GC: n
CT: How Do Geothermal Systems Work?
Three basic components make up a geothermal system. They are:
1) The Ground Loop Heat Exchanger,
2) The Ground Source Heat Pump and
3) The Distribution System (ductwork, radiant flooring, fan coil, etc.).
The Ground Loop is the interface with the earth that transfers energy via a freeze-resistant solution pumped through the exchanger at a high velocity. Several ground loop types and designs are available to match the unique properties of each project (see below).
The Ground Source Heat Pump utilizes a refrigeration circuit to extract thermal energy from the ground loop and transfer it to the distribution system during the winter months to warm the home. During the summer, this process is reversed to cool the home.
The Distribution System quietly delivers heat throughout the home, creating a very even and controlled temperature. Air-based systems use duct work, while radiant flooring or fan coils distribute heat with a water-based hydronic system.
S: http://geothermhvac.com/geothermal-energy/ (last access: 24 February 2015)
N: 1. Like a refrigerator, a geothermal heat pump simply transfers heat from one place to another. When a refrigerator
is operating, heat is being carried away from the inside food storage area to the outside, your kitchen. Therefore, cooling is not being added to the inside; heat is being taken out.
To understand the operation of a geothermal heat pump, it helps to understand how a refrigerator works. A refrigerator uses a refrigeration circuit with four main components, a compressor (1), a condenser (2), an expansion device (3), and an evaporator (4). Refrigerant (sometimes referred to by the brand name Freon) is pumped through the circuit to transfer heat from the inside of the refrigerator to the outside.
2. refrigerating circuit: term officially approved by the Lexicon Project Committee (New Brunswick).
S: 1. https://www.climatemaster.com/downloads/RP002.pdf (last access: 24 February 2015). 2. TERMIUMPLUS.
SYN: refrigerating circuit
S: GDT; TERMIUMPLUS.
