Alternative hydronic pavement heating system using deep direct use of geothermal hot water

Researchers have studied and well documented several alternative snow-melting and de-icing systems. In addition to the snow-melting efficiency of such systems, they are considered to be more environmentally friendly than traditional mechanical or chemical de-icing procedures and more economical than some other alternative snow-melting methods. The most important factor for a hydronic heating system is the heat source. In western North Dakota, six aquifers have been identified in the Williston Basin that can provide geothermal hot water for direct use. Ancillary to these aquifers, co-production wells used in the oil industry may also provide hot water for use in a hydronic heating system. Given the availability of these aquifers and co-production wells, the focus of this study is the numerical analysis (using a finite element method) of a piped hydronic pavement heating system. The analysis results are examined in terms of available scenarios for the direct use of geothermal hot water that consider water temperature, volumetric flow rate, and the heat requirements for weather conditions in western North Dakota. This paper presents and discusses the results in terms of the temperatures of the heated pavement and the outlet temperatures of water after it has circulated through embedded pipes.