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Geothermal - How it Works
Overview
The basic concept of geothermal is simply defined by its name; where “geo” refers to the earth, and “thermal” refers to temperature, therefore, geothermal can be described as the
Temperature of the Earth. Below the surface of the earth the temperature remains constant (averaging about 65 degrees for the West Texas region) throughout the year. This stable temperature beneath the surface acts as a buffer to the ever-changing temperatures above the surface in which we live. In a geothermal system, a fluid is circulated between the building and a series of pipes buried deep in the ground known as the ground loop. The unvarying temperature within the earth allows for heat to be exchanged to and from the installed ground loop. In the summer, the fluid picks up heat from the building and moves it to the ground. In the winter, the fluid picks up heat from the ground and moves it to the building.
Heat pumps make the transfer of heat in the building possible. Geoexchange systems exchange thermal energy between a building and the ground. When the building needs heating, the system extracts energy from the ground and pumps it into the building where it is concentrated by the heat pump. Equally, when the building needs cooling, the heat from the building is concentrated by the heat pump and the system removes the heat from the building and pumps it into the ground. This exchange of thermal energy makes the system efficient. Rather than creating heat by burning a fuel, the geothermal system moves thermal energy between the ground and the building using heat pump technology.
The relatively constant temperature of the ground makes this energy transfer efficient throughout the year – even during the coldest or hottest weather. When the building needs cooling, the system takes advantage of the relatively constant ground temperature that is often cooler than the outdoor air in the summer. Conventional systems must move energy from the building to the hotter outdoor air, while the geoexchange system gains efficiency by transferring the energy to the cooler ground. The same model can be oppositely illustrated for a cold winter day.
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Geothermal Specifics
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