How Do Geothermal Systems Work?
For millions of years, the earth has be absorbing solar radiation. The surface, or crust is warmed by this long wave radiation. Simultaneously, the core of the earth radiates heat through the mantel to the surface providing constant temperatures just a few thousand feet below the earth's surface.
One type of geothermal system is a standing column well. This system is utilized where there is limited space for well fields. In a standing column well, water is drawn from the bottom of a deep rock well, passed through a heat pump, and returned to the top of the well, where traveling downwards it exchanges heat with the surrounding bedrock.
A standing column well geothermal system yields high energy efficiency, lower costs, no noise pollution and no above grade equipment.
In a closed system, water or antifreeze circulates through plastic pipes which are buried under the earth's surface. In the winter, the fluid collects the heat from the earth and carries it through the system and into the building.
Conversely, in the summer, the building is cooled by pulling the heat out and putting it in the ground.
During this time of rising energy cost, geothermal systems offers consumers a heating and cooling alternative that is energy efficient, environmentally friendly and reliable. In fact, geothermal systems are more than three times more efficient than conventional systems and can provide a savings to your heating and cooling costs of 50%!
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