|
Geothermal Heat Pumps
Use the natural heat storage capacity of the earth or ground water to provide energy efficient heating and cooling
Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) are a relatively new technology that can save homeowners money. These ground-source heat pumps use the natural heat storage capacity of the earth or ground water to provide energy efficient heating and cooling. GHPs should not be confused with air-source heat pumps that rely on heated air.
Geothermal heat pumps use the relatively constant temperature of the ground or water several feet below the earth's surface as source of heating and cooling. Geothermal heat pumps are appropriate for retrofit or new homes, where both heating and cooling are desired. In addition to heating and cooling, geothermal heat pumps can provide domestic hot water. They can be used for virtually any size home or lot in any region of the U.S.
A geothermal heat pump system consists of indoor heat pump equipment, a ground loop, and a flow center to connect the indoor and outdoor equipment. The heat pump equipment works like a reversible refrigerator by removing heat from one location and depositing it in another location. The ground loop, which is invisible after installation, allows the exchange of heat between the earth and the heat pump.
Geothermal heat pumps can be open or closed-loop. Open-loop systems draw well water for use as the heat source or heat sink, and after use, return the well water to a drainage field or another well. Closed-loop or earth-coupled systems use a water and antifreeze solution, circulated in a ground loop of pipe to extract heat from the earth.
Ground loops can be installed in a vertical well or a horizontal loop. Vertical wells are usually more expensive and used where space is limited. The length of loop pipe required will vary with soil type, loop configuration, and system capacity. Loop length can range from 250 to 1,000 feet per ton of capacity.
Special heat pump features can include variable speed blowers and multiple-speed compressors. These features can improve comfort and efficiency in areas where heating and cooling loads are quite different. Add-on features include the capability to produce hot water.
Desuperheater can be added to supplement the production of domestic hot water when there is a demand for space heating or cooling. These devices make use of excess heat during the cooling cycle and use some of the heat during the heating cycle to supplement hot water production. Dedicated water heaters can be added which operate whenever there is a demand for hot water.
Geothermal heating can be more efficient than electric resistance heating. These systems are also typically more efficient than gas or oil-fired heating systems. They are more energy efficient than air-source heat pumps because they draw heat from, or release heat to, the earth, which has moderate temperatures year round, rather than to the air (which is generally colder in winter and warmer in summer than the earth, resulting in less effective heat transfer).
Benefits/Costs
Geothermal heat pumps offer high efficiency and low operating cost. According to the EPA, GHPs can save homeowners 30 to 70 percent on heating and 20 to 50 percent on cooling costs over conventional systems. GHPs provide a high level of occupant comfort. There is a potential for utility bill savings, and many local utility companies provide incentives for investing in GHPs.
The initial cost of a geothermal heat pump system varies greatly according to local labor rates, geological profile, type of system installed, and equipment selected. The initial cost of GHP systems does come at a premium when compared to air source heat pump systems. For either system, the cost of installed ducts should be identical. Equipment costs can be 50-100% more expensive for a GHP system when the circulating pump, indoor tubing, and water source heat pump are considered. This 50-100% premium translates to $1000 - $2000 for a 3-ton system.
The ground loop is generally the most expensive component of a geothermal heat pump system and is highly dependent on local labor rates and drilling conditions. An installed ground loop stubbed out in a home can run between $1000 and $3000 per installed ton. Overall, one could expect to pay between $4000 and $11000 more for a turnkey 3 ton GHP system than for an air source heat pump system. Many consumers justify this initial investment with the savings they expect to realize on their heating and cooling bills over time. |
|
|
DUCT OFF-SET AND RISER FORMULA
Every professional ductwork installer must know how to calculate an offset and riser, and formulas how to find a distance between two forty-fives (30*; 60*) angles. The calculations itself are very simple: you just have to remember the formulas. Most difficult part is: How to use those formulas the right way!
  
It is very difficult to find all the formulas in one place; moreover, nobody will explain you how to use them on the ground! If you want to know these formulas and more for the very low and affordable price I will explain the following:
- Off-set (Riser) calculation formula.
- Length of duct between two Flat or Stack 45* (30*; 60*) calculation formula.
- How to calculate off-set situated between two existing ducts.
- How to calculate off-set from full length duct and why it’s different.
- How to mark out duct before it’s snapped together and why it’s important to do.
- How to find where hangers should be nailed.
- How to find spots where take-offs should be cut in.
- What to do if width of duct after off-set is calculated would be too big for connection.
- How to calculate, mark out and cut duct if it’s a Riser and Off-set at the same time (This one alone can save you up to $30.00).
- How to miter shop-made Off-set or Riser (New)
- Round Off-set Calculation (New)
The same formula and almost the same method of calculation applicable to finding a distance between two round 45*-s of any kind!
If you need to learn how to find a distance between two galvanized, or PVC, or copper or whatever 45*-s you are in the right place!
 
What you can see in the above picture is an illustration of the duct length calculation! The distance between two 45*-s was larger than length of one whole duct (8'). However, it did not stop me from placing of the second 45* exactly inside of the designed spot in the drop ceiling grid! Just see for yourself how perfectly fits 24 x 8 duct in the 24" wide drop ceiling grid!
Why was it so important? Because in the space to the left should be installed several 2 x 4 lights all the way along to the duct, but in the space to the right electricians put an electrical box (pic. to the right) and my duct can't be installed below it.
All the calculation and installation was perform by me without any help from anybody else and took as twice less time in comparison to the other ways of doing the same thing.
This is a parent page. If you would like to read more you can buy an access to the secondary page for only $4.00. You can pay right here on this page by using the "BuyNow" button below.
In order to gain accesses to the secondary page you have to pay an access fee of only $4.00. Just click on the “BuyNow” button below. Once you pay, you will gain an Instant Access to the page!
Instant Access:
After you have purchased a paid page; PayPal is going to bring you back to my website. In order to see the paid page you have to click on the “Register” button, fill out the form, choose your own Username and Password and click on the “Register” button at the bottom of the form – congratulation, you are on the page you are paid for!
Important: After you have purchased any Paid page or Download page and PayPal brought you back to my website, the first thing that you should do is to save that page in your Favorites. Then if something went wrong you always can come back to re-register yourself on my website again.
|
|
|