Geo-Thermal Heating and Cooling
How the system works
Geothermal heat pumps transfer heat between the constant temperature of the earth and the building to maintain the building's interior space conditions. Below the surface of the earth throughout New York the temperature remains in the low 50 °F range throughout the year. This stable temperature provides a source for heat in the winter and a means to reject excess heat in the summer. With geothermal heat pump systems, water is circulated between the building and the "ground-loop" piping buried in the ground. In the summer, the water picks up heat from the building and moves it to the ground. In the winter the fluid picks up heat from the ground and moves it to the building. Heat pumps make the collection and transfer of this heat to and from the building possible. (www.nyserda.org)
In the summer, the earth acts as a cooling tower. The Heat Pump loads the loop with heat, sending warmed water to be cooled by the earth.
Benefits of Ground Source Heat Pumps
http://www.econar.com/HowItWorks/house.html
• Higher COP than air source heat pumps (especially in colder climates)
• Higher SEER than air-source heat pumps
• Longer service life than air source heat pumps
• Minimal if any electric strip heat requirements
• Lower demand charges in commercial applications (relative to air-source)
• Factory charged refrigerant system
• Simpler controls than air source (no defrost cycle)
• No visible outdoor equipment
• No outdoor sound
• Adaptable to thermal storage applications
• No combustion air or venting required
• No on-site fuel storage required
• Single monthly service charge (when no gas service is needed)
• Closed loop systems not subject to fouling from ground water
• Closed loop system don't require large water source
• Closed loop systems don't require mean of water disposal
• Heating and cooling from single system
• Can be integrated with solar thermal subsystem
• Water-to-water GSHP can be integrated to radiant panel heating
