geothermal brochure - wyandotte municipal services programs...geothermal energy systems are being...

1.734.324.7190

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY SYSTEMS

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY SYSTEMS

Homeowner’s responsibility: -

• ContactIGSHPAcertifiedHVACcontractorstoobtainquotesontheGSHPandhorizontalconnection and borefield drilling; multiple quoteswillallowforcompetitvecosting.

• HavecontractorperformenergysavingeconomicsandROIanalysis.

• OncethedecisiontoinstallaGeothermalsystemhasbeenmade,thehomeownerneedstoemail geothermal@wyan.org

with the proposed location of the bore field for approval.

• Install vertical bore heat exchanger

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Geothermal Energy Systems arebeingintroducedbyWyandotteMunicipalServices(WMS)toprovideresidentialpropertyownerswithintheCityofWyandotte,MIanalternative‘Green’heating/coolingsystemfornewconstructionhomesorwhenitistimetoreplacetheircurrentfurnacesandairconditioningunits.

WMS,asamunicipalpublicutility,ispromotingthisreliablerenewable energy source to provideWyandottehomeowners with the education to learnabout theopportunitytoinstallaGeothermalEnergySystem.

HomeownerscantakeprideinknowingthattheirGeothermalEnergySystemisstateoftheart‘green’technologyinheatingandcoolingthatlowersyourcarbonfootprintandsavesyoumoneyonyourenergybills.

geothermal@wyan.org

1.734.324.7190

How does a GSHP system heat water for my home?Usingwhatiscalledadesuperheater,GSHPsturnwasteheattothetaskofheatinghotwater.Duringthesummer,whenthesystemisincoolingmode,yourhotwaterisproducedfreeasabyproductofthethermalprocess.Inwinter,withtheheatingmode,thedesuperheaterheatsaportionofyourhotwater.Desuperheatersarestandardonsomeunits,optionalonothers.

Understanding a Geothermal Energy System TogiveyouabasicunderstandingofaGeothermalEnergySystem,wewouldliketofamiliarizeyouwiththesystem’sparts:

Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) – thisisthe‘refrigeratororfurnacelookingbox’locatedinyourbasement.Thisunitreplacesconventionalheatingandcoolingunits(naturalgasfurnaceandairconditionerunits).

• Heatingandcoolingcapacityismeasuredintons–typicalWyandottehomesaverage2-4tonsofheatingandcooling.

• YourgeothermalsystemshouldbeinstalledbyalicensedHeating,VentilatingandAirConditioning(HVAC)contractorwhowasalsoIGSHPA(InternationalGroundSourceHeatPumpAssociation)certifiedintheinstallationofGeothermalEnergySystems.

Flow Center – Thisisthepointwheretheclosed-loopwaterlinesconnecttheGSHPtoheaders ofthegroundsourceheatexchangerverticalborehole(seeGSHXdefinitionat right.

Ground Source Heat Exchanger (GSHX) – pipingthatisinstalledinaverticalborehole,approximately305feetdeep,isthesourceoftheheatingandcoolingcapacity.

• The borehole is located on the building owner's property.

• HorizontalconnectionfromGSHXborehole headerstoGSHPinbasementofthehouse-Thisisthepipingthatrunsfromthebore fieldapproximately5feet undergroundandcomesupthroughthefloortoconnectto theGSHPlocatedinyourbasement.Itisthehomeowner’sresponsibilitytomaintainorrepairthe Geothermal EnergySystem, ifevernecessary.

Diagram of a Residential Geothermal Energy System – Vertical blue and red lines depict the heat exchange well that services the Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) located in the home. Optional function – GSHP waste heat can preheat an electric water heater.

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For more information, contact geothermal@wyan.org or 1.734.324.7190

What is geothermal GSHP technology? Geothermalgroundsourceheatpumps(GSHPs)areelectricallypoweredsystemsthattapthestoredenergyofthegreatestsolarcollectorinexistence:theearth.Thesesystemsusetheearth’srelativelyconstanttemperaturetoprovideheating,cooling,andhotwaterforhomesandcommercialbuildings.

How does your Geothermal Energy System work? ThegeothermalsystemsbeinginstalledinWyandottearecategorizedasclosedloopsystemsandarebeinginstalledverticallyinaborehole.

Closedloopsystemsutilizewaterandafood-gradeantifreezesolutionthatiscirculatedthroughHDPEplasticpipesburiedbeneaththeearth’ssurface.Duringthewinter,thefluidcollectsheatfromtheearthandcarriesitthroughthesystemandintothebuilding.Duringthesummer,thesystemreversesitselftocoolthebuildingbypullingheatfromthebuilding,carryingitthroughthesystemandplacingitintheground.Thisprocesscancreatefreehotwaterinthesummeranddeliverssubstantialhotwatersavingsinthewinter.

How efficient is a GSHP? TheGSHPisoneofthemostefficientresidentialheatingandcoolingsystemsavailabletoday,withheatingefficiencies50to70%higherthanotherheatingsystemsandcoolingefficiencies20to40%higherthanavailableairconditioners.Thatdirectlytranslatesintosavingsforyouonyourutilitybills.

Can one system provide both space heating and cooling for my home? And what about heating hot water? Yes. AGSHPisacombinationheating/coolingandhotwaterheatingsystem.Youcanchangefromonemodetoanotherwithasimpleflickonyourindoorthermostat.Usingadesuperheater,someGSHPscansaveyouupto50%onyourwater-heatingbillbypreheatingtankwater.