Geothermal Heat Pump Systems
Geothermal heat pumps (sometimes referred to as Heat Pumps, Geothermal Pumps, ground-source, or water-source heat pumps) have been in use since the late 1940s. Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) use the constant temperature of the earth as the exchange medium instead of the outside air temperature. This allows the system to reach high efficiencies (300%-600%) on the coldest of winter nights, compared to 175%-250% for air-source heat pumps on cool days.
And since geothermal heat pumps are generally more efficient, they are less expensive to operate and maintain — typical annual energy savings range from 30% to 60%. Depending on factors such as climate, soil conditions, the system features you choose and available financing and incentives. You should recoup your initial investment through lower utility bills.
The biggest advantage of Geothermal Heat Pumps is that they can be 25%–50% more efficient than conventional heating systems. This translates into a Geothermal Heat Pump using one unit of electricity to move three units of heat from the earth. Geothermal Heat Pumps also run more efficiently in conjunction with under floor heating or fan assisted radiators as they are more efficient when running at lower temperatures and generally 40°C would be the maximum permitted operating temperature for under floor systems and fan assisted radiators also require lower temperatures to achieve the desired temperatures. This eliminates the necessity to install mixing valves which are generally required with conventional Heating system.
Geothermal heat pump systems can be installed in both new and retrofit situations. Because the Heat Pump requires less space than that needed by conventional oil, gas or biomass systems and there is no waste produced, no exhaust or air intake required, and storage area for fuel is required, the equipment rooms can be greatly scaled down in size, freeing space for productive use. Geothermal Heat Pump systems also provide excellent "zone" space conditioning, allowing different parts of your home to be heated to different temperatures.
Like all heating and cooling systems, proper maintenance is key to efficient operation. The difference between the energy consumption of a well-maintained heat pump and a severely neglected one ranges from 10%–25%.
You should also have a professional technician service your heat pump at least every second year. The technician can do the following:
Selecting and Replacing Heating Systems
When replacing an existing heating and, it's important to first consider the limitations imposed by your current house conditions. Of course, it is possible to install virtually any heating system in any house, but the cost and aesthetic impacts may be a restricting factor in some cases. When selecting a heating system for a new house, your options are generally much wider, although your builder or developer may place limitations on your choices.
For both new and existing homes, it's important to first maximize the energy efficiency of your home. This is the most cost-effective means of keeping your home comfortable, no matter type of house you live in. Be sure to do what you can to make use of passive solar heating in your home. Only after exploring these topics should you decide on the type of system you want and work with a qualified heating technician to figure out the optimum system for it.
Even the most energy-efficient heating system will fail to save you money if it is installed incorrectly or improperly adjusted.
Avoid making your decision solely on the basis of price. The quality of the product and the installation as well as the selection of the appropriate system should be considered your highest priority. These factors will determine energy cost, comfort, and long-term durability of your investment.
When selecting your heating system, you should be aware of the Heat Load of your house and size your system and the “Output” of the system to suit this demand. Auxiliary (electric heaters) if built in to the Heat Pump, should only be used as back-up, typically for domestic hot water requirements and not for space heating load as they reduce the efficiency of the system considerably.
We offer a complete Heat pump system including
Collector installation
One of the most important components in a Geothermal Heat Pump system is the collector. Although seldom seen once the Geothermal Heat Pump is installed, as it is buried underground or water, the efficiency of the Geothermal Heat Pump is directly related to its size and installation conditions. Although there are several options for collectors, Vertical and Horizontal are most commonly used for domestic applications.
The Vertical collector is used when ground conditions dictate that a horizontal collector would not collect enough energy to allow the Geothermal Heat Pump to operate efficiently. Holes are drilled and a looped polyethylene pipe is inserted and connected to the Geothermal Heat Pump after it has been filled with a water and an antifreeze agent and pressure tested to determine the integrity of the pipe and joints. Generally, more than one bore hole is drilled and where larger collectors are required mutable bore holes can be drilled to a depth of 100/150 meters typically as required.
The Horizontal collector when used in Geothermal Heat Pump applications require good soil conditions and should be installed at a depth of one to one and a quarter meter. The area required for the collector depends on the Geothermal Heat Pump capacity which in turn is determined by the heat loading of the house.
Care should be taken when laying the collector that stones and other debris is removed from the excavation to prevent damaging the pipe work. Four to six inches of fine sand is often placed under and over the pipe work to prevent damaging the completed collector.
Suitability of ground conditions and correct sizing of the collector is of paramount importance PRIOR to Geothermal Heat
Pump installation
Heat Pump Commissioning
Commissioning of a Geothermal Heat Pump consists of complete system operation check including glycol / water mix, probe calibration, refrigeration system operation, collector performance, electrical supply, water temperature flow & returns and delta t’s controls operation and temperature settings. In applications that require a buffer tank used with a Geothermal Heat Pump, installing the appropriate tank size is an important factor to be considered. When a Geothermal Heat Pump in used in conjunction with another heat source such as oil, gas, biomass etc. a control thermostat on the buffer tank should be fitted and set to the appropriate operating temperature to ensure optimum operation of both heat sources.
All systems supplied with complete wiring and plumbing schematic diagrams. We also offer a repair and maintenance service.
For specific details please contact us.
Geothermal heat pumps (sometimes referred to as Heat Pumps, Geothermal Pumps, ground-source, or water-source heat pumps) have been in use since the late 1940s. Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) use the constant temperature of the earth as the exchange medium instead of the outside air temperature. This allows the system to reach high efficiencies (300%-600%) on the coldest of winter nights, compared to 175%-250% for air-source heat pumps on cool days.
And since geothermal heat pumps are generally more efficient, they are less expensive to operate and maintain — typical annual energy savings range from 30% to 60%. Depending on factors such as climate, soil conditions, the system features you choose and available financing and incentives. You should recoup your initial investment through lower utility bills.
The biggest advantage of Geothermal Heat Pumps is that they can be 25%–50% more efficient than conventional heating systems. This translates into a Geothermal Heat Pump using one unit of electricity to move three units of heat from the earth. Geothermal Heat Pumps also run more efficiently in conjunction with under floor heating or fan assisted radiators as they are more efficient when running at lower temperatures and generally 40°C would be the maximum permitted operating temperature for under floor systems and fan assisted radiators also require lower temperatures to achieve the desired temperatures. This eliminates the necessity to install mixing valves which are generally required with conventional Heating system.
Geothermal heat pump systems can be installed in both new and retrofit situations. Because the Heat Pump requires less space than that needed by conventional oil, gas or biomass systems and there is no waste produced, no exhaust or air intake required, and storage area for fuel is required, the equipment rooms can be greatly scaled down in size, freeing space for productive use. Geothermal Heat Pump systems also provide excellent "zone" space conditioning, allowing different parts of your home to be heated to different temperatures.
Like all heating and cooling systems, proper maintenance is key to efficient operation. The difference between the energy consumption of a well-maintained heat pump and a severely neglected one ranges from 10%–25%.
You should also have a professional technician service your heat pump at least every second year. The technician can do the following:
- Inspect collector pipe-work, fittings and filters for leaks or damage.
- Verify correct glycol water mixture by measurement.
- Verify adequate water-flow by measurement.
- Verify correct refrigerant charge by measurement.
- Check for refrigerant leaks.
- Inspect electric terminals, and if necessary, clean and tighten connections, and apply nonconductive coating.
- Check for undue vibration and component wear.
- Verify correct thermostat operation.
Selecting and Replacing Heating Systems
When replacing an existing heating and, it's important to first consider the limitations imposed by your current house conditions. Of course, it is possible to install virtually any heating system in any house, but the cost and aesthetic impacts may be a restricting factor in some cases. When selecting a heating system for a new house, your options are generally much wider, although your builder or developer may place limitations on your choices.
For both new and existing homes, it's important to first maximize the energy efficiency of your home. This is the most cost-effective means of keeping your home comfortable, no matter type of house you live in. Be sure to do what you can to make use of passive solar heating in your home. Only after exploring these topics should you decide on the type of system you want and work with a qualified heating technician to figure out the optimum system for it.
Even the most energy-efficient heating system will fail to save you money if it is installed incorrectly or improperly adjusted.
- Focus on local companies
- Look for licensed, insured contractors
- Ask about previous experience
- Check references
- Enquire with S.E.A.I.
Avoid making your decision solely on the basis of price. The quality of the product and the installation as well as the selection of the appropriate system should be considered your highest priority. These factors will determine energy cost, comfort, and long-term durability of your investment.
When selecting your heating system, you should be aware of the Heat Load of your house and size your system and the “Output” of the system to suit this demand. Auxiliary (electric heaters) if built in to the Heat Pump, should only be used as back-up, typically for domestic hot water requirements and not for space heating load as they reduce the efficiency of the system considerably.
We offer a complete Heat pump system including
- Collector installation
- Buffer tanks where applicable
- Plate exchangers
- Time and Zone control panels and Intertie panels
- Heat Pump commissioning
Collector installation
One of the most important components in a Geothermal Heat Pump system is the collector. Although seldom seen once the Geothermal Heat Pump is installed, as it is buried underground or water, the efficiency of the Geothermal Heat Pump is directly related to its size and installation conditions. Although there are several options for collectors, Vertical and Horizontal are most commonly used for domestic applications.
The Vertical collector is used when ground conditions dictate that a horizontal collector would not collect enough energy to allow the Geothermal Heat Pump to operate efficiently. Holes are drilled and a looped polyethylene pipe is inserted and connected to the Geothermal Heat Pump after it has been filled with a water and an antifreeze agent and pressure tested to determine the integrity of the pipe and joints. Generally, more than one bore hole is drilled and where larger collectors are required mutable bore holes can be drilled to a depth of 100/150 meters typically as required.
The Horizontal collector when used in Geothermal Heat Pump applications require good soil conditions and should be installed at a depth of one to one and a quarter meter. The area required for the collector depends on the Geothermal Heat Pump capacity which in turn is determined by the heat loading of the house.
Care should be taken when laying the collector that stones and other debris is removed from the excavation to prevent damaging the pipe work. Four to six inches of fine sand is often placed under and over the pipe work to prevent damaging the completed collector.
Suitability of ground conditions and correct sizing of the collector is of paramount importance PRIOR to Geothermal Heat
Pump installation
Heat Pump Commissioning
Commissioning of a Geothermal Heat Pump consists of complete system operation check including glycol / water mix, probe calibration, refrigeration system operation, collector performance, electrical supply, water temperature flow & returns and delta t’s controls operation and temperature settings. In applications that require a buffer tank used with a Geothermal Heat Pump, installing the appropriate tank size is an important factor to be considered. When a Geothermal Heat Pump in used in conjunction with another heat source such as oil, gas, biomass etc. a control thermostat on the buffer tank should be fitted and set to the appropriate operating temperature to ensure optimum operation of both heat sources.
All systems supplied with complete wiring and plumbing schematic diagrams. We also offer a repair and maintenance service.
For specific details please contact us.