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Ground or earth coupled heat pumps are among the most efficient and environmentally friendly heating and cooling systems available. During the past decade, the numbers of commercial and institutional facility owners that have installed geothermal systems have steadily increased. While much of the design elements for geothermal systems are common to other HVAC systems, the design of the ground loop heat exchanger is unique.
The thermal conductivity of the soil remains one of the most important components in determining the proper size of the ground loop exchanger. Designers are often left to estimate the thermal conductivity values and their experience of sub- terrainain soil conditions in the surrounding area.
Geothermal conductivity testing provides systems with more accurate, site specific, information. Thermal conductivity is measured by adding constant heat to the water circulating through the test loop, while concurrently monitoring the difference between the entering and leaving temperatures. From the data collected during the test, Energy Resources evaluates the actual performance of the test loop heat and its ability the surrounding earth. The end result is a ground loop exchanger that is properly sized, while ensuring the maximum value for the owner's investment.
Because the design and overall loop length of the ground loop exchanger may be positively or negatively impacted as mush as 20 percent, the cost of a geothermal conductivity test can be economically justified in installations as small as 10 tons. In addition the test well is fully functional geothermal well and can be incorporated into a final loop installation.
Energy Resources, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Energy Group, provides the owner, mechanical engineer, and ground loop exchanger installer with an independent assessment of the thermal conductivity of the soil at the project site. Our ability to provide this critical data in an unbiased manner has proved to be beneficial to everyone.
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