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Tel: 0114 287 0723
 
The design - Ground Source Heat Pump Technology
‘ design is linked directly to performance’

A ground source heat pump can be a highly efficient form of water heating and space heating, particularly when deployed in conjunction with one of our low energy underfloor heating systems.

A ground source heat pump is plastic piping buried in the ground and connected to a heat pump. A water-antifreeze mixture is passed around the looped pipe where it absorbs heat from the ground. The fluid flows into an electrically powered heat pump, comprising a compressor and a pair of heat exchangers before discharging back to the underground loop to pick up more energy from the ground. The ground its self is among the list of attributes that can affect how well your heat pump works.

How well a heat pump works (its efficiency) is expressed as COP or SPF

COP stands for coefficient of performance

A COP of 5.5 for example would mean; for every KW of electrical energy in to the heat pump we would generate 5.5kw of heat energy out

COP varies depending on outdoor temperature and required indoor temperature; the closer the gap, the higher the COP (in winter months when it is coldest and we require higher indoor temperatures COP will be at its lowest)

SPF stands for seasonal performance factor

SPF is simply the average year round COP for a heat pump

SPF is the true reflection of performance for a heat pump and should always be considered before deciding upon a model. It can be used to compare heat pump’s efficiency.

In the right conditions in the right property a well installed Ground source heat pump is able to achieve seasonal performance factors (SPF) of 4 and upwards. This means that for each kW of electricity used to run the heat pump some 4 kW of heat are produced. Ground source heat pumps are a proven technology, the monitoring of systems installed in the UK has shown that they slightly outperform their brother ‘air source heat pumps’ which can be expected to convert 3 to 3.6 KW for every KW of electricity consumed.

Factors that will affect SPF (your ground source heat pumps annual efficiency):
Ground temperature & time of year

Outdoor temperature

Type of ground composite

Vertical or Horizontal loop or open loop

Flow temp of heating system emitters

Building envelope insulation thickness and quality

Help from other renewable sources

Ground temperature & time of year

The ground has a constant temperature of between 8°C – 12°C. It is heated by the sun and stores the solar energy beneath the surface. The ground temperature is at its coldest shortly after the shortest day of the year (December 21st) when it is at its furthest from the sun. Although these differences in ground temperature are marginal COP will be at its lowest at this time.

Problems can begin during the winter months if the ground array has been poorly and inadequately sized or indeed the heat pump its self wrongly sized. Design is crucial to ensure we don’t take too much energy from the ground array. The danger is that we end up freezing the ground.

It is possible to ‘freeze the ground’ if we try and draw too much energy from the area the buried pipe work is in. This will not only result in a disastrous heat pump system, but could mean that your garden rises up by 2 or 3 feet! as it freezes and expands. A strange phenomenon but it can happen!

Outdoor Temperature
As temperature drops demand increases, combined with the slight drop in ground temperature and increased demand within our homes or work space, winter is the time when we will be most reliant upon the heat pump and it will have to be working at its hardest. COP levels will be at their lowest on the coldest days, however, it is imperative that the heat pump system including ground array, emitter type and heat pump sizing are all designed to cope.

Full surveys of properties and heat loss calculations are always conducted to ensure correct pairing of materials and sizing specification.
Type of ground composite
Water is the most amazing chemical on planet earth, not only does it keep us alive, amongst all its other attributes it has amazing heat retention properties of which make it the ideal source of energy to draw from for a ground source heat pump. This is why before any installation is undertaken we need to consider what type of ground we are working with. A porous soil with high water content will be most effective while a hard solid rock ground would prove less favourable.

Ground surveys are important when installing a bore hole system to ensure it is safe to drill and also to get an idea of what lies beneath so we can calculate the amount of energy we are able to draw from the bore hole and from this calculation we can determine the depth of the bore hole required.

Vertical bore hole or horizontal ground array or open loop array
There are pros and cons for both. Commercial ground source heat pumps tend to be bore hole fed. This is because very often in cities the space for a horizontal ground loop is not available.

Many argue that bore hole heat pumps are more efficient and are capable of drawing more energy and delivering better results. Having said that, horizontal loops are fine and a lot can come down to soil composite.

Cost is a major issue; bore holes are expensive while if you have the land a horizontal loop will prove the cheaper option.
 
 
Horizontal Loop - Ground Source Heat Pumps
These are used when you have space in your garden to lay the pipes horizontally through the ground. Trenches are dug around 1.2m in depth and 250mm - 400mm wide.

The collector pipes are then laid into these trenches and back filled with the removed earth. Trenches must be a minimum of one metre apart and one metre from any foundations or building services. The average property requires 400 metres of pipe, therefore 400 sq metres of land for the trenches.
The trenches must be the same length to ensure equal pressure drops across the collector system. The surface above the collectors should not be built on, and we supply a plan which shows the location of the pipes in the ground. The collectors link back to the ground source heat pump in your home.
Vertical Bore Hole Loop - Ground Source Heat Pumps
Bore holes are dug into the ground, normally around 90 metres deep. It is common to have two bore holes dug to supply one home. The holes are roughly 200mm wide and must be kept at least eight metres apart from each other.

A loop is lowered into the borehole with a weight to ensure it reaches the bottom of the hole. The hole is then backfilled with a grout mixture which allows easy heat transfer from ground to pipe. The loop is linked back to the ground source heat pump unit in your home.
Open Loop Bore Hole Systems - Ground Source Heat Pumps
These are the most efficient systems and are used with water bore well supplies.

A separate extraction and discharge bore well is dug into the ground. One will extract water from the underground water table and one will discharge that same water back into the ground after it has passed through the heat pumps heat exchanger.

Special design considerations are given to avoid a flow short-circuit and flow direction must be taken into account as well.
Because the extracted water is not contaminated in any way, these systems often combine the extraction-well with a well-pump to allow free drinking water for the property.
Open Loop Water Source - Ground Source Heat Pumps
This system extracts and then re-discharges water from a nearby stream or river. Properties with a large pond or lake can also use this system, as it takes in water from the source and uses the energy in that water to power the heat pump.

These systems, like the 'well' type open loop systems are the most efficient; and we should see CoP's in excess of 5. Sometimes when water permits are harder to come by, we actually lower a compact collector into the water, thus not extracting and therefore not requiring a license from the Environmental Agency.
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Flow temperature of heating system emitters

The emitter system is the method of delivery for the heat pumps product of heat. It is important that the emitter is sized to deliver and distribute this heat evenly and effectively.

Your emitter system could be radiators; steel, aluminium, or aluminium fan assisted or underfloor heating. Whichever option is currently in place or whichever new option you decide on it is important that they are sized correctly to meet with the building’s demand and the heat pump’s output. The design flow temperature is a key factor in this process and will dictate size of radiators or pipe sizing and spacing for underfloor systems.
Building envelope insulation thickness and quality - Extremely important!
Without good insulation in the building, the installation of a heat pump ground source or air source is not going to work or at best work very inefficiently.

Insulation measures to walls, roof, floors, windows, doors must all be taken to ensure the heat created stays where it is intended. Lofts should have a minimum of 300mm insulation while cavity wall should be fully insulated and floors where possible.

Draughts caused by holes and gaps between the joining of materials in the building fabric also need to have attention paid to; the more air tight a property the better.

If you are planning a new build or your house was built post 2010 to the more stringent building regulations you needn’t worry about the above insulation measures, your house should have been built to above acceptable insulation standards and make a heat pump the ideal choice, especially with the RHI payments you could receive.

Remember the lower flow
temperatures of a heat pump
require good insulation to be
effective
Help from other renewable sources
With the use of thermal stores at the centre of your renewable heating system, alongside your ground source or air source heat pump we are able to design you (complete with schematic drawings) systems incorporating energy from different renewable energy sources; such as solar thermal panels or a wood burning stove. We are also able to combine your renewable heating system with your own onsite electricity generation station in the form of solar PV panels. Remember ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps run on electricity, make your own and you have heat for free!

So in actual fact with the right technology and the right expertise you can heat your home for free and become carbon neutral!

If you have a project you would like us to help with please get in touch, we work with people planning self build projects from design through to install and completion on all aspects of electrical plumbing and heating and renewable applications. We work closely with architects and you to develop your perfect home with efficient energy solutions.

 
The benefits of a renewable energy home:
Carbon neutral

Self sufficient

Sustainable

Protection from rapidly rising energy costs

Free heat

Free electricity

No bills……or very small ones
A source of income from the RHI on heat pump installation (payments condensed into 7 years)

A source of income from the RHI on solar thermal installation (payments condensed into 7 years)

A source of income from the FIT on solar PV installation (payments over 20 years)

A comfortable home

State of the art technology and controls


 
 


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