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Quotes - Engineering - SalesGeothermal & Heat Pump
Ground Loop and Heat Pump Isolation
Geothermal and heat pump systems use exchangers to isolate the ground loop from the building loop, to separate pond or open water sources, and to interface heat pumps with distribution systems.
Small delta T amplifies approach. Ground loops operate on modest temperature differences, so an exchanger consuming three degrees takes a much larger share of the available driving force than the same exchanger on a steam duty would.
Open source loops. Pond, lake and well water sources need isolation because they foul and because they carry whatever is in them. Plate material follows the water chemistry.
Glycol on the ground side. Antifreeze in the ground loop raises viscosity and lowers the coefficient, and the exchanger must be sized on the glycol properties rather than water.
Typical Specification
- Application: Ground loop, pond and open source isolation
- Key metric: Approach temperature against small available delta T
- Ground loop fluid: Water or glycol; sized on actual fluid properties
- Open source: Pond, lake and well water isolation
- Materials: Selected against source water chemistry
- Fouling: Open source side opens for cleaning
- Heat pump interface: Exchanger between heat pump and distribution
- Reversibility: Sized for both heating and cooling modes
- Footprint: Small plant room requirement
- Expansion: Plates added within the frame
Common FAQs
Because the available temperature difference is small to start with. An exchanger consuming three degrees takes a far larger share of the driving force than the same unit on a high delta T duty.
Almost always. Open water fouls and carries whatever is in it, and isolating it means one exchanger needs cleaning rather than the heat pumps and distribution system.
Yes, significantly. Glycol is more viscous and less conductive than water, so the exchanger must be sized on the actual fluid properties and concentration rather than on water.
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