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According to the Environmental Protection Agency, geothermal systems are the most energy efficient, cost-effective and environmentally clean heating/cooling systems available. A 1,500 square foot home in Colorado that uses a geothermal heat pump, averages energy costs of $1 a day. This includes all heating, cooling and hot water needs!
Geothermal heat pump systems can reduce a building’s energy consumption by 25% to 75%, as compared with conventional heating systems. Not only do they reduce energy consumption, but GHPs significantly lesson corresponding emissions. Emissions can be reduced up 44-72%, as compared with standard air-source heat pumps and air conditioning equipment. If you want to upgrade your space conditioning sources or are building a new home, these systems are green, clean and lean. In the long run they will benefit your pocket-book and the environment.
The simplest description of the geoexchange process is the movement of heat from the earth (or a groundwater source) into the home in the winter, and the discharging of heat back into the ground in the summer. Much of the country experiences extreme seasonal temperatures. But, did you know that just a few feet below the earth’s surface, the ground remains a relatively constant temperature? Ground temperatures range from 45 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. As in a cave, the ground temperature is warmer than the ambient air in the winter and cooler than that air in the summer. Geoexchange systems take advantage of this natural phenomenon.
GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS: THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF HEAT EXCHANGE
The geothermal system includes these principal components:
- Earth Connection
Using the earth as a heat source and sink, a series of pipes is buried under ground, near the house. A fluid (water or a mixture of water and antifreeze) is circulated through these pipes. If the surrounding air is cooler than the soil, the pipes will absorb heat and if the air is warmer, they will sink heat back into the soil.
- Geothermal Heat Pump
For the actual heating of your home, a geothermal heat pump is installed. This heat pump removes heat from the fluid in the pipes, concentrates it, and then transfers it to the building. The process is reversed for cooling.
- Heat Distribution
Generally, conventional ductwork is used to distribute heated or cooled air from the pump into and throughout the building.
THE “DESUPERHEATER”: REDUCE YOUR HOT WATER COSTS BY HALF!
Geothermal heat pumps can be equipped with a “desuperheater. Yes, it sounds like a super hero and in some ways, it is. This device will heat your household water. The heat extracted from the house by your GHP during the summer, is then transferred from the GHP’s compressor into the house’s hot water tank. Winter water heating costs can be reduced by half with use of the “desuperheater”. HOT STUFF!
SHORT TERM COSTS VS LONGTERM SAVINGS
On average, a geothermal heat pump system costs about $2500 per ton of capacity. This would translate to roughly $7500 for a typical residential sized home. Other standard systems with air conditioning units usually go for about $4000. But, consider that with GHP’s high efficiency and much lower utility bills, your investment can be recouped in two to ten years. Financially, it is a golden ticket to strengthen the investment in your property. Not only in long term savings, but also in terms of increasing property value. A property that is equipped to heat/cool using geothermal is mostly self-sufficient, energy wise. There is real re-sale value, right there. Likewise, many geothermal systems can be financed with special loans from banks and other financial institutions. Get on board now, and invest in the investment that keeps on giving, naturally!
GEOTHERMAL IS SUPERIOR
DURABILITY
With fewer mechanical components that are all sheltered from the elements and possible vandalism, geothermal heat pumps are durable and highly reliable. Expect piping systems to come with 25-50 year warranties. The GHPs themselves last 20 years or more.
IMPROVED HUMIDITY CONTROL
GHPs are very effective in humid areas. GHPs improve humidity control while maintaining a 50% relative indoor humidity.
EFFICIENT AND QUIET
A two speed GHP system is so quiet. There are no tell-tale blasts of cold or hot air, as with other systems. Imagine, no A/C noise bothering the neighbors or buzzing the patio. With geothermal systems there are no outside condensing units, hence no constant hum, as with conventional air conditioners.
DESIGN IN MIND
Geothermal heat pump systems allow for design flexibility and can be installed in both new and retrofit situations. The hardware requires less space than conventional systems and so equipment rooms tend to be smaller. Imagine all the valuable home space freed up for other uses! The system also provides “zone” specific conditioning. Different parts of your home can be heated or cooled to different temperatures using GHPs.
There are so many advantages when you install a geothermal system in your home. First and foremost the immediate advantages will be for you, the consumer. Savings in utility costs will be from 20-70%! But, also consider what you will be doing for the environment with reduced emissions and reduced energy consumption. Every 100,000 homes built with geothermal heat pump systems reduce foreign oil consumption by 2.15 million barrels annually! What more do you need to know? An investment in a geothermal system for your home is undeniably wise for you, your future, the future of our planet and generations to come.
Geothermal heat pumps are a relatively new technology. This technology can save homeowners some energy bill money. These ground-source heat pumps use the natural heat storage capacity of the earth or ground water to provide energy efficient heating and cooling.
Geothermal heat pumps use the relatively constant temperature of the ground or water several meters below the earth’s surface as source of heating and cooling. Geothermal heat pumps are appropriate for retrofits or in new homes, where both heating and cooling are desired. In addition to heating and cooling, geothermal heat pumps can provide domestic hot water. They can be used for virtually any size home or lot in almost any region with the existence of ground water.
A geothermal heat pump system consists of indoor heat pump equipment, a ground loop, and a flow center to connect the indoor and outdoor equipment. The heat pump equipment works like a reversible refrigerator by removing heat from one location and depositing it in another location. The ground loop, which is invisible after installation, allows the exchange of heat between the earth and the heat pump.
Geothermal heat pumps can either be open- or closed loop. Open-loop systems draw well water for use as the heat source or heat sink, and after use, return the well water to a drainage field or another well. Closed-loop or earth-coupled systems use a water and antifreeze solution, circulated in a ground loop of pipe to extract heat from the earth.
Ground loops can be installed in a vertical well or a horizontal loop. Vertical wells are usually more expensive and used where space is limited. The length of loop pipe required will vary with soil type, loop configuration, and system capacity. Loop length can range from 100 to 300 meters per ton of capacity.
Special heat pump features can include variable speed blowers and multiple-speed compressors. These features can improve comfort and efficiency in areas where heating and cooling loads are quite different. Add-on features include the capability to produce hot water.
Desuperheaters can be added to supplement the production of domestic hot water when there is a demand for space heating or cooling. These devices make use of excess heat during the cooling cycle and use some of the heat during the heating cycle to supplement hot water production. Dedicated water heaters can be added which operate whenever there is a demand for hot water.
Geothermal heating can be more efficient than electric resistance heating. These systems are also typically more efficient than gas or oil-fired heating systems. They are more energy efficient than air-source heat pumps because they draw heat from, or release heat to, the earth, which has moderate temperatures year round, rather than to the air (which is generally colder in winter and warmer in summer than the earth, resulting in less effective heat transfer).
Use the natural heat storage capacity of the earth or ground water to provide energy efficient heating and cooling
Geothermal heating and cooling equipment is readily available in the marketplace and can be installed by any qualified contractor. The process is two-fold in that it involves installing the indoor unit and method of delivery, whether forced hot air or hydronic, and the outside pipe loop. Loop installation can be planned concurrently with other construction activities, so the overall construction schedule should not be affected by choice of system. Some loops will require an additional permit. Geothermal equipment can be installed with equal ease in both new construction and remodeling projects.
The initial cost of a geothermal heat pump system varies greatly according to local labor rates, lot geology and size, type of system installed, and equipment selected. So, geothermal heat pump systems are more costly to install than air source heat pumps. For either system, the cost of installed ducts should be identical. Equipment costs can be 50-100% more expensive for a geothermal heat pump system when the circulating pump, indoor tubing, and water source heat pump are considered. This 50-100% premium translates to $1,000 – $2,000 for the equipment that supplies a 3-ton system.
The ground loop is generally the most expensive component of a geothermal heat pump system and is highly dependent on local labor rates and drilling conditions. An installed ground loop stubbed out in a home can cost between $1,000 and $3,000 per installed ton. Overall, one could expect to pay between $4,000 and $11,000 more for a 3-ton GHP system than for an air source heat pump system.
Geothermal heat pumps offer high efficiency and low operating cost. According to the EPA, geothermal heat pumps can save homeowners 30 to 70 percent on heating and 20 to 50 percent on cooling costs over conventional systems. This information, as well as, reports that have been made by builders who monitor their in-place systems indicate that heating and cooling savings can range between $358 and $1,475, annually.
Geothermal heat pumps provide a high level of occupant comfort. There is a potential for utility bill savings, and many local utility companies provide incentives for investing in geothermal heat pumps.
Geothermal Heat pumps are somewhat new to many house holders in this country. A Geothermal Heat Pump makes use of the Earth’s stored heat to provide your home heating needs. Unlike the familiar Air Source “Air to Air” heat pump the Geothermal Heat Pump is a Water Source “Water to Air” or “Water to Water” device.
What are the benefits for you?
If you are looking for the following benefits you are looking at the right system.
Lower Operating costs –
A geothermal system reduces your energy bills by as much as 30 to 50% in comparison to that for conventional heating and cooling systems.
Environmentally Friendly –
A geothermal system uses renewable and Green House Gas free ground source Heat.
Lower Maintenance costs –
All equipment and material used are either indoors or buried and therefore protected .
Long Life Span –
The general life span is about 30 years or more. The ground loops are guaranteed for at least 50 years in most cases.
Single System for Cooling and Heating –
The source of energy for both Cooling and Heating is the same. (ie.one system)
Better Indoor Comforts –
The Geothermal system does away with the uncomfortable air drafts commonly associated with traditional “Forced Air” Installations.
Provides flexibility in design –
Geothermal Systems provide you better flexibility in designs whether it’s a new or retrofit project. The system provides economical avenues for subdividing or expanding it to suit the building retrofits or extensions.
High Efficiency –
The highly efficient Heat Pumps provide over 3 times the energy that is spent to operate the geothermal system.
Low Safety Risk –
There is absolutely no risk of Carbon Monoxide poisoning or Fuel gas leaks. No fire risk either.
The Disadvantages
The major disadvantage is the relatively high cost of the equipment and material. The erection costs are too equally high if the ground heat source is not available at surface level. As a major portion of the plumbing system runs underground and therefore unintentional damages are possible over the years which may not be readily observable. The ground source water may contain high sulfur and other chemical content which may require preliminary treatment.
The ground area required too is higher than some of the other systems.
Residential Application
A residential Geothermal Heat pump system is about 300% efficient as mentioned above. In comparison a conventional high efficiency natural gas operated furnace or boiler has an efficiency of 92% or so. The operational savings of the Geothermal System is about 30% of a conventional Natural Gas Heating system and about 50 % of that cost of an electrical resistance heating system.
The installation cost for a typical small house is about the same as for any conventional system when the ground loop cost is omitted. This however will depend on the type of loop selected. It is well worth to consider a Geothermal Heat Pump for your buildings next retrofit and extension.
The term geothermal literally means Earth/Ground (Geo) Heat (thermal). Geothermal, or ground source heat pumps, take advantage of the constant ground or groundwater temperatures. These heat pumps use geothermal energy to heat and/or cool your home.
A refrigerant loop with a compressor extracts heat from one side (the ground) and pumps it to the heating loop in your home. It is essentially the same process that happens in your refrigerator: heat is extracted via a compressor and refrigerant loop from the inside of your refrigerator/freezer and rejected into your house.
In the summer the geothermal heat pump reverses its cycle, if you have an air-conditioning system, and heat from the home is rejected into the ground or ground water.
What makes geothermal heat pumps such a good choice for residential heating and cooling is that they do not depend on outside air temperatures. These heat pumps will heat your home as efficiently on a windy, zero-degree winter day as on a 40-degree day. Provided of course, that your house is well insulated and tight.
Geothermal heat pumps are also a very efficient way for heating and cooling your home. They use 25-50% less energy than conventional heating and cooling systems (Source: US DOE).
Residential applications of geothermal energy systems use water-to-water or water-to-air heat pumps.
Water-to-Water Geothermal Heat Pumps
Water-to-water geothermal heat pumps are generally used for heating only. They replace the gas or oil furnace that you might currently have to heat your home and water with.
It is important to know that heat pumps work most effectively when the temperature difference between the heat source (ground) and heat sink (floor heat or radiators) is small.
Ground temperatures range anywhere from 50 to 75 degF, depending on where you live. This means that geothermal heat pumps are generally not suitable for standard hot water baseboard applications, which are designed for heating water temperatures of 180 degF. Floor heat and low-temperature radiators require water temperatures in the range of 95 to 140 degF.
Some newer heat pump models are now equipped with so-called desuperheaters that can transfer excess heat from the geothermal heat pump compressor to the domestic water heater. Your geothermal heat pump can also effectively and quickly heat water for your bathtub, shower and sinks.
Water-To-Air Geothermal Heat Pumps
These types of ground source heat pumps are generally used when you need air conditioning. The Water is the heat sink, where you reject the heat from the house. The Air is the air that is distributed through your home via ductwork.
Otherwise, these heat pumps function the same way as water-to-water heat pumps. And again, the efficiency of a geothermal heating and cooling system is far better than that of a traditional system.
Important To Know
The first step towards making a geothermal heat pump system be a reliable and efficient heating (and cooling) system for your home is to minimize the heating and cooling requirements with a well-insulated building envelope and strategically placed windows for passive solar gain.
Not only is your first cost reduced, because your system will be smaller. You will also tremendously increase the comfort of your home.
Geothermal heat pump systems are best designed and installed by professionals. It is not recommended to DIY. These systems must meet specific requirements. Especially the piping laid out in the ground, or down to the ground water table, must be designed and installed correctly to ensure that your geothermal heat pump system works as intended.
Product Description
Interest in residential geothermal systems has grown as more people realize they can replace their fossil-fuel heating system with one that is three to five times more efficient and doesn’t require a chimney to exhaust noxious fumes. These newer, safer systems provide heating as well as cooling simply by transferring heat between the home and the ground or a nearby body of water. Since this is a relatively new technology, the number of experienced installers is limited but growing. Therefore,there is a burden on homeowners interested in installing one of these systems to absorb as much information about residential geothermal systems as possible. This book was written specifically to meet that need.
Readers will learn how heat pumps are able to extract heat from relatively low temperature water circulating in ground loops and raise it to a temperature high enough to heat a home. They will also learn how to estimate the size of the heat pump required and the ground loop size as well for straight 2-pipe, 4-pipe, 6-pipe and Slinky loop configurations. This is important in order to verify that the installer correctly sizes the system. Both horizontal and vertical loop systems, for GX and DX, are covered.
Some of the technical issues that are addressed include: Loop water flow rates and Reynolds Number, heat of extraction/rejection, heating capacity, desuperheater setup, open-loop/closed-loop, SCW, pond loops, DX, Manual-J, COP. The final chapter consists of a set of flowcharts guiding the homeowner to ask the pertinent questions needed for a successful installation.
BUY: RESIDENTIAL GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS: Heating And Cooling Using The Ground Below
Product Description
* Introduces basic theory and reviews a wide variety of available heat pump models
* Will put any installer, engineer or architect in the position to design, select and install a domestic geothermal heat pump system
Geothermal Heat Pumps is the most comprehensive guide to the selection, design and installation of geothermal heat pumps available. This leading manual presents the most recent information and market developments in order to put any installer, engineer or architect in the position to design, select and install a domestic geothermal heat pump system. Internationally respected expert Karl Ochsner presents the reasons to use heat pumps, introduces basic theory and reviews the wide variety of available heat pump models. Expertly reviewed and adapted for the most geographically broad application possible, the book offers the reader valuable tips for planning and system control using data, graphics and tables from a growing and innovative market.
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