Abstract
Earth Air Heat Exchangers (EAHE) are passive earth contact heating/cooling systems. They are the most environmentally friendly and easy to operate and install. This study evaluates the performance of an open-loop EAHE, cooling a solar building (greenhouse) at Ege University Solar Energy Institute in Turkey. Using experimental data, it compares the practicality and environmental implications with conventional cooling methods. EAHE performance tests were realized at the Bornova Site during 138 days of the cooling season between April 26 and September 15, 2024. The system achieved an average COP of 6.5, which demonstrated its high efficiency The EAHE’s exergy efficiency of 74.8% verifies the design applicability. The system used just 0.76 kW of electrical power to meet the average cooling load of 5 kW. A system operating for 12hrs/day would reduce the CO2 emissions by >2 kg/day based on a global average 475 g/kWh CO2 emissions. This shows a great potential to reduce CO2 emissions operating year-round in all kinds of buildings. The system's performance demonstrates the high potential of EAHE systems when compared with conventional cooling methods. Since building cooling demand has been increasing globally, additional research is warranted in the design of EAHE systems for all kinds of buildings.