Geo-Source
Heating Systems
Geo-Source
heating systems fall into Green system category.
Although
“Green” seems to be one of the latest
“Buzz” words in the construction industry,
this is one area where our mechanical and electrical
engineering team has been designing systems for years.
We
have a company philosophy of designing energy-conscious,
comfortable buildings while working within client
budget constraints. We have a natural tendency to
conserve whenever possible and we design systems that
enhance the working environment.
Geo-Source
heating systems have several advantages for owners
who are energy and environmentally conscious:
- Buildings
that are heated and cooled by Geo-Source systems
do not require natural gas or propane. As a
result, the building does not release greenhouse
gases into the atmosphere. The annual cost of
using a Geo-Source system is less than conventional
heating and cooling systems.
- The
cost of electricity to run the Geo-Source systems
is not subject to the large fluctuations in price
that gas systems see each year. As a result, budgeting
for seasonal heating and cooling needs becomes easier.
- Utilities
generally offer rebates for installing these
energy efficient systems, and some utilities
offer a reduced rate structure for buildings
that completely use electricity.
The
picture below shows a typical loop field laid
out prior to burial. This field will perform particularly
well because of the high water table. This will
increase the loop field’s ability to transfer
heat. After the field is buried, there will be
no indication that there is a buried system in
the area. The space will be landscaped, creating
a visually appealing green space.
This
diagram of a Geo-Source loop system is made up of
a well field loop and a building loop. The well field
loop transfers heat to the earth during cooling season
and draws heat from the earth during heating season.
The building loop acts as the heating/cooling source
for specially designed heat pumps to supply heating
or cooling to a room. Pumps circulate fluid in and
out of the well field and around the building.
Carlton
County Loop Field
This
photograph shows the slinky loop field for the
Geo-Source heating system prior to its burial.
This loop field is located under a large parking
area at the Carlton County Maintenance Facility.
There was a concern that frost would penetrate
the well field in the winter so the county implemented
a unique solution. This field was insulated
from the surface with recycled shredded rubber
tires prior to paving the area over the field. |
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Family
of Christ Geo Pumps
The
mechanical room at Family of Christ Church houses
the well field header for the loop field. The
space required for this equipment uses less
square footage than a boiler system and the
space has fewer restrictions than a typical
mechanical room. The space is also very easy
to keep clean.
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ERV
Diagram
Many
portions of a Geo-Source facility are heated and
cooled with typical heat pumps tied to the loop field.
These generally do not have outside air brought into
them. Outside air is brought into the building via
an Energy Recovery Wheel (ERV). The ERV conserves
energy while meeting outside air requirements by
transferring heat from stale, warm indoor air to
cool outside air.
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