Geo, short for Geological or earth based, Thermal for heat, All Geothermal Technologies have to

do with taking heat from the earth, or giving it back. There are places where the fire from the
middle of the earth runs close to the surface, and the earth is a passive store of solar energy, in
places where that doesn't happen

The primary difference between Ground Source Heat Pumps and Air to Air heat pumps, is where we
get/send the heat from/to. A Ground Source Heat Pump gets the heat from or sends the heat to the
ground, whereas an air to air heat pump gets and sends the heat to the air. The equipment at the heat
pump is slightly different because it uses a water to refrigerant coil, instead of a air to refrigerant coil.

The GWHP system, also referred to as open-loop systems, is the original type of the GHP systems, which
utilizes groundwater as heat source or heat sink. Groundwater is supplied directly or indirectly to the heat pump
units from a well or wells equipped with submersible pumps, and it can be discharged on either the subsurface
through another well or the surface

Open-loop systems, also known as ground-water heat pumps (GWHP), pump ground water from a well into
the heat pump’s heat exchanger and then re-inject the water back to the aquifer via a second well. In some
applications, regulations allow the building owner to reject water into an existing body of surface water,
thereby avoiding the need for an injection well. In regions where the local aquifer can provide sufficient water
flow, open-loop GHP systems can provide a lower-cost solution

Hybrid configurations, most frequently implemented in commercial applications, use a ground loop to meet
the entirety of the smaller of the heating or cooling load (most all U.S. commercial applications are cooling-
dominated). For cooling-dominated applications, the designer supplements the cooling capacity with a
secondary thermal sink/source to meet peak loads. Designers typically call for a conventional fluid cooler (or
less frequently, a cooling tower) as the secondary thermal sink. For heating-dominated applications, designers
employ independent, resistance backup heat to meet peak loads. Hybrid systems provide two key benefits:

Some large buildings now have systems that use a variety of alternative ground-heat-exchanger architectures,
including flooded-mine water, municipal wastewater systems, standing column wells, and combinations of
various water sources. Despite the need for custom engineering design for each system, utilizing such
alternative heat sinks/sources enables greater energy savings and reduced overall first costs.

ENERGY STAR Specifications (Effective Approximate Number of Certified Models

January 1, 2012)33
Product Type Cooling EER Heating
COP
Water-to-Air Closed-loop 17.1 3.6 1500
Open-loop 21.1 4.1 1700
Water-to-Water Closed-loop 16.1 3.1 150
Open-loop 20.1 3.5 150
DGX 16.0 3.6 60

During the heating season, the earth serves as a heat Source. (HE - Heat ofextraction)
During the cooling season, the earth serves as a heat Sink. (HR - Heat of rejection)
Deep geothermal aquifers are permeable layers of fluid-bearing rocks. Part of the heat that
flows from the Earth's internals to its surface is stored in these aquifers and can be used
directly for heating and cooling. When subsurface temperatures are sufficiently high, the
heat can also be used to generate electricity.

Unlike conventional heating and cooling systems, the geothermal heating and cooling system
does not generate heat from burning fossil fuel. The geothermal HVAC system simply
conducts heat to and from the earth depending on the condition of the building. Electrical
power is only needed to run the handling unit’s pump, compressor, and fan.

for instance an “open loop” system may be used if an aquifer is available. In this case, the
engineers drill a well into the underground water table. Water from the well is pumped up
into the unit, circulated through a heat exchanger, and then returned to the aquifer via
reinjection.
During the summer periods, the geothermal HVAC system works in the opposite way, by
pulling heat from within the building and conducting it to the reinjection well via the
underground heat pump/ loop. The heat is then deposited into the cooler aquifer/earth.

The geothermal heating system has 4 main components, which are the thermal heat pump
(indoor handling unit), the geothermal heat exchanger (either closed or open geothermal
loop), the air delivery system and the geothermal radiant heat (in either the floor or
somewhere else).

Groundwater heat pump (GWHP) system

A GWHP system is an open-loop geothermal system, which directly uses groundwater for
heating and cooling. The heat is extracted from the pumped groundwater, which is reinjected
into the aquifer afterwards at a cooler temperature. Since the wells of a GWHP system are
typically shallower than the boreholes for BHEs, the total drilling costs are usually lower
(Self et al. 2013). A disadvantage is the systems’ dependency of groundwater availability and
its chemical composition.

How Do Ground Source Heat Pumps Work?

Open-loop heat pump: groundwater is pumped from an aquifer or alike and carried
to the heat pump, where, by means of the evaporator, transfers its heat. After that,
that water is either re-injected into the ground or discharged at the surface. Thus, the
heat source is the same as the fluid that runs through the circuit, and it has to be
constantly replaced since it’s not re-circulated
10-15 meter below the ground surface, groundwater temperatures are relatively
[Link] temperature increases by about 3°C per each 100 m depth, due to the
geothermal gradient. Most of the year there is a temperature difference between
above ground temperatures, groundwater temperatures, and below ground
temperatures. The ground and the groundwater in the summer is colder than air and
warmer than air in winter. Ground source heat pump systems use this difference in
temperature to heat and/or to cool. Open-loop systems extract groundwater from
the ground, and direct it through a heat pump and, ultimately, put back into the
ground or released at the surface.
Open-loop systems are beneficial for heating and/or cooling demands of 100kW or
more, e.g., large office complexes. Open-loop GSHP systems have the benefit of
being more economical than closed-loop systems. Ground borehole water is used by
open-loop GSHP as a heat source.

Lower installation costs: the installation of an open-loop ground source heat pump
is generally cheaper than that of a closed-loop. As long as the necessary conditions
for the installation of an open-loop heat pump are met, its simpler design and lower
implementation costs can make it a less expensive option than a closed-loop. This
shouldn't, however, be regarded as a universal rule; each case has to be looked at
individually to determine whether an open-loop heat pump is truly cheaper to install
than a closed-loop according to the specific conditions of the case.
Ground source heat pump sizing: the fact that open-loop ground source heat
pumps only demands a borehole to pump water from an aquifer (in contrast to the
grid of pipes that make up closed-loop systems), makes them more suitable for
situations where space is a major limitation. The Ground source heat pump
borehole will pass the soil, the sandstone, and then reach the artesian layer also
called an aquifer (the rock layer is left untouched). This difference can be explained
This difference can be explained by pointing out that the groundwater heat is directly
extracted in an open-loop system. Whereas in a closed-loop system, it’s transferred
to a working fluid, reducing the efficiency and increasing the area and intricacy of the
ground heat exchanger

Disadvantages of Open-Loop Ground Source

Heat Pumps
Dependence on groundwater availability, open-loop systems relies on
the presence of an aquifer or other sources of groundwater beneath the property
where the ground source heat pump is intended to be installed. That constitutes a
very limiting condition for their usage. In addition, factors such as the depth of the
aquifer and its extraction/replacement rate need to be taken into account. By
contrast, a closed-loop ground source heat pump doesn't demand any particular
condition, since it’s a self-contained system and the temperature of the Earth’s
crust is constant everywhere all year round. Hence, it can be installed anywhere.

Regulations
Closed-loop systems are not regulated by environmental agencies; open-loop
systems are. The reason for this is that open-loop systems alter their energy source
by the extraction of water from the aquifer, that could, in turn, affect the
characteristics of the ground and, eventually, result in the desiccation of the aquifer,
while closed-loop systems are limited to exchanging heat with the ground (or
groundwater), thus does not alter the environment.

Maintenance of Ground Source Heat Pumps

Once a closed-loop ground source heat pump has been installed, it’s not necessary
to check or maintain the ground loop. Being a closed, self-contained system, the
quantity and quality of the working fluid won’t vary. Subsequently, there’ll be no need
for periodical maintenance. On the other hand, the continuous extraction and release
of water that takes place in an open-loop ground source heat pump cannot
guarantee that optimal water conditions are met. That could affect, for example, the
performance of the heat exchange at the evaporator and could even damage the
pump that circulates the groundwater.

Ground Source Heat Pump Prices

The annual cost of operating a ground source heat pumps is around £600 per
year. The ground source heat pump installation costs can vary and can be
somewhere between £13,000 and £35,000. The price can vary depending on the
size of the system, and extra work required in addition to the pump installation—like
an underfloor heating system.
For a detailed overview of prices for the installation please see Prices of Ground
Source Heat Pumps.
If you're interested in knowing more about open-loop ground source heat pump
costs, just fill in the contact form at the top of this page and Greenmatch will provide
you with up to 4 quotes from our trusted suppliers. This will save you time
researching and you'll be able to make a better decision for your home. Greenmatch
services are free and there are no hidden obligations.
. In the summer, groundwater circulated through the heat pump system absorbs heat that has been
removed from the warm room air in the home or business and transfers it to the earth. There are
several ways to return the groundwater to the earth after it is circulated through the heat pump.
Open discharge involves releasing the water into a nearby stream, river, lake, pond or ditch when
allowed by state and local regulations. Another method of water discharge is the return well, a
second well that returns the water to the groundwater aquifer. Water requirements for an openloop
heat pump are specified by the heat pump manufacturer. A thorough evaluation of a well’s
performance and overall water requirements should be done by the geothermal heat pump
contractor before the heat pump is installed. The contractor should also test the water for hardness,
acidity and iron content to ensure adequate water quality. In new construction installations where
domestic water is to be supplied from a well, the well is normally sized to supply the water needed
by the heat pump in addition to domestic water requirements. Water from a spring, pond, lake or
river as a source for a heat pump system is not recommended.

[Link]
Geothermal system efficiency is one of the first things to get acquainted with if you’re
planning on installing a geothermal system in your Delaware home. Understanding efficiency
ratings makes it easier to compare systems and find the ones that will lower your energy bills
the most. Coefficient of performance (COP) — This rating indicates a system’s heating
efficiency. The higher the COP, the more efficiently the system heats. The rating is a ratio of
heat produced (in Btu per hour) over electrical energy input. Simply stated, it indicates how
much home heating you get for the amount of electrical energy the system uses to
concentrate that heat. Geothermal heat pumps typically have COPs of 3 to 5. Energy
efficiency ratio (EER) — This number indicates a system’s cooling efficiency. A higher
number means greater efficiency. The number is a ratio of the heat removed from your home
(in Btu per hour) over the amount of electricity (in watts) the system uses. The average
geothermal system has an EER of between 13 and 18. Although geothermal system
efficiency is higher than that of most conventional heating and cooling systems, it’s still worth
looking for the most efficient model among the geothermal systems available. To enjoy the
greatest efficiency and take advantage of the 30 percent federal tax credit for new
installations, look for an Energy Star-qualified geothermal system. To qualify, a closed-loop
water-to-air system, which uses sealed pipes buried in the ground, should have a COP of at
least 3.6 and an EER of at least 17.1. An open-loop water-to-air system, which uses open
pipes in water, should have a COP of 4.1 or higher and an EER of 21.1 or higher.
Differences in testing criteria make it difficult to accurately compare efficiency ratings across
different system types, such as air-source (conventional) and geothermal heat pumps, so
consult a professional for guidance. For help choosing the most efficient heating and cooling
system for your home, contact us at Sobieski Services. Our goal is to help educate our
customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home
comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems). Image Credit: [Link]