Technologies of Ground Source Heat Pumps

As we face our collective futures as consumers and stewards of our shared environment it is important to distinguish between a couple concepts such as appropriate/sustainable and "bigger is better".

The pictures depicting drilling machinery is a very good case to consider as it applies to a transformational technology such as ground source heat pumps. Historically, ground source system energy field installations were made with water well drilling equipment.

Obviously, such equipment is very large, very heavy, extremely powerful, rather cumbersome to position, and required large areas in which to operate. As a result energy loops, for the purposes of heat transfer, were large bore and deep because drilling technology existed to drill for water well drilling applications. An industry bias for bigger is better permitted large drilling rigs, with limited access or flexibility, to provide energy loops exclusively for areas with plenty of open spaces to install large diameter deep vertical wells.

But alternative energy and it's advantages today have a much wider appeal than only for rural applications with plenty of space.

After continued study/testing by industry groups and advocates of alternative energy technologies it is now documented that smaller bores for energy loops will predictably result in improved energy transfer from the ground.

Less disturbance to the earth (smaller hole versus bigger hole) plus the careful application of thermally conductive grout in the hole cavity will result in energy transfer that is far superior to the less consistent and usually less scientific methods of energy field installation associated with the older techniques of bigger drilling quipment.....bigger is definitely not better for ground source systems. Higher thermal conductivity and energy transfer is the critical mission for use with ground source heat pump applications.

Smaller drilling equipment will effectively deliver as much thermal conductivity with 100 feet of loop as was estimated for less carefully designed loops that were twice as long in the big rig era. Appropriately sized equipment allows much more nimble access to areas for energy field installations.

• Damage to plants and landscape is minimized.
• Ground source system installations are a viable option for new or existing homes with limited space.
• A carefully installed energy field will predict the viability and level of success for ground source systems regardless of equipment manufacturer.
• This aspect of considering a ground source heat pump investment, because it is out of sight when in operation, should be a primary consumer consideration.
• O2Geothermal is specialized in designing, sizing and installing energy field systems for all manufacturers of ground source heat pump appliances.

Let us help you optimize your ground source investment. Let's get the most out of the renewable energy you have available.