Geothermal Information for Builders, Architects and Developers
For over 30 years now, homeowners across North America have discovered a better way to get more out of their energy dollars. The energy saving method they’ve chosen most often is the geothermal heat pump. Geothermal heat pumps are currently being used in over 650,000 homes across North America. Geothermal energy not only costs less to operate than any other heating and cooling system, but it also helps preserve our natural resources, reduce greenhouse gases and lessens our dependency on fossil fuels.
Geothermal systems operate by extracting energy from the ground in the wintertime and ejecting heat from a building back into the ground in the summertime. This is done using various types of loop systems. The 2 most common are the closed loop and open loop configurations. We also utilize pond or lake loop systems where applicable.
- Closed Loop - The vertical ground loop configuration is optimal for buildings where yard space is insufficient for horizontal loops. It is also recommendable in places where the earth is rocky close to the surface or in projects of retrofit applications where minimum disruption of the landscape is desired.
 Summer Horizontal Loop |  Winter Horizontal Loop |  Summer Vertical Loop |  Winter Vertical Loop |
Vertical holes are bored in the ground, with depth 150 to 450 feet. Each hole contains a single pipe loop, which has a U-bend at the bottom. Once the pipe is put inside, the hole is filled up with earth and/or grout. Next, all vertical pipes are connected to a horizontal pipe, which is also buried underground. The purpose of the horizontal pipe is to carry fluid to and from the geothermal system in a closed ground loop circle.
- Open Loop – The open loop system uses 1 or 2 water wells as the energy transfer medium. Standing wells can be bored between 150 and 1500 feet deep, and usually have a diameter of 5 or 6 inches. In many cases, the well also serves to provide potable water or free water for a lawn sprinkler.
- Lake and Pond Loops - The pond closed loop configuration is the most economical. It can be installed when the home building is situated close to a body of surface water, such as a lake or a pond. The way the system functions is similar to the one in the ground loops. The fluid circulates through polyethylene pipes in a closed system. Usually, pipes are run to the water, while longer sections are submerged in the water itself. The pipe may be curled densely in order to fit more of it in a given space. It is recommendable that pond loops are used only in cases when the water does not drop below 6 to 8 feet at its lowest level in order to ascertain sufficient heat-transfer capability. Pond loops with closed systems do not affect water bodies in any adverse way.
This webpage has been developed as a more technical guide to geothermal technology. The following documents are provided by recognized industry experts and from ClimateMaster, our chosen manufacturer of geothermal heat pumps. All of these documents are in PDF format.
Visit our ClimateMaster page with complete product technical date, physical dimensions, supply and return orientation, performance specifications, accessories and much more for the Tranquility 27 series.
Ductwork installations for geothermal systems must to be custom designed to exacting specifications. Improperly designed and/or installed ductwork will significantly affect the system’s performance. Geothermal House, Inc designs and installs ductwork to the exacting Standards established by the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI). Click here to visit our ARI Standards page where you can download and read the ARI ductwork design Standards specifically for geothermal systems.
Our Warranty Info .
View pictures and read information about our current Geothermal Projects .
|
