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Luisier Drilling, Inc. 220 Hank Marks Drive Oconto Falls, WI 54154 920-848-5239 800-662-0940 Fax: 920-848-5535 |
The Geothermal Process |
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What is it?The geothermal process is based on a simple premise: Below the frost line - usually about four feet deep – the earth is a constant temperature of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit all year long.
During the winter, the heat pump absorbs heat from the ground and uses it to warm the air in your home. In the warmer summer months, the process is reversed, taking heat from your home and transfering it back into the ground.
The basic elements of a geothermal system include:
The loops of piping are buried in the ground near your home or business, either vertically or horizontally. That ground loop is connected to a pumping module inside your home. The pump circulates a mixture of water and the antifreeze through the ground loop, where it absorbs heat from the earth. When the heated liquid reaches the heat pump inside your home, the heat is multiplied and used to warm the air inside the air-handling system. A blower sends the warmed air throughout the building through ductwork. Vertical loopsIf the land area available is limited, a vertical loop may be installed for the geothermal piping.
Vertical installations might also be used where the land is too rocky for trenching, for existing buildings, and for large commercial or educational facilities.
To install a vertical loop, Luisier Drilling will bore holes into the ground. Long, hairpin-shaped loops of pipe are then inserted. The hole is backfilled, plugged or grouted, and the pipes are connected to headers in a trench leading back to the building.
The drilling depth is determined by the lowest total cost based on the conditions at the job site. A typical borehole depth is 150 to 250 feet.
The objective of a vertical borehole is to install a specific amount of pipe, not to reach a certain depth. If 1,200 feet of pipe are required, three 200-foot boreholes are acceptable and may be more cost-effective.
Drilling boreholes for geothermal loops is much simpler than drilling to find well water. The borehole is generally smaller, which reduces drilling time, and no casing is required because the hairpin-shaped loop is the casing.
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