Assessing and Designing a Pilot Aquathermal System on the TU Delft Campus

An aquathermal energy system is a sustainable heating and cooling technology for buildings by utilizing low-grade thermal energy from water sources. This contribution presents a full scale pilot at the TU Delft campus that investigates and show-cases the potential of a campus pond to supply thermal energy to the Firma van Buiten (FvB) building, which is a restaurant/meeting location.

The contribution focuses on sensor integration and data acquisition, heat balance modeling, and design considerations for an aquathermal system. Initially, a field campaign was conducted to assess the pond's dimensions, collect bathymetric data, and install temperature sensors at various locations and depths.

The heat balance model uses data from the pond and a nearby weather station to quantify temperature effects on the surface water system. By performing a heat balance of the water body, considering various factors, including solar radiation, wind speed, air temperature, and heat fluxes, the study evaluates the extractable thermal energy from the pond and assesses its suitability for low-temperature heating and cooling applications.

Finally, a design analysis of the pilot aquathermal system is presented, considering technical feasibility, integration with existing building energy systems, and potential scalability across the campus. The contribution also provides recommendations for implementing a more sophisticated data acquisition and monitoring system.

The findings provide practical insights for advancing sustainable energy solutions in dense urban environments and support the broader implementation of aquathermal technologies in the Netherlands.