Geothermal Loop Field
There are the different types of geothermal loop field installations. In fact, they each have their specific benefits and limitations. Leave it to our experts at ARMLIN Geothermal to evaluate your situation and provide you with the best loop field design for your home.
More importantly, we are part of the Canadian Geo-Exchange Coalition’s list few certified members. Not only are we accredited as geothermal system installers and designers but also as a drilling company as well.
Below we describe the three most common types of geothermal loop field for our North American climate.
Vertical closed loop.
Let us start with the best solutions for worry free design. This is due to the fact that the geothermal piping are guaranteed for 50 years and will most likely last longer than that. If you have a home with limited available space, a vertical closed loop is ideal for you and may be your only option. These installations require less space and less piping compared to horizontal loops. This is because ground temperatures are more constant and higher temperature the deeper you go. The Vertical boreholes are typically spaced 3 to 6 meters apart. Pipe length can vary from 91 to 183 meters per tonne of heat output.
Horizontal closed loop.
The second best loop field when it comes to worry free designs is the horizontal closed loop. If you have plenty of land, atleast an acre, then this design may be ideal for you. This is because a horizontal closed loop can give you the same durability of a vertical closed loop system but at a lower cost. Especially if you are willing to do the excavation work yourself. The pipe is generally buried in a trench approximately 2 to 3 meters deep and 75 meters in length per tonne of heat output. Also, multiple loops are dug 3 to 4 meters apart from each other and are joined in parallel to reduce the circulating pump size. Horizontal loops are not recommended in dry sands and gravels.
Well-to-Well or Open Loop
Lastly, if you have a good quality well then a well-to-well system may be ideal for you. For this design to work well, you need soft water with as few minerals as possible. If you meet these conditions, then you will need to have a second well dug, to return the water. These installations pump well water directly in the heat pump and then into the return well. Typically, the entering water temperature of an open loop system is approximately 6°C higher than a closed loop system. This means a higher efficiency within the geothermal heat pump system.
However, you need to operate your well pump with your heat pump which uses a lot of electricity. Also, it will reduce the duration of your well pump. In addition, the system requires more cleaning and maintenance and both wells can cause issues. Water supply may run out or the return well may collapse and require you to dig another one.
ARMLIN Geothermal is also a Certified member of the Canadian Geo-Exchange Coalition. We are listed as an accredited company in geothermal system installations and designs. We are also a qualified drilling company.
