What is a Geothermal Heat Pump?

The word geothermal comes from the Greek word 'geo' which means 'earth', and 'therme' which means 'heat'. Combined together, it means heat produced within the Earth. It is a renewable source of energy, as it is constantly replenished by rainfall and heat.

Geothermal, as the name suggests, uses the Earth's potential to preserve heat under the surface and water bodies. The system of geothermal heating would use the landmass as a heat exchanger, to both, heat and cool a building. It has used been from earlier times as a method of heating ancient structures, which included spas.

At times, hot water streams and geysers are also a source of geothermal energy. Geothermal heating is only possible where the resources are available. There has been upgradations in technology, and the science of geothermal heating is utilized in heating and cooling. But now, it is done with the help of a geothermal heat pump.

This system works on simple principle that the surface of the land below the frost line remains at a constant temperature year round, and a water source uses that heat in the winter, and puts back the same amount heat back in the ground during the summers. A heat pump does not produce heat in a convention way, and it can also transfer heat.

The use of energy resources, and simultaneously, the cost continue to rise steeply on the graph, apart from the concern about pollution in the globe. Geothermal systems actually pose as a solution to all these challenges. The greatest advantage is, these heat pumps can use renewable resources of energy, like solar and wind energy, rather than electricity.

By using these sources of energy, the pump can heat and cool spaces and water much more efficiently than an electric heater. This facilitates the heating of spaces to be done with the help of renewable energy, without taking the trouble of installing heavy integrations.

A geothermal pump can basically be disintegrated into three primary components:

• A loop field
• A liquid pump pack
• Water source heat pump

The first component, that is the loop field, can be placed on the property. The purpose of a loop field is to transfer heat to the ground, and vice versa.

The size of the building determines the size of the loop. The liquid pump pack sends water through the loop field and the water source heat pump. The function of the last component, that is the water source heat pump, is the unit that functions like a boiler or a furnace, and therefore, substitutes it.

This end receives the heat from the loop field, and is utilized to heat the given structure. The purposes of heat pumps differ, so do the types. Some are used for residential purposes, while others are used for commercial purposes like an industry or the like.

The three types of heat pumps that are available are the ones that get heat from water and transfer the heat to the air. These can be used like an air conditioner, that is, these heat pumps give warm air to the atmosphere during winters, and function to cool it during summers. The other types are water-to-water and hybrid.

Geothermal cooling is done in a very similar way, except that the refrigerant loop reverses the direction of the flow. So, the compressed refrigerant heats the fluid that is external, before it passes through the evaporator, where it evaporates by absorbing all the heat in the house.

The hot external fluid is regenerated to function in the same way. It is thrust towards the ground, where it cools, and is ready to be recirculated. To get rid of the excess heat, the hot fluid can pass through another heat exchanger, wherein, the excess heat can be absorbed.