For A Bright Future
How Do Geothermal Systems Work?
A geothermal heat pump doesn't create heat by burning fuel, like a furnace does. Instead, in winter it collects the Earth's natural heat through a series of pipes, called a loop, installed below the surface of the ground or submersed in a pond or lake. Fluid circulates through the loop and carries the heat to the house. There, an electrically driven compressor and a heat exchanger concentrate the Earth's energy and release it inside the home at a higher temperature. Duct work distributes the heat to different rooms.
In summer, the process is reversed. The underground loop draws excess heat from the house and allows it to be absorbed by the Earth. The system cools your home in the same way that a refrigerator keeps your food cool - by drawing heat from the interior, not by blowing in cold air.
Geothermal heat pumps are similar to ordinary heat pumps, but instead of using heat found in outside air, they rely on the stable, even heat of the earth to provide heating, air conditioning and, in most cases, hot water.
The geothermal loop that is buried underground is typically made of high-density polyethylene, a tough plastic that is extraordinarily durable but which allows heat to pass through efficiently. When installers connect sections of pipe, they heat fuse the joints, making the connections stronger than the pipe itself. The fluid in the loop is water or an environmentally safe antifreeze solution that circulates through the pipes in a closed system.
Durability
Geothermal heat pumps are durable and require little maintenance.
They have fewer mechanical components than other systems, and most of those components are underground, sheltered from the weather. The underground piping used in the system is often guaranteed to last 100 years and is virtually worry-free. The components inside the house are small and easily accessible for maintenance. Warm and cool air are distributed through ductwork, just as in a regular forced-air system. Since geothermal systems have no outside condensing units like air conditioners, they are quieter to operate.
Geothermal Earth loops
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Vertical loops
Vertical loops utilize bore holes drilled to an average depth of 250 feet. Once the loop pipe is inserted into the bore, it is grouted using a Bentonite mixture for maximum thermal conductivity. When space is a limited, vertical loops are the most common type of geothermal loop installed.
Horizontal Loops
Horizontal loops utilize trenches dug to an average depth of four to six feet. As one of the more cost effective loops to install, horizontal loops are commonly found in open fields, parks or under parking lots.
Lake Loops
Lake loops utilize a "slinky" assembly of geothermal loop piping placed at the bottom of a pond, lake, or other large body of water. An extremely cost effective loop system, lake loops are an easy alternative if the option is available.
Well (Open Loop) Systems
Most commonly known as "Open Loop", well systems pump water out of a nearby body of water
or water well, and then discharge the water into another body of water or water well. Well
systems usually employ a plate heat exchanger inside the building to keep the building water loop separated from the well water. This prevents any contaminates from affecting unit performance and extends system life. Well systems are often the most efficient as the well water is always at the same temperature year-round.
Pyrus Energy
2737 Erie Drive
Weedsport, NY 13166
315.834.6406
