Publication detail

Technology for Hot Spring Cooling and Geothermal Heat Utilization: A Case Study for Balneology Facility

VONDRA, M. BUZÍK, J. HORŇÁK, D. PROCHÁZKOVÁ, M. MIKLAS, V. TOUŠ, M. JEGLA, Z. MÁŠA, V.

Original Title

Technology for Hot Spring Cooling and Geothermal Heat Utilization: A Case Study for Balneology Facility

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

Reducing energy costs in Europe is more challenging than before due to extreme price increases. The use of local renewable energy sources is one way to contribute to this effort. In the case of spa resorts, the use of heat from hot springs for therapeutic baths is an option. It is necessary to cool down this thermal mineral water to a temperature acceptable to the human body. However, due to the high mineral content of this water, heavy fouling can be a problem for conventional heat exchangers. The purpose of this study is to identify the suitable cooling technology in terms of required cooling capacity and waste heat recovery capability. The cooling technology was selected on the basis of a literature search. A pilot cooling unit consisting of vacuum cooler and plate heat exchanger was designed and tested in a real spa resort for six months. Both selected technologies have demonstrated the ability to cool thermal mineral water in long-term operation, as well as the possibility to utilize waste heat for domestic hot water heating. However, fouling problems occur in the plate heat exchanger. The vacuum cooler demonstrated greater operational robustness and resistance to encrustation.

Keywords

thermomineral water; hot spring; geothermal energy; balneology; waste heat; vacuum cooling; fouling

Authors

VONDRA, M.; BUZÍK, J.; HORŇÁK, D.; PROCHÁZKOVÁ, M.; MIKLAS, V.; TOUŠ, M.; JEGLA, Z.; MÁŠA, V.

Released

23. 3. 2023

Publisher

MDPI

Location

BASEL

ISBN

1996-1073

Periodical

ENERGIES

Year of study

16

Number

7

State

Swiss Confederation

Pages count

23

URL

https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/7/2941

Full text in the Digital Library

http://hdl.handle.net/11012/213576

BibTex

@article{BUT183855,
  author="Marek {Vondra} and Jiří {Buzík} and David {Horňák} and Michaela {Procházková} and Václav {Miklas} and Michal {Touš} and Zdeněk {Jegla} and Vítězslav {Máša}",
  title="Technology for Hot Spring Cooling and Geothermal Heat Utilization: A Case Study for Balneology Facility",
  journal="ENERGIES",
  year="2023",
  volume="16",
  number="7",
  pages="23",
  doi="10.3390/en16072941",
  issn="1996-1073",
  url="https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/7/2941"
}