Heat & Cool with GeoThermal Energy
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Question: How does Heat Pump work with Geothermal Energy?
Answer: Geothermal in Greek means geo-and therme. "Geo" means 'earth' and "therme" means 'heat'. Geothermal energy is the under-ground energy that comes from the heat produced by the Earth. The interior of the planet, like the sun, provides heat energy radiating from the core. This non-polluting energy can be harnessed by tapping the ground beneath your foundation.
Heat radiates from the molten core center continuously outward toward the surface of the earth to provide geothermal energy. The original heat radiator from early history was built to capture geothermal energy. In the past people used geothermal water that flows from naturally hot springs. The oldest practice began with relaxing in hot water baths. The Romans used geothermal heated water to treat eye and skin diseases and, in Pompeii, to heat buildings. Native Americans used hot spring water for cooking and medicine and France has been heating up to thousands of homes using geothermal water.
This practice has continued until today with geologists and geochemists, working with drillers and engineers, exploring and testing underground areas for geothermal water. Once drilled areas are discovered with pressured hot water they are piped to production wells used to generate electricity in geothermal power plants. The advantages of generating electricity using geothermal energy are that it is clean, environmentally friendly, reliable, flexible, and decreases the amount of fuel imported to run power plants that generate electricity.
At present, the United States generates more geothermal electricity than any other country but the amount it produces is less than one half of a percent of all electricity produced in the US. Only four states have geothermal power plants; California, Nevada, Hawaii and Utah.
The next use for tapping geothermal energy is for geothermal heat pumps which are used to assist with controlling building temperatures above the freezing zone. Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of the steady temperature of the Earth's surface. In other words, while temperature in the air will vary a lot from day to day and season to season, temperatures in the upper 10 feet of the Earth's surface are nearly constant between 50 and 60°F. This usually means that soil temperatures are warmer than the air in winter and cooler than the air in summer.
Geothermal heat pumps use the Earth's constant temperature to transfer heat from the ground into buildings in the winter and reverse the process in the summer. Geothermal heat pumps are the most energy efficient, environmentally clean and cost-effective systems for temperature control according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. In recent years the US Department of Energy and the EPA have partnered with outside industries to promote the use of geothermal heat pumps in order to decrease our dependence on fossil fuel and improve the efficiency of fuel usage.
Geothermal heat pumps use a heat exchanger and a system of pipes buried in shallow grounds near the building. In the winter the heat pump removes heat from the exchanger and pumps it into the indoor air delivery system. In the summer this process is reversed. Heat removed from indoor air during the summer can also be rerouted and used as a free source of heating water for the building.
Geothermal heat pumps use much less energy than conventional heating systems and air-conditioning systems because they take advantage of the constant temperature from the earth soil. The temperature is constantly replenished by the transfer heat from the core of the earth. Not only does this save energy and money for people who choose to use these systems but it also reduces air pollution.
- GeoThermal Heat Pumps: Installation Guide.
Yes you can do it!
- - - Peter Landy.
"Freedom, is not Free - - - Use it or Lose it "
Contact: landypeter@yahoo.com
