat

Figure 5. Installation of horizontal ground heat exchanger loop in Chulalongkorn University, Saraburi
campus

5
2nd ASEAN International Conference on Energy and Environment IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1199 (2023) 012030 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1199/1/012030

May - June Dec-Jan

900
17.1% 18.5%

Average Power Consumption (Watt)

800
40.3% 15.1%
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
GSHP 1 GSHP 2 ASHPAC
Normal

Figure 6. Power consumption comparison between GSHP 1, GSHP 2 and ASHP, considering
different season in Thailand (reproduced from [10])

3.1.3. Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) of Thailand

The third GSHP system in Thailand was installed in the Geological museum, Department of Mineral
Resources (DMR) of Thailand. The system utilizes two vertical borehole heat exchangers with a
double U-tube configuration. The system is used to cool the museum’s souvenir shop.
Figure 7. shows the installation of the GSHP system on this site. The research focus in this test facility
is to evaluate the flow configuration of underground heat exchanger fluid. As can be seen in Figure 8,
two piping configurations, namely parallel-series and series-parallel, were evaluated. The result
indicates the advantage of parallel-series configuration by the average Coefficient of Performance
(COP) difference of 0.24. However, further studies are required to evaluate the effect of number of
boreholes, fluid flowrate and other operational conditions.

Figure 7. Installation of the GSHP system in Geological Museum, Department of Mineral Resources
(DMR) of Thailand.
From HP From HP

To HP To HP

BH-1 BH-2 BH-1 BH-2

Parallel-Series Series-Parallel

Figure 8. Comparison of paralel-series to series-paralel configuration of ground heat exchanger

[reproduced from [10]].

6
2nd ASEAN International Conference on Energy and Environment IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1199 (2023) 012030 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1199/1/012030

3.2. Vietnam
In 2016, AIST established a GSHP system in collaboration with Vietnam Institute of Geoscience and
Mineral Resources (VIGMR). The system utilizes two 50 m vertical borehole heat exchangers with the
double U-tube configuration. Unlike in Thailand, the climate condition of Hanoi allows both cooling
and heating. The installation of ground heat exchanger at this site is shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9. Installation of ground heat exchanger pipes in VIGMR

4. Long-term performance evaluation

The average lifespan of a GSHP system is more than 20 years. The ground heat exchanger can last
over 50 years with proper design and installation. However, the major challenge is to evaluate the heat
transfer phenomena surrounding the ground heat exchanger. The ground temperature evolution
depends on the ground thermal properties, type of ground heat exchanger, and thermal loads. Thus,
estimating the thermal evolution throughout the lifespan of the GSHP is critically essential to estimate
its performance.
Continuous data are being gathered from all four installed GSHP systems. In addition, any technical
problem is also recorded to provide insight from the maintenance point of view. The results are
essential for further analysis and to gain insight into GSHP applicability in the region
A numerical simulation can also provide tools for such long-term performance analysis. However,
several simplifications must be employed to provide sufficient calculation time and results.

5. The role of groundwater flow and further research

Naturally, heat transfer in any porous media occurs in two mechanisms, diffusion (or conduction) and
advection (or convection). In the absence of flowing fluid, diffusive heat transfer takes place. While
the advective-diffusive heat transfer occurs when fluid flows within the pores.

Space Cooling

TE

Heat
pump
Ground
heat
Diffusive
exchanger Heat transfer (only) heat
transfer
TG Diffusive-
Advective heat
Ground as heat sink transfer
(enhanced)

Groundwater Flow

Figure 10. Illustration of diffusive-advective heat transfer due to the presence of groundwater flow
and its role in enhancing the GSHP performance

7
2nd ASEAN International Conference on Energy and Environment IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1199 (2023) 012030 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1199/1/012030

Heat Exchange
Rate (W/m)
15 - 18
18 - 21
21 - 25
25 - 29

Groundwater Temp. Survey Hydrogeological Model GSHP Suitability map

Figure 11. Future research on GSHP application, considering the hydrological condition of Bandung
basin
The advective-diffusive heat transfer is exceptionally beneficial for applying GSHP as it can dissipate
heat rapidly from/to ground heat exchangers (see also Figure 10). The detailed study of local
geological and hydrogeological conditions enables a better evaluation of ground heat transfer
phenomena.
Future research will be focused on the borehole heat transfer rate by considering the regional
groundwater resources. The study area is the Bandung basin. The AIST expects collaboration with
Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and the Indonesian Geological Agency to conduct joint
research. The research is divided into three phases: groundwater temperature and hydrogeological
surveys, creating a regional hydrogeological model, and establishing the regional GSHP suitability
map (see Figure 11).

6. Conclusion
There are several challenges to further introducing the GSHP technology in the Southeast Asian
market. Four GSHP systems have been installed in Thailand and Vietnam to learn how GSHP could
perform in a tropical climate like Southeast Asia. The short-medium term data have shown the
advantages of GSHP over ASHP. However, long-term performance data, which is still being gathered,
is required to analyze the long-term applicability of GSHP systems in Southeast Asia. One of the most
prominent factors affecting the performance of GSHP is the heat transfer rate by groundwater
advection. The measurement of ground temperatures and modeling of the hydrogeological condition
of an area are particularly essential to provide insight into the GSHP performance. Based on the
findings, future research will focus on groundwater temperature surveys and the establishment of the
hydrogeological model combined with the ground heat transfer potential.

7. References

[1] IEA 2017 Southeast Asia Energy Outlook 2017

[2] Ministry of Energy of The Kingdom of Thailand 2018 Energy Statistic of Thailand
[3] Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association (JRAIA) 2019 World Air
Conditioner Demand by Region
[4] Abas A E P and Mahlia T M I 2018 Development of energy labels based on consumer
perspective: Room air conditioners as a case study in Brunei Darussalam Energy Reports 4 pp
671–81
[5] ASEAN-SHINE 2015 Promotion of Higher Efficiency Air Conditioners in ASEAN: A Regional
policy Roadmap
[6] Karytsas S and Choropanitis I 2017 Barriers against and actions towards renewable energy
technologies diffusion: A Principal Component Analysis for residential ground source heat

8
2nd ASEAN International Conference on Energy and Environment IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1199 (2023) 012030 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1199/1/012030

pump (GSHP) systems Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 78 pp 252–71

[7] Garber D, Choudhary R and Soga K 2013 Risk based lifetime costs assessment of a ground
source heat pump (GSHP) system design: Methodology and case study Build. Environ. 60 pp
66–80
[8] Park N, Jung S, Park H, Choi H, Chin S and Jung H 2010 Payback period estimation of
ground-source and air-source multi heat pumps in Korea based on yearly running cost
simulation Int. Refregeration Air Cond. Conf. p 1146
[9] Widiatmojo A, Shimada Y, Takashima I, Uchida Y, Chotpantarat S, Charusiri P and Navephap
J 2021 Evaluation and Short-Term Test on Potential Utilization of Ground Source Heat Pump
for Space Cooling in Southeast Asia Advances in Sustainable Construction and Resource
Management ed H Hazarika, G S P Madabhushi, K Yasuhara and D T Bergado (Springer
Singapore) pp 745–70
[10] Widiatmojo A, Uchida Y, Fujii H, Kosukegawa H, Takashima I, Shimada Y, Chotpantarat S,
Charusiri P and Tran T T 2021 Numerical simulations on potential application of ground
source heat pumps with vertical ground heat exchangers in Bangkok and Hanoi Energy Reports
7 pp 6932–44
[11] Shimada Y, Uchida Y, Takashima I, Chotpantarat S, Widiatmojo A, Chokchai S, Charusiri P,
Kurishima H and Tokimatsu K 2020 A study on the operational condition of a ground source
heat pump in Bangkok based on a field experiment and simulation Energies 13 p 274
[12] Chokchai S, Chotpantarat S, Takashima I, Uchida Y, Widiatmojo A, Yasukawa K and
Charusiri P 2018 A Pilot Study on Geothermal Heat Pump (GHP) Use for Cooling Operations,
and on GHP Site Selection in Tropical Regions Based on a Case Study in Thailand Energies 11
p 2356

Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank to Ms. Sasimook Chokchai; Mr. Podchana Jamngoen of the
Department of Geology, Chulalongkorn University; Mr. Narongsuk Sodsaard of the Faculty of
Science, Chulalongkorn University, for providing assistant for system installation and data
management
This research is financially supported by:
• The Leading Initiative for Excellent Young Researcher (LEADER), Ministry of Education, Culture,
Sport, Science and Technology, Japan
• The National Research University Project, Office of Higher Education Commission (WCU-58-017-
EN and NRU59-052-EN)
• The Thammasat University Research Fund under the Research University Network (RUN)
initiative
• Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Program in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP),
Development of Renewable Energy for Ground Source Heat Pump system (Sub-Project)