Many people don't realize this, but the harvesting of geothermal energy to run steam turbines to make electricity has some drawbacks. You see, the heat from the earth helps push up tectonic plates, as it expands the ground. If you remove the heat, then it causes the area to sink down a little bit. This can be a tremendous problem for underground water mains and pipes. It can also cause seismic events to occur. When we say seismic we mean earthquakes. Oh, so now I've got your attention.
That's good because this is a very serious issue. Currently, there is a geothermal energy generation plant near the Salton Sea in California, and they are taking lots of energy, heat from the earth and converting it into electricity. Then the electricity goes through a high tension power lines all the way along the I-10 corridor to Los Angeles. Yes, even those folks in California use lots of energy; don't let all their talk of green alternative energy fool you.
Still, it could be said that geothermal energy is alternative energy. But a lot of people don't know that when you take heat out of the ground it takes a while to replenish that heat. If you take too much, too quickly, the Earth doesn't have time to replace it. And this is when the pressure is released and the ground sinks down. This can also cause an earthquake, or in some instances relieve pressure and prevent an earthquake.
Therefore, if you take the heat energy from the earth in just the right place you can prevent earthquakes and get free energy. That is, if you take just the right amount of energy and not too much. All this is pretty interesting isn't it? Still, the issue of the ground sinking can also be a problem, especially if you own a home that is on the settling ground. I sure hope you will please consider all this.
By Lance Winslow
Showing posts with label HVAC unit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HVAC unit. Show all posts
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Geothermal Heat Pump-Home Heating Systems
Geothermal home heating systems, also known as ground source heat pumps, is a system that transfers the temperature from the ground to your home.
It uses stored solar energy from the ground beneath to provide energy for heating and hot water. Though the term Geothermal heating, as it is frequently referred to, sounds as though it uses hot rock energy it is, in most cases, stored solar energy.
In winter the heat pump collects the Earth's natural heat through pipes, called a loop, and installed below the surface of the ground or submersed in a pond or lake. Fluid circulating through the loop carries the heat to your home. There, a compressor and a heat exchanger, driven by electricty, concentrate the Earth's heat and release it inside the home at a higher temperature. The heat is carried to different rooms by ductwork.
The process is reversed in the summer. The underground loop draws excess heat from your home so it can be absorbed by the Earth, using it as a heat sink. The system cools your home just as a refrigerator keeps your food cool - by pulling heat from the interior, not by blowing in cold air.
Your geothermal heat pump can be either vetical or horizontal. In a vertical system the pipes may go to a depth of up to 650 feet.. this will minimize the amount of land surface required and keep disruption to a minimum.
Vertical coils are ideal for installation where space is limited, fitted to a depth of up to 200 metres minimising the land required on the surface, keeping disruption to a minimum.
The loop can be closed or open and horizontal or vertical.
An open loop system uses two wells. It draws water from one, passes it through the heat exchanger and then discharges the water into the second well. It takes about two or three gallons a minute per ton of capacity for effective heat exchange.
A closed loop system uses water, or a water/antifreeze solution to collect or ditribute the heat.
A closed loop horizontal geothermal heat installation involves burying pipes in trenches. A closed loop vertical system uses a U-tube installed in a well drilled 100 to 400 feet deep
A third closed loop type is a pond closed loop. Closed loop coils can be placed on the bottom of a pond or stream with enough depth and flow. Fluid is pumped in the same way as a closed loop ground system. The economics of This geothermal heat system is very economical, and without impact on the pond.
A geothermal home heating system makes sense because:
* It uses a completely free and renewable source of energy
* It works with and not against nature and has virtually no enviromental impact
* CO2 emissions are reduces
* Low maintenance costs are low
* Geothermal home heating systems add value to property
* Compatible with most modern heating systems - ideal for under floor heating
* You get up to 70% fuel bill savings
* Easy to use
By Art Lynch
It uses stored solar energy from the ground beneath to provide energy for heating and hot water. Though the term Geothermal heating, as it is frequently referred to, sounds as though it uses hot rock energy it is, in most cases, stored solar energy.
In winter the heat pump collects the Earth's natural heat through pipes, called a loop, and installed below the surface of the ground or submersed in a pond or lake. Fluid circulating through the loop carries the heat to your home. There, a compressor and a heat exchanger, driven by electricty, concentrate the Earth's heat and release it inside the home at a higher temperature. The heat is carried to different rooms by ductwork.
The process is reversed in the summer. The underground loop draws excess heat from your home so it can be absorbed by the Earth, using it as a heat sink. The system cools your home just as a refrigerator keeps your food cool - by pulling heat from the interior, not by blowing in cold air.
Your geothermal heat pump can be either vetical or horizontal. In a vertical system the pipes may go to a depth of up to 650 feet.. this will minimize the amount of land surface required and keep disruption to a minimum.
Vertical coils are ideal for installation where space is limited, fitted to a depth of up to 200 metres minimising the land required on the surface, keeping disruption to a minimum.
The loop can be closed or open and horizontal or vertical.
An open loop system uses two wells. It draws water from one, passes it through the heat exchanger and then discharges the water into the second well. It takes about two or three gallons a minute per ton of capacity for effective heat exchange.
A closed loop system uses water, or a water/antifreeze solution to collect or ditribute the heat.
A closed loop horizontal geothermal heat installation involves burying pipes in trenches. A closed loop vertical system uses a U-tube installed in a well drilled 100 to 400 feet deep
A third closed loop type is a pond closed loop. Closed loop coils can be placed on the bottom of a pond or stream with enough depth and flow. Fluid is pumped in the same way as a closed loop ground system. The economics of This geothermal heat system is very economical, and without impact on the pond.
A geothermal home heating system makes sense because:
* It uses a completely free and renewable source of energy
* It works with and not against nature and has virtually no enviromental impact
* CO2 emissions are reduces
* Low maintenance costs are low
* Geothermal home heating systems add value to property
* Compatible with most modern heating systems - ideal for under floor heating
* You get up to 70% fuel bill savings
* Easy to use
By Art Lynch
Geothermal Heat Pump and Radiant Heating - An Absolutely Fabulous Combination
Geothermal Heat Pumps are usually associated with hot air heating and air conditioning. In climates that very seldom need air conditioning you need to concentrate more on heating. There is a very good way to use geothermal technology for very efficient and comfortable heating. Radiant floor heating can very easily be combined with a geothermal heat pump to give both comfort and efficiency.
Radiant floor heating has been the comfort and efficiency standard for many years. The feeling of a warm floor under your feet is priceless. Romping on the floor while playing with the children is great when the snow is blowing and the floor is pleasantly warm.
Geothermal heating has also been known for it's efficiency also. The drawback to hot air geothermal heating has been the air temperatures that are cooler than normal hot air heating systems. By combining the two types of systems you can have very comfortable heat and efficiency at the same time.
There are something's that you do have to take into consideration before deciding on a system like this.
You will have to drill a few wells to extract the heat from the ground. The piping must be installing in the wells correctly for the system to work properly. The heat pump needs to be designed for hot water heating. You can not use a heat pump designed for hot air use and make it work for radiant heating. The radiant heat design must be figured to use water temperatures that are cooler than many radiant heat systems. A maximum temperature design should be 130 degrees F. To get this kind of design to work correctly you will have to use good quality heat plates and insulated under the heat plates. By following these guidelines I have designed systems that have heated houses very comfortably at temperatures well below zero.
If you decide to install this type of system make sure that the installer knows exactly what they are doing. This type of system requires many things to be done exactly right so that the water flows will allow the system to work correctly. The piping on the well side is very critical that it uses all the wells equally. On the house side the piping must be primary/secondary. Pumps and pipe sizes must be able to give very high flow rates so that temperature drop is kept to ten degrees or less. When working with such low temperature the piping and pumping becomes so much more critical.
By using these principles to combine two very great heating types you can have a very good heating system that perform very well for many years. The only other factor with this type of system is that you don not have the ability to get cooling from the system. That is probably the only drawback of this type of system. It would be great if there was a geothermal unit made that was heating only. The elimination of the reversing valve would be a cost savings and a plus overall. This system is best suited for cooler climates that require little or no air conditioning.
By D.Floyd Kolb
Radiant floor heating has been the comfort and efficiency standard for many years. The feeling of a warm floor under your feet is priceless. Romping on the floor while playing with the children is great when the snow is blowing and the floor is pleasantly warm.
Geothermal heating has also been known for it's efficiency also. The drawback to hot air geothermal heating has been the air temperatures that are cooler than normal hot air heating systems. By combining the two types of systems you can have very comfortable heat and efficiency at the same time.
There are something's that you do have to take into consideration before deciding on a system like this.
You will have to drill a few wells to extract the heat from the ground. The piping must be installing in the wells correctly for the system to work properly. The heat pump needs to be designed for hot water heating. You can not use a heat pump designed for hot air use and make it work for radiant heating. The radiant heat design must be figured to use water temperatures that are cooler than many radiant heat systems. A maximum temperature design should be 130 degrees F. To get this kind of design to work correctly you will have to use good quality heat plates and insulated under the heat plates. By following these guidelines I have designed systems that have heated houses very comfortably at temperatures well below zero.
If you decide to install this type of system make sure that the installer knows exactly what they are doing. This type of system requires many things to be done exactly right so that the water flows will allow the system to work correctly. The piping on the well side is very critical that it uses all the wells equally. On the house side the piping must be primary/secondary. Pumps and pipe sizes must be able to give very high flow rates so that temperature drop is kept to ten degrees or less. When working with such low temperature the piping and pumping becomes so much more critical.
By using these principles to combine two very great heating types you can have a very good heating system that perform very well for many years. The only other factor with this type of system is that you don not have the ability to get cooling from the system. That is probably the only drawback of this type of system. It would be great if there was a geothermal unit made that was heating only. The elimination of the reversing valve would be a cost savings and a plus overall. This system is best suited for cooler climates that require little or no air conditioning.
By D.Floyd Kolb
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Geothermal Heat Pump-Geothermal HVAC Unit
Geothermal technology is rapidly replacing inefficient, outdated heating and cooling systems and improving the quality of temperature control while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Government agencies have endorsed geothermal heat pump systems as the most energy efficient, environmentally clean, and cost effective systems for heating and cooling homes. They are the future of climate control and the solution to our energy crisis.
The first ground source heat pump was installed in 1948 as an experiment by Professor Carl Nielson. People quickly realized what a promising energy alternative it would be and began improving and producing the equipment. Modern heat pump systems last much longer, require less maintenance, and are four times more efficient than traditional air-source heat pumps. Today there are well over a million geothermal heat pumps installed worldwide and an additional 80,000 units are installed in the USA each year.
Geothermal heat pumps are exceptionally good for the environment and extremely safe. These systems do not have on-site emissions or flammable materials. By eliminating any combustion you do not have to worry about fumes, odors, or carbon monoxide in your home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if just 100,000 homes converted to a geothermal heating and cooling system, carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by 880 million pounds. Currently, atmospheric CO2 is 30% higher than it was 200 years ago and if not reduced can cause serious detrimental global impacts. Geothermal technology offers a wonderful solution to lowering these greenhouse gases.
As an incentive to install these environmentally-friendly units the government is offering a 30% tax credit based on the installed price of a geothermal heat pump unit that meets or exceeds Energy Star requirements. Although these systems are initially more expensive, this credit offers a tremendous discount and homeowners can expect a significant decrease in their energy bills. Customers often report they receive a full payback on their investment in three to five years.
When you consider the durability, comfort, cleanliness, and energy savings it is obvious why the government has endorsed them as the best systems for temperature control!
By Glenn Egg
The first ground source heat pump was installed in 1948 as an experiment by Professor Carl Nielson. People quickly realized what a promising energy alternative it would be and began improving and producing the equipment. Modern heat pump systems last much longer, require less maintenance, and are four times more efficient than traditional air-source heat pumps. Today there are well over a million geothermal heat pumps installed worldwide and an additional 80,000 units are installed in the USA each year.
Geothermal heat pumps are exceptionally good for the environment and extremely safe. These systems do not have on-site emissions or flammable materials. By eliminating any combustion you do not have to worry about fumes, odors, or carbon monoxide in your home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if just 100,000 homes converted to a geothermal heating and cooling system, carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by 880 million pounds. Currently, atmospheric CO2 is 30% higher than it was 200 years ago and if not reduced can cause serious detrimental global impacts. Geothermal technology offers a wonderful solution to lowering these greenhouse gases.
As an incentive to install these environmentally-friendly units the government is offering a 30% tax credit based on the installed price of a geothermal heat pump unit that meets or exceeds Energy Star requirements. Although these systems are initially more expensive, this credit offers a tremendous discount and homeowners can expect a significant decrease in their energy bills. Customers often report they receive a full payback on their investment in three to five years.
When you consider the durability, comfort, cleanliness, and energy savings it is obvious why the government has endorsed them as the best systems for temperature control!
By Glenn Egg
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