Geothermal Heat Pump... The ultimate in a water cooling system???

[mgpaulus]

I have been exploring alternative methods to cooling my house, and the one that really grabs my eye is a Geothermal Heat Pump system. One small problem. They need a professional contractor to install (That's not the problem). When I called one and chatted, he mentioned that the systems run $15K - $20K to install. (THAT'S the problem!!). Anyway, I was just thinking, "hmmm. If I get one of these after all, can I "tap" into it somehow, and use it for a water cooling basis"??

Just wondering if others have had similar thoughts. Know of any pros or cons??

Discussion gratefully accepted.....

 

[Generalen]

Well U gonna have the most expensive Cooling solution in these forums I belive. Don't know if it a pro or con, thoght.

 

[Jeff7]

Well, the main problem there is that you want cooling power. Geothermal energy uses very high temperatures from within the earth to boil water, and use the steam to turn turbines. That would let you run air conditioners maybe... 🙂

 

[rahvin]

I would check around on that install price, seems a bit high but there is quite a bit of excavation required for installation of a heat pump in an existing structure. They definately aren't that expensive in a new installation. I really wouldn't add that geothermal word on the front of heat pump. Heat pumps are more common in mild climates because of their high efficency when you are only adjusting temp a few degrees. They provide both cooling and heating and rely on the stable tempatures of soil available below the freeze depth in your area. They require a large surface excavation (I think you need quite a large surface area, hundereds of square feet) to a significant depth (depending on your local frost depth, I remember something like 18" below the frost line).

Heat pumps are VERY efficient, but only if the tempature differential that you are trying to change is small, if you live in a cold or hot climate they would be MUCH more expensive to run. Where do you live?

 

[WarCon]

You could do something like that yourself for your computer simply by running metal pipes more than 6 feet underground in a radiator fashion (i.e. back and forth) then pumping (separate pump) the water in and out of a insulated reservoir and tap that reservoir for your water pump for your cooler. You wouldn't need a radiator in your water cooler and it would run the same temp all year round (maybe a little cooler in the dead of winter). I have thought about doing that below my computer room under my house (no sunshine to warm ground). But I am a nut..............😀

 

[mgpaulus]

Ahhh yes, the price.... When I talked to the contractor, here's what he said. They can do a lateral field (Parallel to the ground, 5-6 feet down). But, you need about an acre of land, which isn't doable in the city. So, their alternative is, 5-6 2" holes, 200 feet deep, with 2 tubes running down into each hole, connected at bottom with "U" bend. The holes are then grout sealed for maximum thermal conductivity. There's a great portion of the cost, I believe.

 

[rahvin]

Yep, you are paying for the drill rig. The field would lower the cost but not by much, moving 6' of material is pretty pricey, I would guess you would pay 6k in excav costs.

 

[mgpaulus]

Sorry, I didn't look at your entire message the first time I read it. I live in Colorado Springs, CO. Temperature is pretty temperate here, I think. We usually have 2-3 weeks of temps 90+ in the summer, and 2-3 weeks of temps 20- in the winter. We can have temps of 50-60 in the winter, and 50-60 in the summer. Pretty nice climate, all in all, if you can adjust your schedule to deal with our few anomalies, like, usually always windy in the afternoon (best time to play tennis is in the morning), and in the early summer, we usually always get 3pm thunder showers....

 

[rahvin]

You should do some checking but last time I looked at the Heat Pump stuff their efficiency goes in the toilet if you adjust the temp more than about 10deg. Really the only climate I can think of that Heat pumps would work is Cali.

 

[Def]

I know a "regular" heatpump setup would not work at all in your climate when the temp dropped really far down.

R-22 flashes at about -47F, so if you are pulling heat out of -20F air, you're not going to get much because of the small temperature differential.

Heatpumps work excellent down here in Alabama where it rarely gets to freezing. Usually hits 50F or higher during the day in the dead of winter, occasionally dips below 40F at night. You northern people just don't know what temperate is. 🙂 Of course, it sucks when you have a 105F temp with 100% humidity(not that rare) and can only drop the temp 25F below ambient, which is good efficiency at those temps. 🙁

 

[mgpaulus]

I do believe that that is what is so beautiful about Geothermal systems. It looks like in my setting, ground temps will be around 50 degrees F. So, in the winter, there's enough there for the exchanger to pull heat out, and in the summer, it can take it down to 50, with one of the largest "HeatSinks" you can think of. Still researching, tho, so no final decision yet....

(I'm also thinking about having a "spur" run out and piping it out under the driveway. No more snow shovels 😀😀😀😀)

 

[Jhhnn]

The geothermal stuff is interesting, using the constant temp of the ground against the evaporator for heating and against the condenser for cooling. You'd have a big supply of 52 degree F. water that you could use for computer cooling anytime.

The price, though.... ouch. Even with the recent energy price hikes, Saving $2000 per year would take a long time to break even on the investment. It would seem to be more practical on new construction where you're already digging a big hole in the ground.

You could substitute a small geothermal coil for the radiator in a computer water cooling rig without much expenditure at all, though. Moving the computer to another room would be a real pain, and lan parties out of the question, unless you're the host....