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Headwaters Geothermal |
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How Does It Work |
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The shallow ground, the upper six feet of the Earth, maintains a nearly constant temperature of 10oC (50oF). Like a cave, this ground temperature is warmer than the air above it in the winter and cooler than the air in the summer. Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of this resource to heat and cold buildings. Geothermal heat pump systems consist of basically three parts: the ground heat exchanger, the heat pump unit, and the delivery system ductwork or infloor tubing. The heat exchanger is basically a system of pipes called a loop, which is buried in the shallow ground near the building. A fluid (usually water or a mixture of water and antifreeze) circulates through the pipes to absorb or relinquish heat within the ground. Loop Systems Each loop uses CSA approved high density polyethylene geothermal pipe. Once inserted in the ground, the pipe leads into the foundation of your building through the wall or under the footings and connects directly to your heat pump, bringing you years of worry-free, high performance renewable heating and cooling using the earth a natural energy source.
Loop Configuration Horizontal Loops – Horizontal loops are the most common type of loop system, commonly used in rural areas due to the land space needed for installation. Depending on the specifications an excavator will typically dig several trenches about six feet deep in the ground, each one up to three hundred feet long. Geothermal pipe is placed in the trenches which are then backfilled with soil.
Pond Loops - On properties that have a nearby lake or pond that is appropriate in size and eight feet deep, a loop system can be submerged at the bottom of the body of water. A single trench is excavated from the home to the water and typically two pipes are inserted into it. These two pipes connect to several geothermal pipes that are submerged at the bottom of the lake or pond.
Open Loops – Open loops are most commonly used on rural properties that have existing high capacity water wells. Groundwater is withdrawn from an aquifer through a supply and pumped into the heat pump, while discharged water from the heat pump is redirected into a second well and back into the same aquifer or another appropriate structure such a pond or weeping bed.
Vertical Loops – Vertical loops are primarily used in urban areas because they require little land space for installation. A drilling rig bores vertical holes into the ground to a specified depth. Geothermal pipe is inserted into each vertical bore and then the holes are filled with bentonite grout. |
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Get 3/4 of your energy from the ground for free! |
Geothermal Made Simple |
