6 steps of implementing a geothermal system
Egyéb @en / 17.03.2022
1. GEOTHERMAL RESPONSE TEST
When someone contacts us with the implementation of a ground source heat pump system, first, based on the given heat demand and the location of the building, we give a quotation. But in order to give an accurate quote, we need to take another step, which is also the first pillar of the implementation: the geothermal response test.
Why is this necessary? Because, on average, 1/4 of the systems are undersized and 2/3 are oversized, which, in the case of a project with hundreds of probes, can mean a difference of 10-20 probes, that has a cost which is not negligible.
Do you always need it? Not necessarily, as we have a database of hundreds of results, this can replace the probe test on some projects.
The other benefit of it is that often the difficulty of drilling is revealed only during the test.
2. DESIGN
Designing a ground source heat pump system is a complex task, many negotiations are required to achieve a “clean” system.
Our design colleague has to consider the following:
– results obtained from the probe test – probe number
– the foundation of the building
– architectural plans
– garden plans
– static plan
– utilities
– customer needs
Based on these, he will plan the location of the probes and the engine room.
3. GEOTHERMAL DRILLING
Drilling of geothermal probes is usually done using two technologies:
– water flushing
– air flushing
We apply water flushing technology in the case of the soil layers which can be drilled more easily (this can also be seen in the video). Through this process, the drill liquid is flowing downward inside the drilling rod, then it reaches the surface by moving forward next to the drilling rod. This drilling liquid brings sludge, which was drilled before, to the surface. The circulation is performed by a drilling-mud pump.
4. PLACING OF SOIL PROBE
After geothermal drilling, the soil probes are placed in the holes using special pipes.
5. PLACING MANIFOLD, COLLECTING
After the probes are placed, we connect them to a common manifold chamber (right picture) by connecting pipes (left picture).
The manifold shaft which is placed outside the building is used in the case of a higher number of probes while the preassembled manifold which is placed inside the building is used in the case of a less number of probes.
6. FILLING
After the connection, before burying the connection pipes, an air pressure test is performed to check that the system is ready for the next phase. The pressure test is performed at twice the operating pressure.
After this comes the system’s antifreeze filling, which is carried out by an industrial filling equipment with long circulation time thus we provide the fewest microbubbles in the antifreeze mixture. The freezing point of the mixture depends on the heating primer temperature in the calculations as well as the manufacturer’S instruction of the currently recommended heat pump. Our quotation contains in detail the type of antifreeze mixture and the freezing point.