What is a Ground Source Heat Pump
A Ground Source Heat Pump is, as its name suggests, a form of extracting heat from the ground. Basically, the earth acts as a natural source of solar heat storage. The Ground Source Heat Pump is an electrically powered system to extract this stored heat from the earth.
How does a Ground Source Heat Pump work?
A Ground Source Heat Pump works by pumping either water or anti-freeze through holes drilled in the ground. In the winter, the fluid extracts the warmth from the earth to provide heat or hot water for a home. In the summer it can extract warm air from the home into the ground, thus cooling the home.
There are two fundament types of Ground Source Heat Pumps:
- Closed Loop Systems - The fluid is pumped around pipes in a continuous manner.
- Open Loop Systems - The fluid does its job of transferring the heat and is then discharged into the open. Of course, due to environmental issues, it is not suitable to use anything apart from water for the Open Loop Ground Source Heat Pump.
The setup of the Ground Source Heat Pump is affected by factors such as ground formation and available land at the site of installation.