LEICESTER, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A ground-breaking study developed by a research student at De Montfort University (DMU) in Leicester, UK, has been highly accredited by the International Building Performance Association (IBPSA).

At the 11^th IBPSA Conference, Miaomiao (Candy) He received the ‘Arup Prize’ for Best Student Paper, for her work in numerical modelling of domestic Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) systems - one of the most effective low carbon technologies for heating and cooling buildings.

Co-authored with Dr Simon Rees and Professor Li Shao of DMU, Candy presented her research paper, describing a new three-dimensional model for simulating the dynamic response of the circulating fluid and transient heat transfer in and around Borehole Heat Exchangers (BHE).

Dr Simon Rees, Senior Research Fellow at DMU said: “This technology is of increasing importance in the UK building sector and also countries such as China. The proper design of these systems relies on being able to model the complex flow of energy in the ground over the projected life of the building.

“The work reported in this paper is a significant advancement in computer modeling of BHE systems used in geothermal heating and cooling systems. It is hoped that the model developed by Candy will result in significant insight into the behavior of the heat exchange process and also result in improved design methods.”

Candy, 27, originally from the Guangdong province in South China, added: “My three-dimensional model of the BHE shows a lower heat transfer rate will occur over longer periods of operation when compared to the accustomed two-dimensional models. This is due to the mean temperature differences between the fluid and the ground being lower in the three-dimensional model – which seems more realistic.”

Candy undertook her research at the University’s internationally renowned Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD), who lead multi-disciplinary projects.

She was awarded £150 and her paper will also be published in the Journal of Building Performance Simulation.

You can find out more about studying at DMU at the following China Education Exhibitions:

• 17 - 18 October: China World Exhibition Hall, No.1 Jian Guo Men Wai Avenue, Beijing (9:00 – 16:00)
• 31 October - 1 November: Guangzhou Dongfang Hotel, Liu Hua Road 120, Guangzhou (13:00 – 18:00)