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Geothermal Heat Pump Systems

Jeffrey Havelin, P.E.


Course Outline

This (Four-hour) course describes in detail the steps involved in evaluating a geoexchange, also known as ground source or geothermal, heating and cooling system. It describes the system and options and attempts to anticipate questions that building owners and designers might have about the technology.

The environmental benefits of geoexchange are also an important consideration. Geoexchange systems can help facilities qualify as Green Buildings. Green Buildings incorporate practices that significantly reduce or eliminate adverse environmental impacts and increase the efficient use of energy, environmental, and human resources.

Geoexchange technology transfers heat between the steady temperature of the earth and a building to maintain the building space conditions. Below the surface of the earth in many parts of the country the temperature remains in the low 50°sF throughout the year. This stable temperature provides a source for heat in the winter and a means to reject excess heat in the summer. In a geoexchange system, a fluid is circulated between the building and the ground loop piping buried in the ground. In the summer the fluid 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 in the building make this transfer of heat possible.

This course is based on the publication Understanding and Evaluating Geothermal Heat Pump Systems as published by the GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMP CONSORTIUM for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.


Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, you will have done:

  1. Review of recent enhancements in thermal conductivity in grout materials;
  2. Review of Closed-Loop Vertical Bore Ground Heat Exchangers;
  3. Review of Closed-Loop Horizontal Ground Heat Exchangers;
  4. Review of Closed-Loop Surface Water Ground Heat Exchangers;
  5. Review of Open-Loop Heat Exchangers;
  6. Review of Open-Loop Surface Discharge Systems;
  7. Review of Open-Loop Injection Well Discharge Systems;
  8. Review of Standing Column Well Ground Heat Exchangers;
  9. Review of Open-Loop Surface Water Systems;
  10. Review of Hybrid systems;
  11. Review of various installations and constructions costs; and
  12. Closed-Loop Horizontal Ground Heat Exchangers designed with a “slinky” configuration.


Intended Audience

This course would be very informative for professional engineers and architects that are interested in Green systems for buildings or geoexchange systems in general.

Course Content

This course is based on the publication Understanding and Evaluating Geothermal Heat Pump Systems as published by the GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMP CONSORTIUM for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

The link to the course materials is as follows:

Understanding and Evaluating Geothermal Heat Pump Systems


Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

References

Kavanaugh, S. P., et al, Ground-Source Heat Pumps: Design of Geothermal Systems for Commercial and Institutional Buildings, ASHRAE, 1997.

(Also see course content source for related references)

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.