Design et Conception d’un Nouvel Échangeur Air-Sol EAHE

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the development of a passive heating and cooling system for buildings based on an earth-to-air heat exchanger (EAHE or Canadian well), by redesigning its core component, the buried heat exchange pipe, through new porous materials and innovative cross-sectional geometries. The work addresses three main concepts : replacing conventional PVC pipes with porous ceramic or brick conduits, proposing an octagonal star shaped section sometimes equipped with a central water tube, and designing a fibrous network made of natural and synthetic fibers to capture soil moisture and use it for evaporative cooling inside the air duct. A multi-criteria decision-making (MCDA) methodology is adopted to compare pipe materials, while detailed three-dimensional numerical simulations are carried out using ANSYS FLUENT, Design Modeler, Meshing and Solid Works, supported by Python scripts to compute thermal efficiency, COP and pressure losses, and by a rigorous verification and validation procedure in line with ASME V&V and AIAA guidelines. The results highlight the superior performance of porous ceramic with a star shaped section, achieving about 240% increase in heat exchange area, 40–60% reduction in required pipe length, substantial savings in excavation volume and fan power, and improved outlet air temperatures and mixing quality over the year. Beyond the technical contribution, the study is embedded in an entrepreneurial Master-Start-Up framework, translating the proposed concepts into patentable inventions and a business plan for an innovative company dedicated to geothermal systems and evaporative cooling technologies tailored to the Algerian energy transition strategy and local climatic conditions.