Geothermal heating at home - features and device
The constant desire of a person to provide comfortable living conditions has led to serious environmental pollution. Therefore, recently, mankind has been paying a lot of attention to the environmental friendliness and efficiency of various systems, an example of which is geothermal heating. In this article we will look at what it is and how to implement geothermal heating with your own hands.
General information
In the CIS countries, geothermal heating system is still a little-known novelty, however, in European countries it is not only successfully used, but is also one of the main methods of heating. Judging by the ecological potential, as well as high profitability, it can be assumed that the geothermal method of obtaining thermal energy will soon become a priority throughout the world (see also the article Expansion Tank for Heating - installation scheme in closed and open systems).
The principle of operation of this heating system is based on the conversion of heat from the earth. The work of geo-installation can be compared with the operation of the refrigerator, with the only difference that the refrigerator works for cooling, and heating - on the contrary, for heating.
Note! The heating system in summer can be switched to cooling, which will cool the housing without using an air conditioner.
System features
Device
So, geothermal heating systems are an excellent alternative to traditional types of heating. After all, the energy that the earth contains can be used to heat objects on its surface without special expenses.
The principle of operation of the installation is extremely simple - inside the globe, as you know, hot magma is contained. Therefore, already at a depth of several meters the earth is warm.
As a result, geothermal heating systems operate as follows:
- The main element of the system is a heat pump that is installed on the ground.
- Heat exchangers are lowered into the shaft and connected to the pump. As a result, the device receives natural heat and enhances it.
- Further, the resulting heat is used for domestic or industrial needs.
From this scheme it is clear that there is equipment in the work, which also requires energy consumption for its work. However, during operation, the heat pump consumes one kilowatt of energy, and provides 4-6 kilowatts.
For comparison - a conventional air conditioner converts a kilowatt of electricity into a kilowatt of heat. Thus, thanks to the heat pump, not only the energy expended is returned, but the price of the equipment also quickly pays off.
Types of systems
Geothermal heating can be implemented in several ways:
| Due to the energy of deep groundwater | Located at a great depth of water have a high temperature. The heat pump raises them to the surface and, compressing the liquid, further increases their temperature. Hot water passes through the heat exchanger and transfers its heat energy to the heating system. |
| With antifreeze | If the mine has a depth of 75 meters or more, antifreeze is pumped into the system, which also transfers the heat energy of the earth to the heat exchanger. Such an installation is more expensive than the above. |
| With the help of the reservoir | If there is a reservoir near the house, then geo-heating can be realized even without mines. For this purpose, special probes are installed around the bottom perimeter that transform the heat of water. |
The choice of system type depends on environmental conditions. For example, if there is a reservoir nearby, then it is advisable to equip geothermal heating of a country house according to the latest scheme. If there is no reservoir, then it is necessary to drill the mines.
Note! Geothermal heating is the safest today, as it does not require hydrocarbons and chemicals for operation. This eliminates the possibility of explosions, ignition, as well as pollution of water bodies or the earth.
Installation Features
It is not easy to build geothermal heating with your own hands, however, it is quite possible. For the installation to be effective, it is necessary to perform the calculation of mines.
Their parameters depend on the following factors:
- Space premises;
- Soil type;
- Climate.
As practice shows, the depth of the mine is usually in the range of 25-100 meters. Calculation and preparation of mines should be entrusted to specialists.
Further brief installation instructions for the system are as follows:
- After mines are prepared, it is necessary to install heat-absorbing pipes in them. Their meaning, as mentioned above, is to supply heated water to the pump, where the liquid will compress and heat up even more.
- A heat exchanger and a heating system are connected to the heat pump, through which heat is distributed to the room.
- After installation of all elements, the first start of the installation is performed.
In general, the installation construction technology is quite simple and straightforward.
Note! If you decide to install geothermal heating yourself, then this will require an assistant, since some of the details of the construction are very heavy.
That's all the main stages of arrangement of this heating.
Conclusion
Geo-heating equipment requires a certain amount of time and money. However, this equipment generates several times more energy than it spends on its work. Thus, all expenses quickly pay off, besides, the system has a number of other advantages (see also the article How to choose and install heating in the garage).
From the video in this article, you can pick up some additional information on this topic.