Geothermal Heat Pumps

A Proven Renewable Energy Technology

by
Greg Tinkler

Redding Linden Burr Consulting Engineers

 While Earth
travels through Space…
…it Absorbs Energy from the Sun
This natural Energy Collection and Storage
System captures nearly 50% of the Solar
Energy falling on Earth…

…thus maintaining a nearly Constant

Temperature throughout the year just below the
surface
Water is an incredibly efficient medium
for transporting Thermal Energy
 Geothermal Heat Pump Systems
combine Sun, Earth, and Water
using proven technology…

… to create “the most energy-efficient,

environmentally clean, and cost-effective
space-conditioning system”
(according to U.S. EPA 1993)
Geothermal Heat Pump
Basic Principles
 The Earth is the Source of
Heat in Winter…
Outdoor air
design temperature:
5°F in winter
72°F

Insulating layer of earth

60°F
A geothermal heat pump takes heat from the earth
during winter and transfers it into the building
 …and an Efficient Place to
Reject Heat in Summer…
Outdoor air
design temperature:
100°F in summer
74°F

Insulating layer of earth

60°F
A geothermal heat pump cools the building in
summer by rejecting heat into the earth
 …using Heat Pump Technology

A geothermal heat pump is

connected to a sealed water
piping loop buried in the earth
near the building

Insulating layer of earth

When water exiting the heat

pump is pumped through the
ground loop, it is naturally
warmed (or cooled) by the earth
surrounding it
Geothermal Heat Pump Efficiency

One unit of energy

from the grid Yields:
5 units of energy
for the building

Plus:
4 units of energy
from the earth

500% Efficient
 Geothermal Heat Pumps
Exchange Heat between Air and Water

Air Out $4
$5 100 F
Water Water
In Out
$1 Worth of Electricity to 50 F 44 F

Operate the Compressor

and Fan Fan

Moves $4 Worth of Heat Air Coil

from the Water Expans ion
Valve Water
Coil

Delivering $5 Worth of
Heat into the Air

Heating Mode Shown

Revers ing $1
Heat can be “pumped uphill” Valve

meaning delivered at a higher Air In

Com pr essor

temperature than the source 70 F

 Geothermal Heat Pumps
Heat or Cool on Demand and also
Produce Hot Water
Air Out
58 F
Water Water
In Out
70 F 80 F

Fan

Air Coil
Expansion
Operates on the Same Valv e Water
Principle as a Refrigerator Coil

Cooling Mode Shown

Rev ersing
Valv e

Hot water is produced Compressor

whenever the unit is operating Air In

80 F

HW
In
HW
Out
160F
90 F 120 F
 Heat Pumps Are All Around Us…
Air conditioners and air-
source heat pumps transfer
heat from inside houses to
the air outside
HEAT
HEAT

B
B
B

Refrigerators transfer
heat from food into
the kitchen
 Geothermal Heat Pumps

Self-contained
heating, cooling and
hot water
Geothermal Heat Pump
Installation Methods
Vertical Closed-Loop
A pair of pipes with a special U-bend assembly at the
bottom is placed into bore holes from 100 to 400 feet deep
Horizontal Closed-Loop
A piping array is installed in trenches cut 3 to 5 feet
deep and hundreds of feet in length
Surface Water Closed-Loop
A piping array is submerged in a pond
or lake at least 8 feet deep
Ground Water
Open-Loop
Well water from an underground aquifer is
pumped through the geothermal heat
pump and then returned to the aquifer or
discharged to the surface
Vertical Closed-Loop Installation

Drilling
Pipe Loop
Insertion
Heat Fusing

Inside
Connection
Geothermal systems are at work in thousands of
buildings throughout the world
The Oklahoma State Capitol uses over 600 geothermal heat pumps
Geothermal Hybrid System - Winter
Heat Pump

Cooling Tower
(OFF)
Water Pump

Earth Loops
Geothermal Hybrid System - Summer
Heat Pump

Cooling Tower
(ON)
Water Pump

Earth Loops
 Importance of Buildings Sector

43% of U.S. Carbon Emissions 39% of U.S. Primary Energy Consumption

Industry
377 MMTC Buildings
(25%) 658 MMTC
(43%)
Transportation
482 MMTC
(32%)

71% of U.S. Electricity

Global Pressures

53% of U.S. Natural Gas

1970-2020 (Exxon Mobile Projection)

Electric Utility Perspective
Garrett Office Buildings
Edmond, Oklahoma
Conventional Variable Air Volume (VAV) Building
15,000 Sq. Ft.
Geothermal Building
20,000 Sq. Ft.
 Garrett Office Buildings
Annual Energy and HVAC Maintenance Costs 2006-2007

2.50

55% Operational Cost Savings

2.00

1.50
$ per Square Foot

Total
Electricity
Gas
Maintenance
1.00

0.50

-
VAV System Geotherm al
 Garrett Office Buildings
Annual Energy Use 2006-2007

90

80

70 47% Site Energy Savings

60
kBtu per Square Foot

50 Total
Electricity
Gas
40

30

20

10

-
VAV System Geotherm al
 Garrett Office Buildings
Annual CO2 Emissions 2006-2007

28% Carbon Emissions Reduction

50

45
Lbs. CO2 Equivalent per Square Foot

40

Gas
Electricity
35

30

25

20
VAV System Geotherm al
 Garrett Office Buildings
Monthly Energy Use

10

7
kBtu per Square Foot

VAV System
5
Geothermal

0
Jul-06 Aug-06 Sep-06 Oct-06 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 Feb-07 Mar-07 Apr-07 May-07 Jun-07
 Garrett Office Buildings
Monthly Peak Demand
6.0

5.5

5.0
Watts per Square Foot

4.5

VAV System
4.0
Geothermal

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0
Jul-06 Aug-06 Sep-06 Oct-06 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 Feb-07 Mar-07 Apr-07 May-07 Jun-07
 Garrett Office Buildings
Monthly Electricity Supply Load Factor
70

60

50
Load Factor

VAV System
Geothermal

40

30

20
Jul-06 Aug-06 Sep-06 Oct-06 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 Feb-07 Mar-07 Apr-07 May-07 Jun-07
Geothermal Perf in FL Schools
3
Bozeman
$2.27
2.5
Mosley
$1.68
2

1.5 Arnold
$0.91 Bay Haven
$0.73
1

0.5

0
Cost per Square Foot
Arnold Mosley Bozeman Bay Haven Washington
0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005
June May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sept Aug July

Arnold Mosley Bozeman Bay Haven Washington

* Arnold High School - Closed Loop Geothermal System (completed Aug, 2000)
•Mosley High School - Gas Boiler/Chiller System (Updated w/ new equipment 1996)
•Bay Haven Charter School – Closed Geo System
•Bozeman Learning Center-All Electric-Gulf Coast Co-Op
•Washington Co. – Includes Rouhlac Middle School & Chipley High School Open Geo System
Our Planet Is Under Assault
From Many Forces
Our Planet is
under Assault
from many
Forces
 There Are Many Solutions

There are Many

Solutions
 Geothermal Heat Pumps
are one of the Most Effective
and Deployable…

… producing the lowest carbon dioxide

emissions, including all source effects, of all
available space-conditioning technologies
(EPA, 1993)
 The payback on
Geothermal Systems
is many times faster
than solar PV
Using a Single Geothermal Heat Pump
is Equivalent to
Planting an Acre of Trees
Using A Single Geothermal Heat Pump
Is Equivalent to
Taking Two Cars off the Road
 Since their introduction in
the 1980’s, nearly 1 million
Geothermal Heat Pumps have been
installed in the United States

This is the equivalent to

planting 1 million acres of trees,
and of taking Two Million
cars off the road