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Have you considered using a ground source heat pump to heat your underfloor?
Ground source heat pumps are energy efficient, kind on the environment and your money back in your pocket.
Geothermal heat pumps (sometimes referred to as GeoExchange, earth-coupled, ground-source, or water-source heat pumps) have been in use since the late 1940s. Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) use the constant temperature of the earth as the exchange medium instead of the outside air temperature. This allows the system to reach fairly high efficiencies (300%-600%) on the coldest of winter nights, compared to 175%-250% for air-source heat pumps on cool days.
Depending on latitude, ground temperatures range from 45°F (7°C) to 75°F (21°C). Like a cave, this ground temperature is warmer than the air above it during the winter and cooler than the air in the summer. The GHP takes advantage of this by exchanging heat with the earth through a ground heat exchanger.
As with any heat pump, geothermal and water-source heat pumps are able to heat, cool, and, if so equipped, supply the house with hot water. Some models of geothermal systems are available with two-speed compressors and variable fans for more comfort and energy savings. Relative to air-source heat pumps, they are quieter, last longer, need little maintenance, and do not depend on the temperature of the outside air.
Even though the installation price of a geothermal system can be several times that of an air-source system of the same heating and cooling capacity, the additional costs are returned to you in energy savings in 5–10 years. System life is estimated at 25 years for the inside components and 50+ years for the ground loop. There are approximately 40,000 geothermal heat pumps installed in the United States each year.
The benefits
The system does not require any external fuel and is designed to heat a whole building.
The efficiency of a ground source heat pump system is measured by the coefficient of performance (CoP). This is the ratio of units of heat output for each unit of electricity used to drive the compressor and pump for the ground loop. Typical CoPs range from 3 to 4. This means that for every unit of electricity used to pump the heat, 3-4 units of heat are produced, making it an efficient way of heating a building. A ground source heat pump can have lower running costs than oil, LPG, coal and electric heating systems.
There are three important elements to a ground source heat pump:
1. The ground loop
This is comprised of lengths of pipe buried in the ground, either in a borehole or a horizontal trench. The pipe is usually a closed circuit and is filled with a mixture of water and antifreeze, which is pumped around the pipe absorbing heat from the ground.. The ground loop can be:
- Vertical, for use in boreholes
- Horizontal, for use in trenches
- Spiral, coil or 'slinky', also for use in trenches
2. A heat pump
In the same way that your fridge uses refrigerant to extract heat from the inside, keeping your food cool, a ground source heat pump extracts heat from the ground, and uses it to heat your home. A ground source heat pump has three main parts:
- The evaporator, (e.g. the squiggly thing in the cold part of your fridge) absorbs the heat using the liquid in the ground loop;
- The compressor, (this is what makes the noise in a fridge) moves the refrigerant round the heat pump and compresses the gaseous refrigerant to the temperature needed for the heat distribution circuit;
- The condenser, (the hot part at the back of your fridge) gives up heat to a hot water tank which feeds the distribution system.
3. Heat distribution system
This consists of under floor heating or forced air vents for space heating and in some cases water storage for hot water supply.
Is it suitable for my home?
You should consider the following issues if you're thinking about installing a ground source heat pump. An accredited installer will be able to provide more detailed advice.
- You will need space outside your house for the ground loop.
- The ground will need to be suitable for digging a trench or borehole.
- The type of heat distribution system. Under floor heating is better as it works at a lower temperature or you can use a forced air system which is vented throughout the home.
- Want to be 100% renewable? Buy green electricity, or install solar PV or some other form of renewable electricity generating system to power the compressor and pump.
- Is the system for a new building development? Combining the installation with other building works can reduce costs.
- Have you installed insulation measures? Wall, floor and ceiling insulation will lower your heat demand and make the system more effective.
Air and water source heat pumps
Air and water source heat pumps use air or water respectively. They do not rely on a collection system and simply extract the heat from the source at the point of use.
Air source heat pumps can be fitted outside a house or in the roof space and generally perform better at slightly warmer air temperatures. Water source heat pumps can be used to provide heating in homes near to rivers, streams, lakes and lochs for example.
The biggest benefit of GHPs is that they use 25%–50% less electricity than conventional heating or cooling systems. This translates into a GHP using one unit of electricity to move three units of heat from the earth. According to the EPA, geothermal heat pumps can reduce energy consumption—and corresponding emissions—up to 44% compared to air-source heat pumps and up to 72% compared to electric resistance heating with standard air-conditioning equipment. GHPs also improve humidity control by maintaining about 50% relative indoor humidity, making GHPs very effective in humid areas.
ECOPOWER has sourced the rights to distribute ECONAR - USA's top Ground source heating products.
Welcome to ECONAR ® Energy Systems
Manufacturer of GeoSource ® Geothermal Heat Pumps
ECONAR has been producing GeoSource geothermal heat pumps in Minnesota for a quarter of a century. Minnesota’s cold winter climate has driven the design of ECONAR’s heating and cooling equipment to what is known as a “ColdClimate” geothermal heat pump. This cold climate technology maximizes the energy savings available in heating dominated regions without sacrificing comfort, thus making ECONAR the leader in cold climate heat pump technology. Extremely efficient cooling, dehumidification and optional domestic hot water heating are also provided in one neatly packaged system.
Safety and comfort are both inherent to, and designed into ECONAR’s geothermal heat pumps. Since the system runs completely on electrical energy, your entire home will have the safety of being gas free. ECONAR, through installation of its heat pumps, has contributed significantly to the reduction of global warming through the elimination of fossil fuels in many homes and businesses. All of ECONAR’s products are safety certified and its heat pumps are performance certified by internationally recognized third party testing laboratories.
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