Geothermal Systems (Air Conditioners)

Heating & Cooling

What is a Geothermal System?

A geothermal system is an energy efficient system that harnesses the heat below the earth’s surface and converts it into warm air through the use of geothermal heat pumps (GHP). These heat pumps use a small amount of electricity to heat and cool a building.

How Does a Geothermal System Work?

After the installation of a geothermal system, the heat pump, usually located in a garage or basement, circulates liquid (refrigerant) through pipes (also referred to as loops) 300 feet deep into the ground. These loops absorb the temperature that is distributed into the ground from the sun.

The earth surface absorbs 50% of the sun’s energy into the ground and the radioactive decay of minerals produces geothermal energy. The liquid in the pipes absorbs this trapped heat energy and transfers it to the geothermal heat pump. After the GHP removes the heat from the liquid it passes to the space that needs to be heated through the forced-air ductwork. The same GHP that is used to heat the building can also cool it down during the summer.

How Does The Geothermal Heating Pump Cool?

The heat pump removes the heat from the air that circulates throughout the building and transfers it to the fluid that circulates in the ground. Therefore, cold air is blown in due to the process of removing heat from the circulated air, transferring it to the ground, and returning cool air back through the air ducts.

Types of Geothermal Heating Systems

A geothermal system can be configured in a variety of formats. Some of the ways a geothermal system can be set up are:

Closed-Loop System: consists of continuous underground pipes filled with a liquid solution that transfers geothermal energy to the heat pump.

-Vertical

-Horizontal

Open-Loop System: pumps groundwater directly to the heat pump to transfer geothermal energy.

-Pond/Lake Hybrid: relies on a pond or lake to supply the geothermal energy. The heat pump is connected to a source of water.