geothermal

Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of the relatively constant temperature of the earth a few feet below the surface and use it as a medium for heat exchange. Geothermal heat pumps can both heat and cool. They typically function by running a fluid through pipes set in the ground. During the summer, the fluid loses heat to the earth, returns to a heat pump which draws heat from the building and gives it to the fluid, which in turn loses that heat to the earth, yielding a net cooling. In the winter, the loop works in reverse. The fluid runs through the heat pump which removes heat from the fluid and releases it in to the building. The fluid then circulates through the pipes and gains heat from the earth.The main energy cost of a geothermal heat pump is electricity to circulate the fluid and run the heat exchanger. Continue reading »