Is using mine shafts to control a building's temperature logical?
I'm writing a story where there is a large mining outpost built on a moon. This mining outpost is one large building holding around a thousand people, with an extensive system of passages and mines under the complex. I would imagine there would need to be ventilation shafts to supply air to the miners (this moon/planet does have a breathable atmosphere). I would like for the purpose of the story to have shafts connecting the passages directly to the walls of the compound, instead of simply ventilation holes on the surface of the moon.
Is it logical to use mine shafts to control temperature. And if so, would the air likely be hot, providing heat, or cold, cooling the residents?
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1 answer
Geothermal Heat Pump - Heating & Cooling
A Geothermal Heat Pump can work well on Earth for both heating and cooling. If you have a moon/planet where the temperature below ground is fairly constant (like Earth) but has dramatic swings above ground due to issues with the atmosphere, length of day or other factors, then a geothermal heat pump is an ideal solution. Natural air convection through the mine shafts would not be enough to do the job. Even pumped air (blowers) would not get the job done, unless you moved it an unsafe speeds. But if you dig mine shafts for other purposes and install a pumped liquid system, then you can easily transfer heat to the surface when you need it and away from the surface when you don't. You would need large heat exchangers installed in the mines and small ones in each living area. All the necessary technology exists - and is in use - today on Earth.
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