Geothermal Heat Pumps: An Environment-Friendly Option for Heating and Cooling Commercial Buildings
What are Geothermal Heat Pumps?
Ground source heat pumps, also known as ground source heat pumps, tap into the relatively constant temperatures in the ground or water to provide heating, cooling, and hot water for buildings. By taking advantage of the sun's warming of the Earth, these systems use 25% to 50% less electricity than traditional air source heat pumps.
How do Geothermal Heat Pumps Work?
Ground source heat pumps operate using four key components - an underground loop system, a heat pump unit, ductwork or radiant floors, and air handlers or fan coils. The underground loop system consists of coils of tubing buried underground in trenches or pond/lake water. This tubing is connected to the heat pump unit installed indoors. The heat pump uses refrigerants under pressure to accelerate the transfer of heat from the cooler loop fluid to the warmer loop fluid. During winter, the heat pump extracts heat from the ground and transfers it inside. During summer, the process is reversed to dump heat into the cooler ground.
What are the Types of Geothermal Loop Systems?
There are three main types of underground loops used in geothermal heat pump systems:
- Horizontal Loop - Laid out in Geothermal Heat Pumps at depths of 3 to 6 feet. Requires larger land area but is cheaper to install than vertical loops. Ideal for new construction on larger plots.
- Vertical Loop - Uses boreholes drilled 300-500 feet deep with U-shaped pipe or coils inserted. Requires less space than horizontal loops but is more expensive to install. Good for retrofitting in existing developments.
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