HIGH-EFFECTIVENESS ASCENDING THERMAL ENERGY REJECTION SYSTEM FOR SUBTERRANEAN APPLICATION

DEEP-BASED ICBM SITES MUST BE MAINTAINED AT A CONSTANT WORKING TEMPERATURE FOR THE BENEFIT OF PERSONNEL AND SENSITIVE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT WITHIN THE FACILITY. HOWEVER, HEAT IS GENERATED WITHIN THE FACILITY FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES AND THERE IS A NATURAL FLOW OF HEAT FROM THE WARM ROCK MASS SURROUNDING THE SITE INTO THE UNDERGROUNDSTRUCTURE. IT IS PROPOSED TO DESIGN AND TEST AN EFFICIENT SYSTEM OF EQUIPMENT TO REMOVE THE EXCESS THERMAL ENERGY FROM THE FACILITY AND REJECT IT TO THE SURROUNDING ROCK MASS BY WAY OF A GRAVITY-OPERATED EARTH-COUPLED HEAT PIPE IN COMBINATION WITH AN EFFICIENT HEAT PUMP. THE COUPLING OF THE HEAT PUMP CONDENSER TO THE HEAT PIPE EVAPORATOR WILL BE MADE EFFICIENT BY USING AN EFFECTIVE HEAT EXCHANGER. THE HEAT PIPES ARE INSTALLED WITH A SLIGHT INCLINE FOR LONG DISTANCES BY UTILIZING IN-MINE HORIZONTAL DRILLING CAPABILITIES.