A geothermal system includes an outer vessel having a sidewall that is in contact with surrounding ground material. A geothermal pile is disposed within an interior volume of the outer vessel, wherein a first heat conducting liquid at least partially fills a space between an inner surface of the sidewall of the outer vessel and an outer surface of the geothermal pile when in an installed condition. A conduit disposed within an interior space of the geothermal pile conducts a second heat conducting liquid along a flow path within the geothermal pile toward a bottom end thereof and then back to an outlet at a top end thereof. During operation, heat is transferred from the surrounding ground to the second heat conducting liquid via the first heat conducting liquid within the space between the inner surface of the sidewall of the outer vessel and the outer surface of the geothermal pile.

A geothermal system includes an outer vessel having a sidewall that is in contact with surrounding ground material. A geothermal pile is disposed within an interior volume of the outer vessel, wherein a first heat conducting liquid at least partially fills a space between an inner surface of the sidewall of the outer vessel and an outer surface of the geothermal pile when in an installed condition. A conduit disposed within an interior space of the geothermal pile conducts a second heat conducting liquid along a flow path within the geothermal pile toward a bottom end thereof and then back to an outlet at a top end thereof. During operation, heat is transferred from the surrounding ground to the second heat conducting liquid via the first heat conducting liquid within the space between the inner surface of the sidewall of the outer vessel and the outer surface of the geothermal pile.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a road pavement comprising pipes of a device for a heat exchanger, comprising the following steps: a) digging a course to create grooves extending in a same direction and strips connecting the grooves, then b) laying the pipe having a crushing strength higher than 2 000N per linear metre of pipe at 100° C. into the grooves created in step a); and then c) filling the empty space left free by the pipe in the grooves with an asphalt mix having a working temperature lower than 160° C., based on: a hydrocarbon binder, at least 90% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the asphalt mix, of an aggregate fraction the elements of which have dimensions less than 10 mm, and comprising from 30% to 60% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the aggregate fraction, of sand, d) applying a surface course for a road pavement.

An extraplanetary habitat system includes a habitat located on a site including a layer of regolith material and one or more heat-generating systems located in the habitat. A heat exchanger is operably connected to the habitat. The heat exchanger is located beneath the layer of regolith material and is configured to conduct the heat from the habitat into the layer of regolith material. A method of cooling one or more heat generating components of an extraplanetary habitat includes directing a flow of fluid from the habitat to a heat exchanger located beneath a layer of regolith material, exchanging thermal energy between the flow of fluid and the regolith material, thereby cooling the volume of fluid, and directing the flow of fluid from the heat exchanger to the habitat, thus cooling the habitat.

An extraplanetary habitat system includes a habitat located on a site including a layer of regolith material and one or more heat-generating systems located in the habitat. A heat exchanger is operably connected to the habitat. The heat exchanger is located beneath the layer of regolith material and is configured to conduct the heat from the habitat into the layer of regolith material. A method of cooling one or more heat generating components of an extraplanetary habitat includes directing a flow of fluid from the habitat to a heat exchanger located beneath a layer of regolith material, exchanging thermal energy between the flow of fluid and the regolith material, thereby cooling the volume of fluid, and directing the flow of fluid from the heat exchanger to the habitat, thus cooling the habitat.

The invention provides in one embodiment a heat exchanger module (1) comprising a) a flexible support (100); b) at least one tubular member (200) having its main axis substantially parallel with the plane of the flexible support (100); c) a conductive flexible matrix (300) embedding the at least one tubular member (200); and d) a flexible case (400) enwrapping the flexible support (100), the at least one tubular member (200) and the conductive flexible matrix (300). A coating for a built environment comprising a plurality of heat exchanger modules (1) can be implemented, as well as a system further including pumping means (600). The invention also foresees a method for providing heat exchange processes between the heat exchanger module (1), the coating or the system of the invention and a built environment.

The invention provides in one embodiment a heat exchanger module (1) comprising a) a flexible support (100); b) at least one tubular member (200) having its main axis substantially parallel with the plane of the flexible support (100); c) a conductive flexible matrix (300) embedding the at least one tubular member (200); and d) a flexible case (400) enwrapping the flexible support (100), the at least one tubular member (200) and the conductive flexible matrix (300). A coating for a built environment comprising a plurality of heat exchanger modules (1) can be implemented, as well as a system further including pumping means (600). The invention also foresees a method for providing heat exchange processes between the heat exchanger module (1), the coating or the system of the invention and a built environment.

The disclosed technology includes methods of extracting geothermal energy, generally comprising the steps of: insertion of a thermal mass into a Heat Absorption Zone, absorbing heat in thermal mass, raising the thermal mass to a Heat Transfer Zone, and transferring the heat from the thermal mass. The acquired heat can be used to generate electricity or to drive an industrial process. The thermal mass can have internal chambers containing a liquid such as molten salt, and can also have structures facilitating heat exchange using a thermal exchange fluid, such as a gas or a glycol-based fluid. In some embodiments, two thermal masses are used as counterweights, reducing the energy consumed in bringing the heat in the thermal masses to the surface. In other embodiments, solid or molten salt can be directly supplied to a well shaft to acquire geothermal heat and returned to the surface in a closed loop system.

The disclosed technology includes methods of extracting geothermal energy, generally comprising the steps of: insertion of a thermal mass into a Heat Absorption Zone, absorbing heat in thermal mass, raising the thermal mass to a Heat Transfer Zone, and transferring the heat from the thermal mass. The acquired heat can be used to generate electricity or to drive an industrial process. The thermal mass can have internal chambers containing a liquid such as molten salt, and can also have structures facilitating heat exchange using a thermal exchange fluid, such as a gas or a glycol-based fluid. In some embodiments, two thermal masses are used as counterweights, reducing the energy consumed in bringing the heat in the thermal masses to the surface. In other embodiments, solid or molten salt can be directly supplied to a well shaft to acquire geothermal heat and returned to the surface in a closed loop system.

Disclosed herein are various embodiments of systems for drilling and operating a well which may have dual uses. The well may be drilled and operated as a geothermal well using a hybrid approach where a heat transfer fluid is injected into a hot rock formation but is not removed, and heat is extracted using a closed loop method. The geothermal well is then evaluated for use as a carbon dioxide sequestration well. In other embodiments, the well is drilled as a carbon dioxide sequestration well and then evaluated for its potential for generating geothermal energy using a hybrid approach where supercritical carbon dioxide is injected into a hot rock formation but is not removed, and heat is extracted using a closed loop method. Both horizontal and vertical wells are disclosed, in sedimentary rocks and in basement granite.