1. USING GEOTHERMAL
ENERGY TO HEAT AND
COOL RESIDENTIAL
BUILDING
Prepared by: Will Frey iii

2. SUMMARY
• Project Goal
• Design Criteria
• Overview of a Geothermal Unit
• Advantages of Using the System
• Cost Analysis
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgments

3. Project Goal
• To come up with cost effective
system to heat and cool residential
homes
• Calculate the required unit size

4. Design Criteria
• Environmental Friendliness
• Cost Effectiveness
• Educational

5. Alternative Energy Sources
• Geothermal for heating and
cooling

6. Geothermal Energy
• Geothermal Energy is heat
contained within the earth
that is recovered and put to
useful work.

7. Geothermal Energy
• Geothermal heat pump
(GHP) is a highly efficient
device for renewable energy
recovery.

8. Principals of Geothermal
heating and cooling
• The GHP is an electrically
powered system that uses
earth’s constant ground
temperature to provide heating
and cooling needs.

9. Principals of Geothermal
heating and cooling
• Geothermal systems have three
principal components:
» Earth connection
» Pump
» Distribution

10. Earth Connection
The earth connection is a series
of pipes called a “loop” used to
connect the GHP to the heat
source below ground. There are
two types of loop system:
- Closed loop system
- Open loop system

11. Closed Loop System
Closed loop system consists of
using high density polyethylene
pipe which is:
–Buried horizontally in trenches 4-6
feet deep or placed on the bottom of a
large pond or lake
–Vertical pipes placed in bore hole 150-
250 feet deep.

12. Closed Loop System
Most sites can accommodate
one of these closed loop systems.
The pipes are filled with water
solution which will exchange
heat energy between the earth
and the GPH.

13. Closed Loop System

14. Open Loop System
• Open Loop System uses a water source like
a lake, river, or well for its source of heat.
After exchanging heat with the GPH the
water is returned to its source.

15. Heat Pump - Exchange heat with
the earth connection and use the
energy to heat or cool the
building.

16. Advantages of using
Geothermal Energy
• Environmentally friendly: helps
minimize problems like acid rain, air
pollution and destruction of the ozone
layer with zero emission of pollution
• High efficiency: can reduce electricity
used for heating and cooling up to 40%
• Low maintenance cost: fewer parts,
reliable system with life expectancy of
over 50 years.

17. Cost Analysis
• HOUSE HAS 1283 sq. ft.
• CALCULATED HEAT LOSS 26925 BTU/hr
• REQUIRED 2 TON GEOTHERMAL UNIT
• 300 FEET OF PIPING CLOSE LOOP SYSTEM
• TOTAL COST $12000
• SYSTEM WILL PAYBACK IN 15 YEARS

18. Conclusion
DISPITE HIGH INITIAL COST
GEOTHERMAL IS FAR THE BEST
WAY TO HEAT RESIDENTIAL
HOMES. SYSTEM IS PROVEN TO
BE ENVIRONOMANTALY
FRIENDLY AS WELL AS COST
EFFECTIVE