Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) systems are the effective technology for heating as well as
cooling purposes. Using the ground as a thermal energy source and/or a heat sink for heat pumps
has long been recognized to have a number of advantages over the similar use of ambient air.
Ground temperatures at about 3-ft depth or lower are much less variable than ambient air
temperatures. Further, soil or rock at these depths is usually warmer than ambient air during the
coldest winter months and cooler than ambient air during the summer months. This fact leads
directly to cooler condensation temperatures (during cooling operation) and warmer evaporating
temperatures (during heating) for a heat pump with consequent improved energy efficiency. It
also results in increased heating and cooling capacity at extreme temperatures, thereby reducing
or eliminating the need for auxiliary heat.
Heat pump systems that make use of the ground in this way are called ground source or
geothermal heat pumps (GHPs). GSHPs are also known by a variety of other names:
geoexchange heat pumps, ground coupled heat pumps, earth-coupled heat pumps, ground-source
systems, ground-water source heat pumps, well water heat pumps, solar energy heat pumps, and
a few other variations. Some names are used to describe more accurately the specific application;
however, most are the result of marketing efforts and the need to associate (or disassociate) the
heat pump systems from other systems.
1.1 Background of Ground Source Heat Pump systems
Maintaining a comfortable temperature inside a building can require a significant amount of
energy. Separate heating and cooling systems are often used to maintain the desired air
temperature, and the energy required to operate these systems generally comes from electricity,
fossil fuels, or biomass. Considering that 46% of suns energy is absorbed by the earth, another
option is to use this abundant energy to heat and cool a building. In contrast to many other
sources of heating and cooling energy which need to be transported over long distances, Earth
Energy is available on-site, and in massive quantities.

Because the ground transports heat slowly and has a high heat storage capacity, its temperature
changes slowlyon the order of months or even years, depending on the depth of the
measurement. As a consequence of this low thermal conductivity, the soil can transfer some heat
from the cooling season to the heating season, heat absorbed by the earth during the summer
effectively gets used in the winter.Becuase of yearly, continuous cycle between the air and the
soil temperature results in a thermal energy potential that can be harnessed to help heat or cool a
building.
Another thermal characteristic of the ground is that a few meters of surface soil insulate the earth
and groundwater below, minimizing the amplitude of the variation in soil temperature in
comparison with the temperature in the air above the ground. This thermal resistivity fluctuations
further helps in shifting the heating or cooling load to the season where it is needed. The earth is
warmer than the ambient air in the winter and cooler than the ambient air in the summer.
This warm earth and groundwater below the surface provides a free renewable source of energy
that can easily provide enough energy year-round to heat and cool an average suburban
residential home, for example. A Ground-Source Heat Pump (GSHP) transforms this Earth
Energy into useful energy to heat and cool buildings. It provides low temperature heat by
extracting it from the ground or a body of water and provides cooling by reversing this process.
Its principal application is space heating and cooling, though many also supply hot water, such as
for domestic use. It can even be used to maintain the integrity of building foundations in
permafrost conditions, by keeping them frozen through the summer.
A heat pump is used to concentrate or upgrade this free heat energy from the ground before
distributing it in a building through conventional ducts. It operates much as a refrigerator or
conventional air conditioning system in that it relies on an external source of energy - typically
electricity - to concentrate the heat and shift the temperature. Typically, each kilowatt (kW) of
electricity used to operate a GSHP system draws more than 3 kW of renewable energy from the
ground. Heat pumps typically range from 3.5 to 35 kW in cooling capacity (about 1 to 10
refrigeration tons), and a single unit is generally sufficient for a house or a small commercial
building. For larger commercial, institutional or industrial buildings, multiple heat pumps units
will often be employed [20].
Since a GSHP system does not directly create any combustion products and because it draws
additional free energy from the ground, it can actually produce more energy than it uses. Because
2

of this, GSHP efficiencies routinely average 200 to 500% over a season. GSHP systems are more
efficient than air-source heat pumps, which exchange heat with the outside air, due to the stable,
moderate temperature of the ground. They are also more efficient than conventional heating and
air-conditioning technologies, and typically have lower maintenance costs. They require less
space, especially when a liquid building loop replaces voluminous air ducts, and are not prone to
vandalism like conventional rooftop units. Peak electricity consumption during cooling season is
lower than with conventional air-conditioning, so utility demand charges may be also reduced.
For the above reasons, significant energy savings can be achieved through the use of GSHPs in
place of conventional air-conditioning systems and air-source heat pumps. Reductions in energy
consumption of 30% to 70% in the heating mode and 20% to 50% in the cooling mode can be
obtained [20]. Energy savings are even higher when compared with combustion or electrical
resistance heating systems. This potential for significant energy savings has led to the use of
GSHPs in a variety of applications.
1.2 History of Ground Source Heat Pump systems
The concept of a heat pump has been known since the 1850s, but it was 1940 before Robert
Webber was credited with using the technology for heating a home with heat stored in the
ground. The first commercial demonstration of a GSHP was in the Commonwealth Building in
Portland, Oregon, in 1946. Heat pumps experienced a rise in popularity during the Arab oil
embargo of the 1970s. The market then leveled off before expanding again in recent years.
Annual worldwide growth rates for GSHP installations have exceeded 10% over the past 10
years, and the industrys support organizations, led by the International Ground-Source Heat
Pump Association (IGSHPA) are mature and robust.

Figure 1.1 First geothermal power plants, 1904, Larderello, Italy [17]
1.3 Principle of Ground Source Heat Pump systems
Geothermal technology relies on the fact that the Earth (beneath the surface) remains at a
relatively constant temperature throughout the year, warmer than the air above it during the
winter and cooler in the summer, very much like a cave. The ground source heat pump takes
advantage of this by transferring heat stored in the Earth or in ground water into a building
during the winter, and transferring it out of the building and back into the ground during the
summer. The ground, in other words, acts as a heat source in winter and a heat sink in summer.
Heat pumps can be used to extract low grade heat from water within the ground or from the
ground itself to provide space heating. Conversely, a heat pump can be operated in reverse to
extract heat from buildings and provide cooling.

Figure 1.2 Schematic diagram of a heat pump system

4

1.4 Importance of Ground Source Heat Pump systems

It is renewable energy, having low cost. With increasing in pollution and increasing in the prices
of fossils fuels, it is the best alternative to replace them, because of high availability for heating
and cooling purposes. It doesnt cause pollution.Geothermal systems are quieter, more reliable,
more efficient, and more compact compared to regular heating and cooling systems. The earth
under our feet stays the same temperature year round, whether its blazing hot in summer or
freezing cold in winter. In summer the earth is cooler than the air, and in winter its warmer.
Geothermal heat pumps cleverly put that fact to good use. They use the earth to warm buildings
in the winter and keep them cool in the summer. There are so many uses of geothermal heat
pump in direct uses as well as indirect use.

1.5 Current Status International and national

Currently, over 3 million GSHP units are installed worldwide in 43 countries. Of the total
worldwide capacity, 37%are installed in the United States and Canada, 47% in Europe and 16%
in Asia. Sweden leads Europe in number of GSHP installations, and markets in China, Japan, and
South Korea represent the largest growth within Asia.
In the USA alone, over 50,000 GSHP units are sold each year, with a majority of these for
residential applications. It is estimated that a half million units are installed, with 85% closedloop earth connections (46% vertical, 38% horizontal) and 15% open loop systems
(groundwater) [20].
Nearly 400 low to medium enthalpy thermal springs exists in India. These are distributed in
seven geothermal provinces. The surface temperatures of these thermal springs vary from 47 to
98oC. Total power generating capacity of these provinces is estimated to be of the order of
10,000 MW. The reservoir temperatures estimated based on water and gas geothermometers vary
from 120 to little over 150oC.There are many plans made by the government across the country,
mainly in the state of Jharkhand, HP, and Chhattisgarh.

1.6 Objective of the study

Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) systems are the effective technology for heating as well as
cooling purposes. It is renewable energy, having low cost. With increasing in pollution and
increasing in the prices of fossils fuels, it is the best alternative to replace them, because of high
availability for heating and cooling purposes.
These are the objectives of the study:
To carry out details literature survey.
Identify various types of ground source heat pump systems for heating and

cooling.
Identify various uses of GSHP, direct or indirect.
Study hybrid systems of ground source heat pumps.
Study the role of solar energy when combined with ground source heat pumps.
Study the benefits of ground source heat pump.

Chapter-2

LITERATURE SURVEY

The Ground source heat pump (GSHP) has evolved to become a mature technology over the past
two decades. However, it is not applied as widely as it should or could be. Initial costs, system
design and integration remain to be challenging problems. Efficient use of energy in such
energy-intensive operations as district cooling/ heating, drying and cogeneration is crucial to the
reduction of net energy consumption and hence emissions of greenhouse gases. With the
eventual acceptance of a carbon/energy tax around the world energy, energy conservation will
become a key concern in many industrial operations.
2.1 Theoretical studies on Ground Source Heat Pump
With raising cost of fuel and global warming at the forefront of world attention, the interest in
GSHP as a means of energy recovery appears to have been resurrected. Ground source heat
pumps offer one of the most practicable solutions to the greenhouse effect. It is the only known
process that recirculates environmental and waste heat back into a heat production process;
offering energy efficient and environmentally friendly heating and cooling in applications
ranging from domestic and commercial buildings to process industries [1].
The ground source heat pumps are classified according to their connection from the ground.
They are broadly classified as closed and open loops systems. Hybrid systems are also
introduced today to have greater benefits of solar energy as well as other resource to increase the
efficiency of GSHP. The GSHP has significant benefits to the end user, to utility companies and
to the local and national economies [1].
There are many direct utilization of geothermal energy. The utilization consists of various forms
for heating and cooling instead of converting the energy for electric power generation. The major
areas of direct utilization are swimming, bathing and baineology, space heating and cooling
including district heating, agriculture applications, aquaculture applications, industrial processes,
and heat pumps. The world-wide thermal energy used is estimated to be at least 108,100 TJ/yr
(30,000 GWh/yr) - saving 3.65 million TOE/yr. The majority of this energy use is for space
heating (33%), and swimming and bathing (19%). In the USA the installed thermal power is
1874 MWt, and the annual energy use is 13,890 TJ (3,860 GWh). The majority of the use (59 %)
is for ground source heat pumps (both ground coupled and water source), with space heating,
7

bathing and swimming, and fish and animal farming each supplying about 10% [2].Practical
studies have shown the potential of heat pumps to drastically reduce greenhouse gases, in
particular CO2 emissions, in space heating and heat generation. The positive impact on
environment depends on the type of heat pump and the energy-mix and efficiency of driving
power used [3].
2.2 Applications Based studies on Ground Source Heat Pump
There are many world wide applications of GSHP systems. GSHP systems are also used in
combined with other units. A detailed analysis of the heating and cooling performance of
environmental heat sources and sinks is done for 12 low-energy buildings in Germany. In
particular, the analysis focuses on the given temperature levels and the efficiency performance of
the environmental heat sources and sinks in summer and winter. The annual efficiency
performance of the geothermal heat sources and sinks results in a seasonal performance factor of
8-10 kWhtherm/kWhend, where the end energy use is electricity [4].
The GSHP system is also used in agriculture sectors. The heat from ground is very useful in the
cultivation of plants. A studied was done on the possibility of using a constant temperature
underground geothermal water source, which flows naturally, as an economic option to solve the
problem of plant freezing and plant-growth inhibition in greenhouse cultivation in the central
part of Argentina. A system of heating by means of geothermal energy, with energy-conservation
measures, was designed and evaluated for typical production greenhouses in the southern part of
Cordoba, Argentina. The results of tests carried out during 3 years are presented. These results
are really promising, taking into account the high benefit/cost relation of the design and the
availability of similar geothermal resources in many farms of this region [5].
Mainly GSHP are used for district heating. In cold climate areas, the heating provided by GSHP
system is very useful and efficient. It is a very attractive alternate of fossil fuels. A studied was
done on the use of geothermal energy for the district heating in Frederikshavn. Results shown,
that the use of geothermal energy in combination with an absorption heat pump shows promise in
a situation where natural gas supply to conventional cogeneration of heat and power (CHP)
plants decreases radically [8].

Today hybrid GSHP systems are very efficient in use. Solar energy GSHP systems, Separate
storage GSHP systems etc are the various combinations for Hybrid systems. Various models of
solar assist GSHP system are introduced in the world. An investigate is done on the performance
characteristics of a solar assisted ground-source heat pump greenhouse heating system
(SAGSHPGHS) with a 50m vertical 1 1/4 in. nominal diameter U-bend ground heat exchanger
using exergy analysis method. The heating coefficient of performances of the ground-source heat
pump unit and the overall system are obtained to be 2.64 and 2.38, respectively, while the
exergetic efficiency of the overall system is found to be 67.7% [12].
Also analyze was done on the performance of underground thermal storage in a solar-ground
coupled heat pump system (SGCHPS) for residential building. Based on the experimental results,
the system performance during a longer period is simulated by the unit modeling, and its
parametric effects are discussed. The results show that the performance of underground thermal
storage of SGCHPS depends strongly on the intensity of solar radiation and the matching
between the water tank volume and the area of solar collectors [13].
The performance of hybrid GSHP systems on cooling as well as heating demand was analyzed.
GSHP systems work on both heating and cooling load. A Monitored and analyzed three buildings
employing HyGSHP systems (two cooling-dominated, one heating-dominated) to demonstrate
the performance of the hybrid approach. One innovation to ground-source heat pump (GSHP, or
geothermal) systems is the hybrid GSHP (HyGSHP) system. A HyGSHP system can
dramatically decrease the first cost of GSHP systems by using conventional technology (such as
a cooling tower or a boiler) to meet a portion of the peak heating or cooling load. The buildings
were monitored for a year and the measured data was used to validate models of each system
[10].
HVAC systems are commonly used in many industries for district cooling, chillers etc. There is
huge potential of energy saving in HVAC systems. HVAC systems combined with GSHP
reduced the electricity consumption of HVAC. Investigation of a desiccant assisted air
conditioning system was done. For this a demonstration plant was built in an office building in
Hamburg, Germany. The HVAC system consists of a small CHP-plant, a desiccant assisted
ventilation system and an earth energy system (borehole heat exchangers) for cooling instead of
an electric driven compression chiller. The radiant floor heating system of the building is used
for cooling. It was found that considerable primary energy savings can be achieved (70%) using
9

desiccant air conditioning with borehole heat exchangers. Starting costs for the demonstration
plant were not higher than for a conventional system, but running costs could be reduced
drastically [9].
Another example of Hybrid system is using GSHP system with air handling unit. In this author
analyzed the possible synergies provided by the combination of underground thermal energy
storage (UTES) system with a desiccant based air handling unit (AHU). Differently from the
conventional solutions, the summer humidity control is obtained here by chemical
dehumidification of the ventilation airstream performed by liquid desiccants in a packed column.
In winter, the higher temperature level at which the UTES works and to the AHU configuration
allowing sensible and latent heat recovery. The required UTES size is sensibly smaller, reducing
in this way not only the operation but above all the investment costs. The UTES system
competitiveness is then increased. The described solution is investigated by a computer
simulation referring to a modern office building in the climate of northern Italy and its
performance has been compared to a traditional HVAC plant and to a traditional ground source
heat pump (GSHP) system [7].
2.3 Recent developments in GSHP
The GSHP becomes a critical heat system as it possesses the capacity to recover thermal energy.
As heat pump continues to find new novel applications in various energy-related industries,
research efforts have been expanding to make it more energy efficient while evolving new hybrid
systems that improve overall system efficiency. Recent progresses in heat pump systems have
centered upon advanced cycle designs for both heat- and work-actuated systems, improved cycle
components (including choice of working fluid), and exploiting utilization in a wider range of
applications, the incorporation of a heat-driven ejector to the heat pump has improved system
efficiency by more than 20%. Additionally, the development of better compressor technology has
the potential to reduce energy consumption of heat pump systems by as much as 80%. The
evolution of new hybrid systems has also enabled the heat pump to perform efficiently with
wider applications [14].
All these papers describe various uses of geothermal heat pumps .Direct uses and indirect uses,
both are explained. The hybrid system of geothermal heat pump is also described. The solar
10

assist geothermal systems are explained. The design consideration and the economic analysis of
geothermal heat pumps are described. GSHP systems are widely used in the world. GSHP
systems have many applications such as district heating; cooling etc.Some application project
papers are also shown.

Chapter-3
DESIGNS OF GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS

11

Ground Source Heat Pump connected to the earth may be categorized as open loop or closed
loop systems. Many factors affect the design of the loop section of the earth connection of a
geothermal system.
Design factors include: geologic conditions (the thermal and hydraulic characteristics of the
underground), technical parameters (length and type of ground heat exchanger, type and quality
of grouting), other technical factors include the heating/cooling load, the type of space to be
heated/cooled, and the supply temperature from underground. Generally speaking, the advantage
of closed loop systems is the independence from aquifers and water chemistry. An advantage of
open systems is the higher heat transfer capacity of the wells compared to a borehole.
Designing the system calls for professional expertise. Designs choices open to the geothermal
system installer of the earth connection are:
Open loop earth connection systems where ground Heat is used directly and may include
single well or multiple wells drilled to depths up to 1500 feet deep. Types of open loop
systems are shown below.
Closed loop earth connection systems where air, water or a water antifreeze mixture is
circulated through polyethylene tubing. Closed loop systems come in many
configurations which are shown below.
Hybrid closed loop earth connection systems which incorporate features into their design
that are not normally part of the geothermal system, but which add to the systems
efficiency. Hybrid systems are shown below.
Direct Exchange (DX) systems do not use an intermediate working fluid or heat
exchanger. Instead, DX systems employ closed loops of soft copper tubing to directly
transfer heat between the ground and the refrigerant -- the heat pump's refrigerant loop is
buried in the ground. Direct exchange systems are shown below.
3.1 Open loop earth connection systems
Water from a surface water source (oceans, lakes, rivers) or groundwater or air is pumped
through the heat exchanger and then discharged to the same or a different body. Open-loop
systems can be cheaper than closed-loop systems, because their installation involves less work;
they also can have an efficiency that is comparable to or higher than a closed-loop system.
However, local codes and regulations regarding groundwater discharge must be met. Consistency
12

of the water supply in terms of quantity and quality are crucial to ensure uninterrupted heat pump
operation and long service life. In cold climates, open-loop systems are further limited due to
freezing temperatures that can make the source unavailable or cause pipes to freeze. The various
types of Open loop earth connection systems are described below
3.1.1

Single open loop earth connection systems

Open loop systems are the simplest. Used successfully for decades, ground water is drawn from
an aquifer, passes through the heat pumps heat exchanger, and is discharged. Also air is
circulated in the underground pipes and use that energy into useful work .After it leaves the
building, water may be disposed of by one of three methods. Note that local codes and
regulations may restrict which discharge method is allowed
1. Surface drainage to a low area such as a pond, river, lake or stream, etc.
2. Sub surface to a dedicated drain field sized to the required volume of water of the heat
pump (shown below).
3. Re-injection - water is pumped back into the same aquifer

3.1.2

Figure 3.1 Open loop earth connection systems [15]

Multiple well open loop earth connection systems

Open loop systems typically include one or more supply wells and one or more diffusion,
discharge, recharge, return or injection wells (each of the preceding five terms diffusion,
discharge, recharge, return, injection means the same thing as the terms are used here).

13

Figure 3.2 Multiple well open loop earth connection systems

An open loop geothermal well system, groundwater is withdrawn from an aquifer through the
supply/production well and pumped to the heat pump where it acts as a heat source or sinks in
the heating or cooling process. Once the groundwater passes through the heat pump it is returned
to the aquifer through an injection well. The only difference between the supplies and return
water is the temperature.
Generally, two to three gallons per minute per ton of capacity are necessary for effective heat
exchange. Since the temperature of ground water is nearly constant throughout the year, open
loops are a popular option in areas where they are permitted.
Open-loop systems are used less frequently than closed loop systems, but may be employed costeffectively if ground water is plentiful.

Local environmental officials should be consulted

whenever an open-loop system is being considered. In some localities, all or parts of the
installation may be subject to local ordinances, codes, covenants or licensing requirements.
Poor water quality will cause serious problems in open-loop applications. Water should be tested
for hardness, acidity and iron content before the heat pump is installed. Poor water quality can
cause mineral deposits to build up inside the heat pump heat exchanger and periodic cleaning
will be required.
No environmental damage is created by open loop wells since the only difference between the
water being removed by the supply well and the water being reinjected through the discharge
well is a slight increase in temperature. The distance between the production and injection wells is
an important design consideration. It is not necessary to completely prevent flow from the injection
well to the production well, but simply to make sure that any flow between the wells is sufficiently
low that discharged water arrives at the production well at a temperature at nearly the same
14

temperature as the aquifer.

Well spacing typically will be in the range of 200 to 600 feet, depending on the maximum system
cooling or heating load, the typical duration of the maximum load, and the thickness and natural
flow rate of the aquifer. If proper attention is not given to this important design factor undesired
temperature increases in the aquifer can lead to the growth of undesirable organisms which can
cause increased befouling and incrustation.
3.1.3

Standing water column open loop earth connection

Another type of open loop system is the standing water column system.

Figure 3.3 Standing Water Column open loop earth connection systems
A standing water column system is generally a single deep well drilled into bedrock. A casing is
set from grade down to bedrock and from there the well is essentially an open rock well. The
standing water column method works best with non-corrosive and non-scaling water, as the
water is used directly in the heat pumps.
The geothermal water in this case is circulated within the same well. Here, if the water is
withdrawn from the bottom of the well. The water will be returned at the top and allowed to heat or
cool as it traverses down the well to where it is being withdrawn. This vertical movement of water
and heat exchange is called a standing column well and provides a convenient and effective heat
transfer method. Based on experience by the Water and Energy Systems Corporation, 50 to 60
feet of water column is needed per ton (a nominal 12,000 Btu/hr of cooling) of building load.

15

Standing column wells, also called turbulent wells have become an established technology in
some regions, especially the northeastern United States. Standing wells are typically six inches in
diameter and may be as deep as 1500 feet.
Ground water must be plentiful for a standing well system to operate effectively. If the standing
well is installed where the water table is too deep, pumping would be prohibitively costly. Under
normal circumstances, the water diverted for building (potable) use is replaced by constanttemperature ground water, which makes the system act like a true open- loop system.
If the well-water temperature climbs too high or drops too low, water can be bled" from the
system to allow ground water to restore the well-water temperature to the normal operating
range. Permitting conditions for discharging the bleed water vary from locality to locality, but are
eased by the fact that the quantities are small and the water is never treated with chemicals.
3.1.4

Surface water systems

Surface water systems use a large body of water such as an ocean bay or inland lake for a water
supply, as well as discharge. Conceptually, surface water systems are similar to the Standing Water
Column Systems described above.

leading example of a surface water open-loop system is shown below. Water from Cayuga Lake is
used as the source for geothermal exchange to provide cooling at Cornell University. This coolingonly application uses no heat pumps.

Figure3.4 Surface water system

16

3.2 Closed loop earth connection systems

There are several types of closed loop systems. All types use a continuous loop where the heat
transfer fluid is circulated. 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.
3.2.1

Horizontal Closed Loop Earth Connection

A horizontal loop is usually the most cost effective when adequate yard space is available and
trenches are easy to dig. Using trenchers or backhoes digging trenches three to six feet below the
ground, you then lay a series of parallel plastic pipes.
The trench is then back filled, taking care not to allow sharp rocks or debris to damage the pipe.
A typical horizontal loop will have 400-600 feet of pipe per ton of heating and cooling capacity.
The land area required for horizontal ground loops will range from 1500-3000 square feet per ton
of heating/cooling depending on soil properties and earth temperatures.

Figure 3.5 Closed loop earth connection systems

Where there are restrictions is available land the individual pipes may be laid in a relatively
dense pattern and connected in series or parallel as show below.

17

Figure 3.6 Closed loop earth connection systems in series and parallel collectors [15]
Slinky loops are used to reduce the heat exchanger per foot trench requirements but require more
pipes per ton of capacity. This pipe is coiled like a slinky, overlapped and laid in a trench. Twopipe systems may require 200-300 feet of more pipe per ton of nominal heat exchange capacity.
The trench length decreases as the number of pipes in the trench increases or as slinky overlap
increases.

Figure 3.7 Closed loop earth connection systems with Slinky and Svec spiral collectors

18

Figure 3.8 Closed loop earth connection systems with Slinky collectors installation
To save surface area some special ground heat exchangers have been developed. They use a
smaller surface area and a deeper trench for the installation of a number of circuits of narrow
diameter pipe as shown.

Figure 3.9 Closed loop earth connection systems with Trench Collector
3.2.2 Vertical Closed Loop Earth Connection
This type of loop is used where there is little yard space, when surface rocks make digging
impractical,

or

when you

want

to disrupt

the

landscape

as

little

as

possible.

Vertical holes 150 to 450 feet deep - much like wells - are bored in the ground, and single or
multiple loops of pipe with a U-bend at the bottom is/are inserted before the hole is backfilled.
Each vertical pipe is then connected to a horizontal underground pipe that carries fluid in a
19

closed system to and from the indoor exchange unit.

Vertical

loops are generally more expensive to install, but require less piping than horizontal loops because
the Earth's temperature is more stable farther below the surface. Typical piping requirements range
from 400-600 feet of borehole per system ton of heating/cooling, depending (as always) on the
soil properties and ground temperature conditions. This requirement usually results in 1-2
boreholes per ton of system load, again, the exact requirement being dictated by the thermal
properties of the soil.

An

important design factor is the spacing between boreholes. A rule of thumb is that boreholes
should be 15-20 feet apart to avoid having the thermal conductivity of the boreholes conflicting
with each other. Vertical ground loops typically require 150-300 square feet of land area per
system ton of heating/cooling capacity.

Figure 3.10 Vertical Closed loop earth connection system

Several types of borehole heat exchangers have been used or tested. The geothermal industry has
developed simultaneously in several countries and a variety of techniques are used. In Europe,
where land is generally at a higher premium than in the U.S. techniques to minimize surface land
requirements have driven the development. For example, placing a single U-tube per borehole as
opposed to placing 2-3 U-tubes per borehole.
Likewise several types of borehole heat exchanger designs are used in different countries,
although the single U-tube or U-pipe design seems most common.

20

Figure 3.11 Different types of borehole heat exchanger

3.2.3 Energy Pilings

Foundation pilings may be equipped with ground loop heat exchanger piping. This system may
be used with pre-fabricated or cast on-site pilings and in piling sizes from 16 to 3.

Figure 3.12 Energy Pilings

3.2.4 Submerged closed loop earth connections
If a large river or moderately sized pond or lake is available, the closed- loop piping system can
be submerged. Some commercial and institutional buildings have artificial ponds for aesthetic
reasons, and these may have adequate surface area and depth for fully immersing a closed-loop
heat exchanger.
Submerged-loop systems typically require about 300 linear feet of piping per system ton.
21

Depending on the pond depth ponds can support GSHP systems ranging from 15 to 85 tons per acre
of pond surface area. This range corresponds to a unit area requirement of 500 to 3,000 square feet
per system ton. The minimum acceptable pond depth for submerged ground loops is 10 feet.
Concrete anchors are used to secure the piping coils, preventing their movement and holding the
coils 9 to 18 inches above the pond floor, to allow good convective circulation of water around the
piping. It also is recommended that the coils be submerged at least 6 to 8 feet below the pond
surface , preferably deeper, in order to maintain adequate thermal mass in times of extended drought
or other low-water conditions. Pond loops are a special kind of closed loop system. Geothermal
transfer fluid is pumped just as a closed loop ground system. First cost economics are very attractive
and there is no aquatic enviournment impact.

Figure 3.13 Submerged closed loop earth connections [15]

3.3 Hybrid closed loop geothermal systems

The advantages of GSHPs over conventional alternatives make them a very attractive choice for
space conditioning and water heating for both residential and commercial/institutional buildings.
However, GSHPs often have higher first costs than conventional systems making short-term
economics unattractive. An alternative, lower cost approach for such applications can be use of a
hybrid GSHP design.
In hybrid GSHPs, the ground heat exchanger size is reduced and an auxiliary heat rejecter

22

(e.g., a cooling tower or some other option) is used to handle the excess heat rejection loads
during building cooling operation. The extent to which the ground heat exchanger size can be
reduced in a hybrid GSHP system will vary with location and climate, but it must be at least
large enough to handle the building heating requirements. Hybrid GSHPs can also be used for
sites where the geological conditions or the available ground surface will not allow a ground heat
exchanger large enough for the building cooling loads to be installed. Various options of Hybrid
systems are:
3.3.1 Hybrid Closed Loop Earth Connection with Supplemental Cooling Pond
Pond loops can also be utilized as part of a hybrid GSHP (ground source heat pump) system
where an additional heat sink is needed to add to the efficiency of the system.
GSHP systems for school buildings in the southern areas of the U.S. can be expected to reject
significantly more heat to the ground loop than they extract from it during the course of a year.
To avoid overheating the ground loop area and thus decreasing the systems cooling efficiency,
this seasonal imbalance can be accommodated a supplemental means of heat rejection such as a
pond.
Research at Oklahoma State University suggests that it is less costly to build artificial ponds than
to install cooling towers, particularly if the pond is built on school property and additional land
does not have to be purchased for pond construction.

23

Figure 3.14 Hybrid GSHP Systems with Supplemental Cooling Pond [15]

3.3.2 Hybrid closed loop earth connection with cooling tower

A cooling tower is an alternative to consider in cases where an artificial pond cannot be built for
supplemental heat rejection. In this type of hybrid GSHP configuration, the cooling tower can be
connected directly to the ground loop, or it may require an isolation heat exchanger, depending
on the type of cooling tower.

Figure 3.15 Hybrid GSHP Systems with Supplemental Cooling Tower

3.3.3 Hybrid loop with solar collector

For GSHP systems being designed for colder weather parts of the U.S. eating load might be the
driving ground loop design factor. In such cases, supplementing a GSHP system with solar
thermal collectors will reduce the required size of the ground loop and increase heat pump
efficiency by providing significantly higher building loop temperatures than could be attained by
the ground heat exchanger alone. In most cases, the solar thermal collector can be connected
24

directly to the ground loop, as shown.

A liquid/liquid isolation heat exchanger would be required, however, if the solar recalculating loop
needs a different level of antifreeze protection than the ground loop or uses a different antifreeze
additive. Solar thermal collectors almost always use propylene glycol for both antifreeze and antiboiling protection, whereas methanol is the preferred antifreeze additive for closed ground loops,
where environmental and health regulations permit its use

25

Figure 3.16 Hybrid GSHP System with Supplemental Solar thermal collector

26

3.4 Direct exchange (dx) closed loop systems

The closed ground-loops described above use water or a water-antifreeze

solution as an

intermediate working fluid to move heat energy between the ground (or water body) and the
building,

with

liquid/refrigerant

heat

exchanger

in

each

heat

pump

unit.

Direct-exchange (DX) systems do not use an intermediate working fluid or heat exchanger.
Instead, DX systems employ closed loops of soft copper tubing to directly transfer heat between
the ground and the refrigerant - the heat pump's refrigerant loop is buried in the ground. By
eliminating the intermediate heat exchanger, the refrigerant's temperature is closer to the ground's
temperature, which lowers the heat pump's required compression ratio, reducing its size and
energy consumption. Also a shorter ground loop can be used, because copper tubing is six (6)
times more efficient at transferring heat than the polyethylene pipe used in conventional closed
loops; the thermal conductivity of copper is about 19 Btu/sq.ft-hr-F per inch of wall thickness,
whereas that of HDPE pipe is only 2.7 Btu/sq.ft-hr-F per inch.

DX ground

loops can be installed in a horizontal trenched configuration or a vertical U-tube configuration.

Horizontal-loop DX systems require about 350 feet of copper tubing per system ton, as opposed
to 450 to 500 feet per ton for polyethylene ground loops. Similarly, vertical DX systems require
only a 3-inch diameter bores to a depth of 120 feet per ton, as opposed to 4- to 6-inch diameter
bores to a depth of 200 to 300 feet per ton for polyethylene U-tubes in conventional vertical
closed loops [15].
Today DX GHPs have been installed only in residential and small commercial applications, where
a blower forces air through a refrigerant/air heat exchanger and a duct system distributes the
warmed or chilled air throughout the building. In larger building applications a refrigerant/water
heat exchanger is used to transfer the heat to a pipe system that can distribute warmed or chilled
water to hydraulic terminal systems such as radiant floor slabs or fan-coil units.
Because of their shorter length, horizontal DX ground loops need only about 500 square feet of land
area per system ton, considerably less than the 1,500 to 3,000 square feet needed for conventional
horizontal closed-loops. Vertical DX loops, on the other hand, need at least the same land area as
their conventional counterparts, or even somewhat more. Vertical DX boreholes should be spaced at
least 20 feet apart to minimize the possibility of ground freezing and buckling in the heating mode
or excessive warming and drying of the soil in the cooling mode.
27

Heat from DX ground loops can bake fine-grained soils, reducing their thermal conductivity and
thus the performance of the system. DX ground loops perform best in moist sandy soils or sand bed
installations. Because DX ground loops are copper, they are subject to corrosion in acidic soils
and should be installed in soils with a pH between 5.5 and 10.

Chapter-4
28

CASE STUDIES OF GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS

4.1 CASE STUDY 1- For Public Law building in Greece

The European Centre for Public Law is a building complex of a main building and a hostel
located at Legraina, ca 65 km southeast of Athens on the Saronic Gulf coastline. The heating and
cooling needs of the buildings are covered by a combined system of geothermal heat pumps and
solar air collectors. Solar air collectors seem to play an important role in the energy savings of
the preheating of the fresh air, as well as of the heating of the air mixture
4.1.1 The heating and cooling system
The overall configuration of the geothermal part of the building heating and cooling system is
shown in Fig. 4.1. In order to minimize the required water flow from the well, two heat pump
units have been installed. The two units are connected in cascade in order to maximize the
temperature difference (DT) of the ground water, and as a result the energy extracted from a
given water flow rate. In order to facilitate this configuration within the building heating and
cooling system, the thermal and cooling load of the building is split into two parts. In addition,
the DT is monitored and controlled by the control system in order to avoid freezing and
overheating conditions.

29

Figure4.1 Layout of geothermal heat pumps system and measuring points

[18]
The two heat pump units, HP1 (of 70 kW nominal capacity) and HP2 (of 100 kW nominal
capacity), are both water-to-water type, electrically driven. The first unit (HP1) serves the
auditorium and the classrooms of the ground floor of the main building through an all-air system
(air handling units). The second unit (HP2) serves the offices and the library facility of the main
building, as well as the guesthouse (hostel), with the aid of a hydraulic system (fan coils).
The air handling units comprise a return fan section, a double mixing box, a diverting solar
mixing box, a coil section with a dual purpose heating/cooling coil, a spray humidifier for winter
application, bag filters, a supply fan section, as well as an air to air heat recovery section. Both
fans have been designed for two speed operation because winter load is much less than the
summer one and winter mode is operated with half air flow rate (the supply air temperature then
can take values in the comfort zone).
30

The diverting solar mixing box is connected to 45 m2 solar air collectors through a 350 mm
insulated air duct for solar energy utilization as well. The solar energy input to the air handling
units is presented schematically in Fig. 4.2.

Figure 4.2 Layout of air handling units (solar energy input) and measuring points [18]
This mixing box diverts the air mixture flow to bypass the collector during summertime. Then
relief dampers have been foreseen for the protection of the collector against overheating. During
winter, the same diverting solar mixing box regulates the diverting airflow so that the airflow
through the collectors achieves positive DT. The source/rejection sides of the two heat pumps
(Fig. 4.1) are connected in series upon a single water loop, in which a plate heat exchanger
represents the source of the required amount of thermal energy. An open loop animated by one
31

pump and fed with water from an open concrete and insulated storage tank of 70 m 3 volume,
receives the thermal energy of the previous loop for rejection. The tank is also constantly fed by
another open loop driven by a submerged stainless steel pump, inside the geothermal well. Both
last open loops circulate saline groundwater through the titanium plate heat exchanger. The
storage tank is needed for back up reasons. This autonomy rises up to 6 h (at peak load
conditions). For water saving reasons, an inverter driven control system (IDCS) reduces the
pumping energy consumption at partial load conditions of the system. This same control protects
the heat pumps against freezing and overheating, in case wellhead temperature rises above its
present value of 24 oC after long term production of groundwater.
During wintertime, both heat pumps operate in the heating operation mode, absorbing heat from
the source (rejection in summer) closed loop. In order to maximize energy efficiency, the water
pump feeding the heat pumps through this water loop, feeds the unit HP2 in priority. As a result,
HP2, which is larger and operates more hours yearly, operates with higher COP. Therefore, the
HP1 operates with colder evaporator, while HP2 in priority, operates with warmer evaporator and
higher COP. Nevertheless, instead of 24 oC, the temperature of the water circulating within the
closed loop is controlled and kept at a lower temperature. The maximum value of this lower
temperature is controlled at 18 oC; the water is then supplied to the HP2 entry (scroll compressor
technologies of both heat pumps cannot afford higher evaporating temperatures). For energy
efficiency purposes, the temperature set point during wintertime has been set at the maximum
allowable value, which is 18 oC.
During middle-seasons it can happen that both heating is needed in the HP2 system and cooling
in the HP1 system, because of the high latent load inside the classrooms and the auditorium. In
this case, the closed loop, assisted by the inverter open loop, can integrate opposite thermal
loads. The hostel of the building requires hot water supply, which is provided by solar water
heaters.
4.1.2 Results of the energy performance of the system
In order to evaluate energy performance, the system operation was monitored under the
following conditions:

32

One day with heating load was selected among several heating days of continuous

monitoring.
Both HP2 and HP1 operated in the heating mode.
The HP1 supplied the auditorium operating with the AHU2 facility only.
The fresh air (AHU2) supply was fixed to <50% of the maximum load.
The free cooling mode of the AHU2 (from the BEMSmenu) was disabled.
The critical temperature set point of the value T h/p has been set at the default winter value
MAT=18 oC.

The measurements of the input and output temperatures of the air entering and leaving the solar
collectors during the selected day of operation are presented in Fig. 4.3. The thermal power
delivered by the solar collectors has been calculated using the equation:
Psolar= qairV2f Cpair (Tc 2out -Ta)
Where qair and Cpair are the density and specific heat of the air, respectively. The results are
presented in Fig. 4.4. The geothermal energy contribution to the heat pumps has been calculated
using the equations:
PHP1 = mh/p Cpw (T2out -T1out)
PHP2 =mh/p Cpw (Th/p -T2out)
Where Cpw is the specific heat of the water. The results are presented in Fig. 4.5. Overall
electricity consumption P including all HVAC equipment, namely the heat pumps, the water
pumps and all air fans (air handling units and fan coils), has been measured through the Building
Energy Management System (BEMS). The contribution of solar energy, geothermal energy and
electricity to the building energy balance is shown in Fig. 4.6. The mean daily energy efficiency
of the heat pumps expressed as net coefficient of performance (net COP= daily energy output
over overall daily electricity input) and of the solar collectors (g = daily energy output over daily
solar radiation) is shown.

33

Figure 4.3 Hourly solar collectors performance in terms of air flow temperature
measurements [18]

Figure4.4. Hourly energy output of the solar collectors [18]

Figure4.5. Hourly geothermal energy input to the heat pumps [18]

34

Figure4.6. Share of various energy to the building energy consumption [18]

Energy performance of the heat pumps and the solar collectors
Heat pumps
Net COP of HP1 = 3.91,
Net COP of HP2 = 4.3,
Solar collectors efficiency-mean day= 0.395

4.1.3 Conclusion
The heating and cooling system of the building of the European Centre for Public Law in
Legraina near Athens, Greece, demonstrated the technology of combining solar energy with
geothermal energy, in particular the integration of solar air collectors to a geothermal heat pumps
system used for the heating and cooling of buildings. Measurements during a winters day and
calculations performed, proved that solar energy can effectively contribute to the energy balance
of the building, increasing the overall share of renewable energy use.

35

4.2 Case study 2 - Closed Loop Ground Source Cooling System for a room in Mohali
For this, the cooling system is added with a room of 10 X 8 X 11 feet 3. A 5 X 5 X 10 feet3 deep
pit is daggered outside the room. The ground source cooling system requires three primary
components; loop of G.I. pipes, a liquid pumps pack, Coolant and a radiator (heat transfer
device). A loop field can be installed horizontally or vertically as convenient.

Figure 4.7 Pit for Closed Loop Ground Source Cooling System [19]
4.2.1 Components of the Closed Loop Ground Source Cooling System
1) Loop of G.I. pipes
A closed loop system, the most common, circulates the fluid through the loop fields G.I.
pipes.40 m length of GI pipe is used. In a closed loop system there is no direct interaction
between the fluid and the earth; only heat transfer across the G.I. pipe. The amount of vertical or
horizontal loop required is a function of the ground formation thermal conductivity, deep earth
36

temperature, and heating and cooling power needed, and also depends on the balance between
the amount of heat rejected to and absorbed from the ground during the course of the year. A
rough approximation of the soil temperature is the average daily temperature for the region.
2) Heat exchanger (Radiator)
The radiator is designed to dissipate the heat that the coolant has absorbed from the system.
Radiators are filled with tubes that the coolant passes through. The fan carries heat off of the
radiator. The coolant enters the receiving tank at the top of the radiator, passes through the tubes
inside, losing the heat it has collected, and then collects in the dispensing tank at the bottom for
the water pump to circulate it back through the cooling system.

Figure4.8 Radiator Assembly for Closed Loop Ground Source Cooling System [19]

3) Monoblock pump:
These are single phase capacitor start and run, 2 pole design pump used for clear water free from
mud, grit etc. for domestic application and as a booster pump to fill the overhead tank for multi
storage buildings. Pump is fitted with a non return valve, which does not allow water to return in
the suction line, thereby delivering the water instantaneously when the pump is switched on Ball
Bearing sealed on both sides take the entire load with ample factor of safety and additional
lubrication in not required.
Copper alloy die-cast forged impeller has high strength to with stand wear and tear. The pump is
available in three different bodies namely: Aluminum die-cast body, Cast iron body and Steel.

37

Table 4.1 Specification of the pump [19]

Specifications
Motor rating
Speed
Head range
Discharge range
Pump size (Suction * Delivery)

0.5 hp (240 V, AC , single Phase)

2800 rpm
3 to 30 m
10 to 42 LPM
25*25 m.m

4) Coolant (Water)
The most common coolant is water. Its high heat capacity and low cost makes it a suitable heattransfer medium. It is usually used with additives, like corrosion inhibitors and antifreezes.
Antifreeze, a solution of a suitable organic chemical (most often ethylene glycol, diethylene
glycol, or propylene glycol) in water, is used when the water-based coolant has to withstand
temperatures below 0 C, or when its boiling point has to be raised. Very pure demonized water,
due to its relatively low electrical conductivity, is used to cool some electrical equipment, often
high-power transmitters. Heavy water is used in some nuclear reactors; it also serves as a neutron
moderator.
4.2.2 Working of Closed Loop Ground Source Cooling System
In this system, a radiator fan is attached in the window of the room, the sucking air is first cooled
circulating water in the radiator. This water is circulating through a loop of GI pipe placed inside
the earth surface. Because of earth temperature is low then the ambient, the water become cool
when pass through the loop. This cool water then pass through the radiator where water cools the
air .This air is circulated inside the room to cool the room. The water is circulated with the help
of a pump

38

Figure4.9 Drawing plan for Closed Loop Ground Source Cooling System [19]

39

4.2.3 Results of the case study

Test observations:
Table 4.2 Observation results [19]
S.No.
1

Source
Inlet temp of heat exchanger

Observed temperature in C
27

outlet temp of heat exchanger

30

Room temp

32

Temp outside room

35

Outlet air temp from heat exchanger

28

Calculations:
1) Heat transfer rate between radiator and room air
As per forced convection fluid passing through the tube of a heat exchanger follows the
Newtons law of cooling
Q= hA (tout - tin)
= 13.1 X (0.3625 X 0.425) X (303 300)
=13.1 X (0.3625 X 0.425) X 3
=6.0546 Watts
Where, Q is the convective heat flow rate (watt)
A is area exposed to heat transfer (m2),
tout = temp at outlet of heat exchanger (K)
tin= temp at inlet of heat exchanger (K)
h = heat transfer coefficient (W/m2K)
2) Heat transfer rate between pipe and earth

40

Since conduction s essentially due to random molecular motion, the concept is termed as
microform of heat transfer is usually referred to as diffusion of energy. Conduction is prescribed
by Fourier law,
Q= -kA dt/dx
Q= -k* pie/4*d2 *dt/dx
= 50 X (0.0125)2 X 0.785 X 0.5
=0.003067 Watt
Where, Q is the conduction heat flow rate (watt)
A is area exposed to heat transfer (m2),
tout = temp at outlet of pipe (K)
tin= temp at inlet of pipe (K)
k = thermal conductivity (W/mK)

41

Chapter -5
UTILIZATION, BENEFITS & FUTURE ASPECTS

Ground source heat pumps are utilize in many heating and cooling applications. Because of
saving of electricity or fossil fuels, these systems are become popular in many countries. Ground
source heat pumps (GSHPs) have been shown to have a number of benefits over other
technologies used to heat and cool buildings and provide hot water, combining high levels of
occupant comfort with low operating and maintenance costs. But still these systems are not in
use worldwide. Educational awareness is necessary for the development of this system. Also
reducation in the cost of installation, first cost is the major issues.
5.1 Utilization of GSHP systems
Direct or non-electric utilization of geothermal energy refers to the immediate use of the heat
energy rather than to its conversion to some other form such as electrical energy. The primary
forms of direct use include swimming, bathing and balneology (therapeutic use), space heating
and cooling including district heating, agriculture (mainly greenhouse heating and some animal
husbandry), aquaculture (mainly fish pond and raceway heating), industrial processes, and heat
pumps (for both heating and cooling). In general, the geothermal fluid temperatures required for
direct heat use are lower than those for economic electric power generation.
i.

Swimming, Bathing and Balneology

Romans, Chinese, Ottomans, Japanese and central Europeans have bathed in geothermal waters
for centuries. Today, more than 2,200 hot spring resorts in Japan draw 100 million guests every
year, and the return-to-nature movement in the US has revitalized many hot spring resorts.
The geothermal water at Xiaotangshan Sanitarium northwest of Beijing China has been used for
medical purposes for over 500 years. Today, the 50 oC water is used to treat high blood pressure,
rheumatism, skin disease, diseases of the nervous system, ulcers and generally for recuperation
after surgery. In Retour, New Zealand at the center of the Taupo Volcanic Zone of North Island,
the Queen Elizabeth Hospital was built during World War II for US Servicemen and later became
42

the national hospital for the treatment of rheumatic disease. The hospital has 200 beds, and
outpatient service, and a cerebral palsy unit. Both acidic and basic heated mud baths treat
rheumatic diseases.
In Beppu on the southern island of Kyushu, Japan the hot water and steam meet many needs:
heating, bathing, cooking, industrial operations, agriculture research, physical therapy,
recreational bathing and even a small zoo. The waters are promoted for digestive system
troubles, nervous troubles, and skin troubles. Many sick and crippled people come to Beppu for
rehabilitation and physical therapy. There are also eight Jigokus (burning hells) in town
showing various geothermal phenomena, used as tourist attractions.
In the former Czechoslovakia, the use of thermal waters has been traced back before the
occupation of the Romans and has had a recorded use of almost 1,000 years. Today, there are 60
spa resorts located mainly in Slovakia, visited by 460,000 patients usually for an average of three
weeks each. These spas have old and well-established therapeutic traditions. Depending on the
chemical composition of the mineral waters and spring gas, availability of peat and sulfurous
mud, and climatic conditions, each sanitarium is d for the treatment of specific diseases. The
therapeutic successes of these spas are based on centuries of healing tradition (balneology),
systematically supplemented by the latest discoveries of modern medical science
Bathing and therapeutic sites in the US include: Saratoga Springs, New York; Warm Springs,
Georgia; Hot Springs, Virgina, White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia, Hot Springs Arkansas;
Thermopolis, Wyoming; and Calistoga, California. The original uses of these sites were by
Indians, where they bathed and recuperated from battle. There are over 115 major geothermal
spas in the US with an annual energy use of 1,500 TJ
ii.

Space Conditioning

Space conditioning includes both heating and cooling. Space heating with geothermal energy has
widespread application, especially on an individual bases. Buildings heated from individual
wells are popular in Klamath Falls, Oregon, Reno, Nevada, and Taupo and Rotorua, New
Zealand. Absorption space cooling with geothermal energy has not been popular because of the
high temperature requirements and low efficiency. Geothermal heat pumps (ground water and
43

ground coupled) have become popular in the US and Switzerland, used for both heating and
cooling.
An example of space heating and cooling with low- to moderate-temperature geothermal energy
is the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klmath Falls, Oregon. Here, eleven buildings,
approximately 62,000 square meters of floor space, are heated with water from three wells at 89
C Up to 62 L/s of fluid can be provided to the campus, with the average heat utilization rate over
0.53 MWt and the peak at 5.6 MWt. In addition, a 541 kW (154 tons) chiller requiring up to 38
L/s of geothermal fluid produces 23 L/s of chilled fluid at 7 oC to meet the campus cooling base
load.
iii.

District Heating

District heating originates from a central location, and supplied hot water or steam through a
network of pipes to individual dwellings or blocks of buildings. The heat is us& for space
heating and cooling, domestic water heating, and industrial process heat. A geothermal well field
is the primary source of heat; however, depending on the temperature, the district may be a
hybrid system, which would include fossil fuel and/or heat pump peaking.
Geothermal district heating systems are in operation in at least 12 countries, including Iceland,
France, Poland, Hungary, Turkey, Japan and the US. The Warm Springs Avenue project in Boise,
Idaho, dating back to 1892 and originally heating more than 400 homes, is the earliest formal
project in the US. The Reykjavik, Iceland, district heating system is probably the most famous.
This system supplies eat for a population of around 145,000 people. The installed capacity of 640
MWt is designed to meet the heating load to about -10 oC, however, during colder periods the
increased load is met by large storage tanks and oil fired booster station.
In France, production wells in sedimentary basins provide direct heat to more than 500,000
people from 40 projects, These wells provide from 40 to 100 L/s of 60 to 100 C water from
depths of 1,500 to 2,000 m. In the Paris basin a doublet system (one production and one injection
well) provides 70 C water, with the peak load met by heat pumps and conventional fossil fuel
burners.

44

iv.

Agribusiness applications

Agribusiness applications (agriculture and aquaculture) are particularly attractive because they
require heating at the lower end of the temperature range where there is an abundance of
geothermal resources. Use of waste heat or the cascading of geothermal energy also has excellent
possibilities. A number of agribusiness applications can be considered: greenhouse heating,
aquaculture, animal husbandry, soil warming and irrigation, mushroom culture, and biogas
generation.
Numerous commercially marketable crops have been raised in geothermally heated greenhouses
in Hungary, Russia, New Zealand, Japan Iceland, China, and the US. These include vegetables,
such as cucumbers and tomatoes, flowers (both potted and bedded), house plants, tree seedlings,
and cacti. Using geothermal energy for heating reduces operating costs (which can account for
35% of the product cost) and allows operation in colder climates where commercial greenhouses
would not normally be economical.
The use of geothermal energy for raising catfish, shrimp, tilapia, eels, and tropical fish has
produced crops faster than by conventional solar heating. Using geothermal heat allows better
control of pond temperature, thus optimizing growth. Fish breeding has been successful in Japan,
China, and the US. A very successful prawn raising operation, producing 400 tons of Giant
Malaysian Freshwater Prawns per year at USS 17 to 27/k& has been developed near the
Wairakei geothermal field in New Zealand [2]. The most important factors to consider are the
quality of the water and disease. If geothermal water is used directly, concentrations of dissolved
heavy metals, fluorides, chlorides, arsenic, and boron must be considered.
Livestock raising facilities can encourage the growth of domestic animals by a controlled heating
and cooling environment. An indoor facility can lower mortality rate of newborn, enhance
growth rates, control disease, increase litter size, make waste management and collection easier,
and in most cases improve the quality of the product. Geothermal fluids can also be used for
cleaning, sanitizing and drying of animal shelters and waste, as well as assisting in the
production of biogas from the waste.

45

v.

industrial Applications

Although there are many potential industrial and process applications of geothermal energy, the
worlds uses are relatively few. The oldest industrial use is at Larderello, Italy, where boric acid
and other borate compounds have been extracted from geothermal brines since 1790. Today, the
two largest industrial uses are the diatomaceous earth drying plant in northern Iceland and a pulp,
paper and wood processing plant at Kawerau, New Zealand. Notable US examples are two onion
dehydration plants in northern Nevada, and a sewage digestion facility in San Bernardino,
California. Alcohol fuel production has been attempted in the US; however, the economics were
marginal and thus this industry has not been successful.
Drying and dehydration are important moderate-temperature uses of geothermal energy. Various
vegetable and fruit products are feasible with continuous belt conveyors or batch (truck) dryers
with air temperatures from 40 to 100o C .Geothermally drying alfalfa, onions, pears, apples and
seaweed are examples of this type of direct use. A new development in the use of geothermal
fluids is for enhanced heap leaching of precious metals in Nevada by applying heat to the
cyanide process .Using geothermal energy increases the efficiency of the process and extends the
production into the winter months.
5.2 Benefits of GSHP use
Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) are one of the fastest growing applications of renewable
energy in the world, with annual increases of 10% in about 30 countries over the past 10 years.
Its main advantage is that it uses normal ground or groundwater temperatures (between about 5
and 30oC), which are available in all countries of the world. It works at very higher efficiency,
reducing the dependence on electricity for heating and cooling application. Various benefits are:

i.

Lower operating costs

Because of the high Seasonal Performance Factors (SPFs) of the modem GI-IP (the ration of
annual energy demand to annual energy input), a consumer will find that energy bills using fossil
energy sources can be reduced by 45% or more. Accordingly, the cost of installing a GSHP
46

system can be recovered in 2 to 3 years for a 33- 50% return on investment. In the case of
commercial consumers, such savings reduce overhead and prices charged customers thus making
the business more competitive.
ii.

No outdoor unit

Since the well field is buried and the heat pump is indoors, GSHP systems do not have an ugly,
noisy, emissions-prone, vandal-attracting outdoor unit used by other HVAC systems.
iii.

Higher reliability and longer unit life

GSHPs work indoors without burning fuels. They therefore avoid weathering and fouling
associated with other systems. Also, because the GSHPs are manufactured by well established
leaders in the field, they are highly reliable and have very low maintenance costs.
iv.

Comfort

GSHPs provide consumers with high comfort levels including humidity control, In addition, by
using multiple heat pumps, temperatures can be regulated on a zone byzone basis. For these
reasons, the great majority of GSHP users have expressed total satisfaction with their systems
and a willingness to recommend use of a GSHP to others.
v.

Customer satisfaction and business stability

Because customers who install GSHPs often do so upon the recommendation of the local utility,
they often express their satisfaction to the utility and tend to remain loyal customers for long
periods of time.

vi.

Flatter Dower load profile

47

GSHP use tends to even out the demand for energy on both seasonal and annual bases. This
means that a utility needs less peaking power and, in the long run, that expenditures for building
new capacity can be delayed thus maintaining low power prices for ail consumers and greater
profits for shareholders.
vii.

Increased employment

As the demand for GSHPs increases, there has been a growing market for skilled drillers,
installers and system operators and maintainers. These small to medium sized businesses
contribute to local and regional economic improvements.
viii.

New equipment sales

As the GSHP industry grows, the demand for drilling and excavation machinery increases. The
GSHP industry-related sales contribute significantly to both local and national economies.
ix.

Increased competitiveness

The adoption of GSHP systems leads to money savings for residential, commercial and
institutional end users. These savings contribute to reduced overhead, increased business
efficiency, the ability to lower prices to customers and advantages in the marketplace.
5.3 Future aspects for GSHP systems
The simplicity, economic benefits and energy efficiency of ground source heat pumps has led to
significant increases in market penetration over the last few years. In order to make GSHP
system common to whole world and make it easier to use, some steps must be taken. These are:
i.

Education and technology awareness

The GSHP industry is well past ground zero with regard to the status of education and
technology awareness in Europe. The GSHP message is now being aggressively spread to the
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whole world via work being led by the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association
(IGSHPA), the Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium (GHPC) and most of the GSHP
manufacturers.
IGSHPA has, since the 1980s, been promoting GSHPs by conducting courses for installers,
training more educators and distributing informative literature. The GIHPC has recently
announced funding for establishment of additional training centers and the manufacturers are
expanding and upgrading their train& facilities.
This education is being focused on architects, HVAC contractors, utilities, environmental groups,
state and local regulators and prospective governmental, institutional, commercial and residential
end-users. Experience has shown that once in these fields develop confidence in the technology,
they are anxious to specify and/or approve its use. As a result, the technology rapidly gains
acceptance.
ii.

First cost reduction

In addition to the education of the groups listed above, it has been found to be important to lower
the first cost of GSHP system installation as much as possible. This is being done through the
development of more drilling & loop installation and grouting techniques and by of competition
among installers. The former is happening as installers dedicated entirely to GSHP work discover
innovative ways to work more efficiently and the latter is happen& thanks to the training &
programs alluded to above. As the industry matures, declining costs can be credited with the
increasing degree of acceptance of the technology.
iii.

Financial assistance to prospective end users

The final key to market penetration of GSHPs is the provision of financing and of incentives to
end users. Financing can take the form of standard loans, of loans with shared savings provided,
leases and end-use pricing.
In a standard loan, the end-user borrows the money for the system purchase and pays all O&M
costs. With shared savings, the end-user borrows money and then pays a fixed monthly fee to a
financial operator who is responsible for all O&M. In a lease, the cost of the equipment and
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maintenance is covered by the lease payment while the end-user pays all operating costs. Finally,
in end-use pricing, the total cost of equipment plus O&M is covered in one monthly payment.
Incentives, commonly provided by utilities, comprise the second important financial incentive.
These usually take the form of initial cost reductions, interest rate reductions and per-ton rebates
to the customer.

Chapter- 6
SUMMARY & CONCLUSION

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Ground source heat pump technologies are widely used for upgrading ambient heat from
sustainable sources, such as air, water, the ground and waste heat, to heating temperatures. They
can be used for residential and commercial space heating, cooling and water heating,
refrigeration and in many industrial processes. In producing heat, they are called heat pumps and
they compete with fossil fired boilers and direct electric heating.
Ground source heat pump systems can be installed in closed and open loop configurations that
include vertical, horizontal, and surface water closed loops and standing column/water well open
loops. The use of any of these systems has many benefits that accrue to end users, to utilities, and
to local and national economies.
In additional, various recently developed hybrid heat pump systems have further improved
efficient use of thermal heat, extended the application of HP and markedly reduced carbon
emission. With abundant amount of heat available in various natural sources and waste heat
generated in various process industries, HP becomes an indispensable technology that can
contribute towards a cleaner environment. It is important, when pursing new green technologies
to combat climate change, to not lose sight of available conventional technology like the heat
pump. Much work has been done but more is still required to integrate HP in innovative systems.
There are some future steps for the development of GSHPs in world market is Education and
increase of technology awareness, first cost reduction and provision of financial assistance to
end-users.
The combination of a simple, efficient technology coupled with a growing awareness of benefits,
a rapidly developing infrastructure and attractive paybacks has resulted in successful
proliferation of geothermal heat pumps.

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