Data Centre waste heat storage within abandoned flooded mine workings

In response to growing climate targets and the need for innovative heat management solutions, Durham University, UK, is investigating the reuse of waste heat generated by its high-performance computing (HPC) data centre, which produces up to 1.5 MW of heat. This project explores the potential of repurposing abandoned, flooded mine workings beneath the campus for seasonal thermal energy storage. The system aims to capture surplus heat during the summer and store it within mine water reservoirs for reuse in winter coupled with heat pump technology for building heating, reducing emissions and investigating potential enhancement of campus-wide sustainability.

The Immersion Cooling and Heat Storage (ICHS) projectaddresses critical technical challenges: understanding subsurface water flow dynamics, determining heat injection and retrieval efficiencies, and optimizing borehole configurations between shallower and deeper worked coal seams. Various conceptual designs are evaluated, including dual-depth boreholes for enhanced separation of thermal flow. Initial feasibility assessments highlight opportunities to align this scheme with the university's phased heat network strategy, providing a living laboratory for geothermal research and renewable energy integration.

This presentation will share preliminary findings, insights into borehole site selection, and recommendations for future mine water energy storage schemes. The work contributes to a growing body of research on sustainable heat management in post-industrial landscapes, aligning with broader UK initiatives in Gateshead, Leeds and Edinburgh, as well as Glasgow with the established UKGEOS project.