I currently have an oil fired boiler with 3 zones, each to a separate air handler which contains the standard heating coil and a/c evaporator coil. I have a drilled well that produces 50 gpm with a Grundfos constant pressure pump (variable speed that will easily handle house and heat pump flows). Additionally, I have a pond site.
I’d like to replace the boiler with a heat only water-water open loop geothermal unit using my well water. The system I’m looking at is a Climate Master THW which advertises up to 145 degrees output.
It seems to me that this would easily install right in place of my boiler by tying in to the current hydronic/forced air system which is 10 years old. The house is well insulated and fairly tight. As a matter-of-fact I see no problem with keeping the boiler as a back up. Just going to need 4 ball valves and a couple check valves.
Am I missing anything here in my thoughts about the ease of installing this system? The only part I see as messy is digging the trench to get the output H2O to the pond.
Keith
Replies
For geothermal, all you need to do is pump the hot water thru baseboards, one simple pump and your well or hot spring is all you need. .
Or, are you talking about GSHP (ground source heat pump)??
I'll be using well water as part of an open loop system. The hot water I generate will be used to supply my current system which is forced hot air heated by a a hot water coil in the air handlers. Currently my water is heated by a boiler. Sooo, it's irrelevant whether I use base board, hot air or radiant. The geo system will just do the job my boiler is currently doingThe unit I am considering using is a heat pump but a heating only heat pump in that it does not work in reverse to provide cooling. It is a self contained indoor unit that creates hot water utilizing a heat pump by extracting heat energy from my well water.~K
You said you are getting your water from a well-but returning it
to a pond?
Seams simpler to send it back to the well then trench to a pond.
Here's the problem with that. The water in the well is about 48 degrees. The well would have to have a huge volume of water (ie deep) other wise the cooler water returned to the well will lower the well water temp and affect the efficiency of the system. Trench to the well or to the pond same deal...
I have been told that is unwise. Possibility of contaminating the acquifer.
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No wonder Obama gets so many supporters.
My point was that your terminology is a figment of marketing manipulatin.
ROFLMAO
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.†—Albert Einstein
Depends on where you live. In a climate that has large fluctuations in temps it is nice. You can grab the incomming water pipe and the outgoing pipe and feel the difference. This occurs in heating or cooling mode. Use the open loop, its more effective. If you can dump the water somewhere its more effective than dumping it back down the same hole. But, if your aquifer is shallow , two wells, seperated by 20 feet or so works.
This seams to come up every time someone starts this kind
of thread.
So I asked wikipedia.Geothermal heating has been used since the time of the Roman Empire as a way of heating buildings and spas by utilizing sources of hot water and steam that exist near the Earth's surface.[1] The ultimate source of geothermal energy is believed to be from the radioactive decay that occurs deep within the earth’s crust. Some areas, including substantial portions of many western states (U.S.), are underlain by relatively shallow geothermal resources.[2] These resources can be classified as low temperature (less than 90°C or 194°F), moderate temperature (90°C - 150°C or 194 - 302°F), and high temperature (greater than 150°C or 302°F). Where such geothermal resources are available, it is possible to distribute hot water or steam to multiple buildings. This technique, long practiced throughout the world in locations such as Reykjavik, Iceland[3], Boise, Idaho,[4], and Klamath Falls, Oregon [5] is known as geothermal district heating.Geothermal Heat PumpsIn recent years, the term geothermal heating has frequently been used to refer to the heating and cooling that can be achieved through the use of a geothermal heat pump. This technique is generally for residential use. It involves a refrigerant liquid being pumped through pipes in the ground, heating the liquid. This liquid then is brought back into the house, and the heat exchanged. The same technique is used to cool the house.Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of the natural constant temperature of the earth. During winter when the ground temperature is warmer than the air above it, geothermal heat pumps use the earth’s soil (or groundwater) to recover the earth’s heat. In contrast, an air-source heat pump will remove heat from the cold outside air and thus requires more energy.In the summer months, geothermal heat pumps deliver heat to the same relatively cool soil (or groundwater) rather than delivering it to the hot outside air. As a result, the heat is pumped over a smaller temperature difference with a geothermal heat pump and this leads to higher efficiency and lower energy use. So in fact these systems are "Geothermal heating", Whereas you were
referring to "Geothermal District Heating".
Just 'cause some marketing yahoo put the term geothermal on something that isn't and prints it on wikiwhatever, doesn't lessen the corruption of the English language.
In the same league as what happened to the word '####'.
kinda like g a y?
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Well I'm with ya about ####.
Just seams like people get confused enough with out having to
wonder what the heck to call these things.
I was thinking of doing a similar install, but got turned back by the low flow rate of the well (max recovery rate was less than 3 gal/min).
What flow rate is required by the heat pump you are considering?
Another thing to consider with an open loop system is the hardness of the water.
hardness (scaling I think?), iron content AND acidity are issues. The flow required is 1.5 gpm per ton. I need around three tons but have not done my "official" heat loss calc yet. A cupronickle unit is available for harsh water conditions. Other problem is any water filter or treatment device usually cuts the flow to a max of maybe 5 gpm , which would be OK for a 3 ton system but again I haven't done the calc yet
Edited 4/28/2008 6:33 pm ET by kjm191
I'm guessing you have considered an indirect system, but ruled it out because of extra costs and lower efficiency? For my info, do you have any idea of minimum well flow rates/ton for an indirect system?
If you already have the pond, put the appopriate amount of pipe for your size unit in the pond. A closed loop of this type has less to go wrong with it and you won't have to worry about mineral build up and the reduction in efficientcy. Put Grunfos circulator pump or pumps [ whatever the system design requires ] on the loop. Make sure you understand the antifreze question. Our system brings in water at 28 degrees and sends it back out at 24 in late January. Its a buried ground loop, with a pond your temps may not go that low.
A pond is a very efficient heat sink because of the water movement.
invest your time and money in something else
water to air heat pumps are expensive to install & expensive to maintain
you delta-T is too small for a good source
you will get far better return with insulation than you will with high-tech heating systems
and it won't even cool in summer
foggeddaboutit