What is geothermal heating at home, the pros and cons of such a system. Geothermal heating systems for a country house: features of DIY arrangement Heating a house with earth energy

A progressive method of geothermal heating of a house uses the operating principle of using the heat of the earth to heat the room. Since traditional fuel is an exhaustible natural resource, it is worth worrying in advance about switching to the latest inexhaustible energy sources.

Scandinavian countries are leaders in the production and operation of geothermal heating systems for homes. They popularize this installation option and offer it to regions that have wide potential for its use.

Application of equipment

It is incorrect to believe that heating from the ground can only be used where there are hot water springs, warm geysers and other natural underground heating sources. Newest technologies allow you to successfully operate geothermal heating at home and in temperate latitudes.

Today in our country this type of heating is still classified as an alternative method of generating heat. However, in most cases it is almost ideal for country houses or country houses. Do-it-yourself installed geothermal heating at home can operate in two modes:

• heating in winter time;
• cooling during hot weather.

This creates the most favorable atmosphere in the room.

VIDEO: How geothermal heating works

System Operation

A heat pump needs to be installed in the house. It will take energy from the ground or groundwater, giving it to the coolant circulating in the house through the pipes. This operating principle was identified back in the 19th century by the French physicist Sadi Carnot.

The components of the base node are:

• compressor;
• evaporator;
• capacitor;
• throttle valve.

The compressor is responsible for “compressing” heat and moving it to consumers. The device itself requires an external power source.

Job heat pump is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. The heat intake collector must contain a liquid inside that has a low freezing point. Often, when making geothermal heating with your own hands, water with a high salt content, alcohol diluted with water, and glycol mixtures are poured inside.
2. In the evaporator module, heat is transferred to the refrigerant, which has a low boiling point, at which time it boils and turns into a vapor state.
3. The compressor installed in the circuit increases the steam pressure, which results in an increase in the temperature of the substance to 78-80 0 C.
4. Once the refrigerant substance enters the condenser, it enters the liquid phase, and at the same time energy is released for the heating circuit.
5. The resulting liquid is returned to the compressor through the throttle valve.

Since a heat pump for heating a home operates on the principle of a refrigerator, it is often called a “reverse refrigerator.” In many cases, energy from the ground is used to install underfloor heating.

Correctly carried out calculations and well-executed installation of the heat exchanger can provide a fivefold increase in output power from one kilowatt consumed by the pump.

VIDEO: How a geothermal heat pump works

Heat exchanger installation

The current installation types are the following:

• vertical, when you need to drill several wells;
• horizontal, where trenches are dug below the freezing depth;
• underwater, when laying is carried out along the bottom of the nearest body of water.

Drilling of the wells

To effectively use the thermal energy of the earth, if the area near the building is small, it is necessary to drill deep wells. A stable positive temperature remains several meters deep in the earth. The use of such geothermal wells provides heat to the heat exchanger circuit. This heat is then transferred to a second internal circuit located in the room.

Often, drilling several wells costs even less than laying them along the bottom of a reservoir. Thanks to this, the process becomes accessible to more people.

The process is carried out with a small-sized drilling rig and a small amount of auxiliary equipment. This practically does not affect the surrounding area. Construction of a well is allowed even in water, but it should not be closer than 2-3 m from a residential building.

The maximum usable depth is up to 200 m, but often efficiency appears from a level of 50 m. next stage The well is being constructed. A plastic tube with a diameter of 40 mm is placed inside the cavity. From one to four collector loops are passed into it.

The cavity between the soil and the outer wall of the tube must be filled with heat-conducting material. The heating main is being wired and connected to the heat pump.

This option is the most rational in terms of cost, since it does not require the preparation of trenches, foundation pits and other earthworks. But this capability is not available to everyone - the minimum volume of the reservoir is sufficient to heat a house of 100 sq.m. must be at least 200 cubic meters and located no further than 100 meters from the housing construction.

Pipes are laid along the bottom of reservoirs to prevent them from freezing during the peak of frost.

Carrying out calculations

To perform a system calculation, it is necessary to take into account the basic parameters:

• at a depth exceeding middle lane Russia 15-20 m, temperature is maintained at +8-+10 0 C;
• for vertical structures, it is customary to take in calculations the resulting power value of 50 W per 1 m of height, and more exact values depend on the degree of moisture in the rock, the presence of groundwater, etc.;
• dry rock gives 20-25 W/m;
• moistened clay or sandstone 45-55 W/m;
• hard granite rocks will provide up to 85 W/m;
• the presence of groundwater gives up to 110 W/m.

Using a Heat Pump

The longevity of the system depends on the characteristics and conditions in which the heat pump operates. In geothermal installations it is capable of operating approximately 1800 hours per year. This is the average value for latitudes without thermal underground springs.

The operating principle of the thermal heating system is identical and has nothing to do with the country of origin or brand. Geothermal pumps may vary in design, size, appearance, but the heat production coefficient will always be the same for pumps from different companies and different countries. This is due precisely to the peculiarities of processing natural energy to thermal.

The pump should not be used too much, as this process can lead to a significant decrease in the temperature of the soil around the well, and sometimes leads to its freezing.

The consequences of such miscalculations ultimately lead to disastrous consequences - the soil sags unevenly, in some places it goes very deep, resulting in damage to the protective plastic pipes. If the house is located nearby, deformation of the foundation or walls may occur due to geological changes.

Periodically, it is necessary to take measures to “regenerate” the soil, for which additional thermal energy is supplied to the heat exchanger. This can be the energy of a solar collector or heating a probe when a heat pump is used in room cooling mode.

In conclusion, it should be noted that geothermal installation is not yet available to everyone. In some cases, the payback period may last more than 10 years, but in the end, these methods of heating a house in the near future will become not just alternative, but the only possible ones.

VIDEO: Geothermal heat pumps

In the minds of mankind there has always been a thought about how to heat a home using natural resources. The answer is quite simple - geothermal heating of the house. This heating method can fully satisfy a person’s need to heat a home and maintain comfort, without spending a lot of money on payment. utilities. In this article we will look at how effective such heating is, what types there are, and, most importantly, how to install such a heating system yourself.

The operating principle of this type of heating is quite simple and lies in the property of the earth not to freeze even at fairly low temperatures. For example, at an air temperature of about minus fifteen, the ground will freeze to only five to seven degrees. Now let’s answer the question: is it possible to quite successfully extract benefits from this property of the earth and heat a house with the help of such a resource? The answer is obvious: of course yes! So why not do it? The thing is, it's not that simple. In order to install such heating, you need to solve the small problems associated with it, which are listed below.

Geothermal heating installation

• To get maximum heat from the ground, you need to accumulate this same heat energy and concentrate it on heating the house, and this costs some effort.
• It is necessary to maintain the temperature of the conductor. The heated riser must conduct heat in the liquids that will flow through the central heating system.
• If this conductor has cooled down, its temperature must be immediately restored by heating. To solve this problem, special geothermal heat pumps were invented that help cope with the task. This device helps to extract the amount of heat necessary for normal heating of the house, which can be used for a variety of needs. By the way, such pumps are able to cope with fairly large volumes of work. The design's capabilities directly depend on its location in the house.

If previously such a phenomenon as heating a house with the help of thermal energy from the earth could be found exclusively outside our country, today such devices are not a miracle and are not uncommon.

Scheme of operation of thermal structures

Please note that they are installed not only in the southern, warm parts, as you might think. In the Northern regions this is even more common. Let's take a closer look at what the structure's operation scheme is.
A long time ago, people wondered why, when certain liquids evaporate from any surface, the surface then cools, and why energy is taken away at the same time. As soon as the answer to this question was given, the thought arose, why not run this mechanism in reverse order, that is, why not get warm air instead of ice. An example is the operation of modern air conditioning systems: many of them can not only cool, but also heat the air. The only disadvantage of such devices is their limited functioning at low temperatures. At a certain temperature they simply cannot work. In contrast, geothermal heating country house completely devoid of such a drawback, although the principle of operation of them and the above-mentioned device is approximately the same.

Geothermal heating of a country house

A few additions about the work

Geothermal heating of a home requires considerable preparation and installation work, as well as considerable costs, which, of course, will pay off many times over over time. At the initial stage of work, a shaft is made. Its length, width, height, as well as other parameters are individual depending on the area of ​​the heated area and some other factors, for example, the parameters of excavations are greatly influenced by the climate of the area in which you live, the type of soil, the difficulty of the process, as well as the professional qualities of the team, who will handle the installation.
The second step is the most important. Specialized pipes must be placed in the ground, which will accumulate the heat of the earth and direct it to heat your home. The role of the pipes is the main one, and this is where the whole principle lies: the pipes will supply heat to the pump, which provides the heating fluid with heat. Please note that if you decide to tackle this task yourself, you will definitely need an assistant, since the structures can have a very large mass - you simply cannot do it alone.

Ways of functioning of the system

To concentrate the heat of the earth and direct it in the right direction, several installations are used that will help the pump do this. To put this seemingly complex system into operation, the following elements are needed:

• Heat pump. Ensures the normal functioning of antifreeze. In fact, the entire operation of the installation depends on this element;
• evaporator - the main purpose of this device being underground is to accumulate heat vapor that comes out of surface of the earth;
• capacitor. Controls the operation of antifreeze and helps maintain its constant temperature;
• tank. Collects heated water in one place for its further distribution.

Advantages

Geothermal heating has a number of advantages that will definitely tempt you to decide to install such a system. Among the advantages are such properties as:

Equipment installation

The whole difficulty in installing the equipment lies in installing the heat exchanger in the ground. Of course, installing geothermal heating systems is difficult, but it is possible, and there is a lot of advice on how to do it on the World Wide Web, but we still do not recommend it. As practice shows, amateur efforts are not always crowned with success. If you want to receive a guarantee of the normal functioning of the equipment, as well as long term services, then it is better to use the services qualified specialists. Although, of course, if you are confident in your abilities, you can try. Our technicians carry out the installation procedure in a few simple steps:

Some preventative checks are also carried out with the participation of the owner of the house, then a contract for the delivery of the work is signed.

Geothermal heating yourself: is it possible?

Many people wonder whether it is possible to make a geothermal heat pump with their own hands. The answer is very ambiguous, it depends on your skills and knowledge, but it’s worth noting right away that once you spend money on such a miracle of engineering, you will forever forget about the jumps in prices for gas and other raw materials.

Installation of heating pipes in the ground

Please note that from the inside the room is heated by the same radiators, but the heat in them is supplied from pipes.
You will need to do a lot of work installing pipes in the ground, and keep in mind that you cannot do it alone.
On a thermal boiler that will be located directly in the house, you can easily regulate the amount of heat needed to maintain a normal temperature. If you want to protect children from the regulator, you can install the boiler in separate room or room.

Geothermal pump installation

So, we conclude that the term “do-it-yourself” does not fully characterize the installation of equipment with your own hands. You can do only part of the work yourself: installing a geothermal pump and installing a heating system directly inside the house, although, if you go deeper into the topic, some types of geothermal heating can be done completely yourself.
To summarize and understand the situation, let us understand that the operating principle of these types of pumps is based on the laws of physics, which consist in the fact that the pump takes thermal energy from the earth, as well as the vapors that it emits. The steam heats the water, which is then circulated through the main system. As for the internal arrangement of the system when installing a geothermal pump, it remains the same as with any other device and consists of a radiator and a heating unit, which we are used to seeing in every home.
On average, one kilowatt of electricity is generated per five kilowatts of heated water.

Geothermal heating is used for heating system.

It serves as the main or additional source of heat. earth energy.

Heating a house with heat from underground: what is it?

On Russian territory high temperature (thermal) springs They are located extremely unevenly, mostly far from populated areas, which makes them difficult to use for heating purposes.

With the development of technology and the introduction of new types of equipment, it became possible to use and low temperature sources .

Among other things, underground layers located at a distance 50-100 meters below the surface of the earth, have a positive temperature equal to 10-12 °C. Such values ​​are maintained regardless of time, which makes it possible to use heating throughout the year.

Advantages geothermal heating systems:

• Economical. Sources are renewable resources, which allows you to avoid financial investments in the purchase of fuel, as in the case of using traditional systems. There will be no additional costs associated with transportation and storage of fuel.
• Safety. It is unlikely that any emergencies, explosions or fires will occur.
• Environmental friendliness. Since the combustion process is not used in a geothermal system, its inherent emissions into the atmosphere are eliminated.
• Autonomy. In the presence of automatic control, does not require frequent intervention or constant external control.

Flaws:

• Considerable initial money spendings.
• Labor-intensive installation.
• Necessity source electrical energy.

How does a geothermal heating system work?

Heat for heating a home or supplying hot water is obtained using the method transformation it from the energy of the environment using a special unit.

The main element of a geothermal installation is Heat pump, which is connected to the internal and external heating circuit.

Structure internal contour similarly traditional version heating (gas, water). This: pipes and radiators.

External contour, the size of which is much larger than the internal one, placing underground, is invisible during its operation. Coolant circulates inside it. This is: or about plain water, or antifreeze, as a rule, based on ethylene glycol. And, the second option is much preferable.

The temperature of the coolant is equalized with the temperature of the medium when it is in the external circuit, and then it is sent to the heat pump. Having passed through it, the heated masses are directed along inner contour.

The presence of a heat pump is the main factor for obtaining thermal energy, which is intended for subsequent use by the consumer (housing heating, hot water supply).

Efficiency This device may surprise some. Consuming electrical energy in volume 1 kW as a result of his work “gives out” a little more - 4-5 kW, which looks very strange.

This happens thanks to how design features device, and the fact that, in addition to electrical energy, it uses the thermal energy of the earth as an additional one (even at low ground temperatures).

The heat pump is capable of operating all year round and be used for 15-25 years.

Note! Some experts claim that taking into account friction or wear, real time actions systems without stopping for repair work is about 10 years.

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DIY installation

Before deciding to take such a step, you need compare capabilities with the volume and complexity of all necessary work for installation geothermal system.

Cost calculation

Calculation of the cost of installing a geothermal system is calculated relative to:

• acquisitions heat pump a certain power;
• prices in total pipeline, in accordance with the pump power;
• production of related earthworks(drilling wells, digging trenches), as well as the cost of laying networks;
• installation and connection heat pump.

Photo 1. Geothermal heat pump model Vitocal 300-W Pro with electric drive for heating, manufacturer - Viessmann.

The calculation also includes the purchase of a heat pump, the price of which varies depending on the power and manufacturer.

Models with capacity in the area 4-5 kW will be assessed at 3-7 thousand. e. Device power 5-10 kW costs 4-8 thousand. e. Behind 10-15 kW— 5-10 thousand. e.

Manifold placement

There is a division according to the method of installing the outer contour ( collector). IN ground it can be placed vertically or horizontally. In the ground reservoir— horizontally. Each of these cases has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Vertical type

When constructing a vertical type installation, there is a need for drilling wells 50-200 meters deep. That is, to a layer with an elevated temperature. One of the shafts, called the debit shaft, serves to collect heat.

The coolant in it rises, thanks to the pump, then it is supplied to the pipes and radiators of the internal circuit.

Returning, after completing the entire cycle, the coolant dumped through another shaft back to the underground layers.

It is believed that the service life of such an installation is about hundreds of years.

When installing a vertical type collector with two shafts the efficiency of its use for heating a private house is reduced, since to ensure the operation of the circular pump it will be necessary significant amount of electricity. This is suitable option for installing a “warm floor” system.

With a more economical cluster method, the number of wells increases, but their depth decreases.

For vertical installation There is also an option that involves strengthening the container (tank) containing antifreeze, at a depth of 100 m. The continuous movement of this liquid, heated by the ground, is provided by a heat pump.

If you do not consider the option of drilling wells for a vertical structure, which requires skills and equipment, then the work can be done independently.

Horizontal heat exchanger

To install a horizontal type heat exchanger, a little effort will be required, but the heat output in this case will be less. Excavation work will be required to build excavation below the soil freezing mark. The external circuit pipeline is laid in the dug trenches, and subsequently the entire structure is again covered with earth.

The temperature of the soil layer will be much lower, and the length will be longer than when using a vertical type heat exchanger. Square approximately double room to be heated.

The search for alternative energy sources led to the invention of devices that are capable of accumulating heat, which is found in large quantities in the human environment. Sun rays, geyser springs, soil - all this, to one degree or another, can satisfy the need for heating the coolant for the heating system and hot water supply. Although geothermal heating using the heat of the earth is a relatively new direction, the prospects for such a solution are obvious. Thanks to the installation of special equipment, it becomes possible to obtain a cheap, almost endless type of thermal energy.

How to get heat into a house from the ground

The ground does not freeze completely even in winter. This feature is used by installation crews who lay the pipeline below the freezing point. Surprisingly, the temperature of these layers rarely drops below +5 +7°C degrees. Is it possible to take advantage of the earth's ability to accumulate heat, extract it and use it to heat the coolant? Certainly! But to make alternative heating of a private home using earthly heat possible? The following problems will need to be solved:

• Receiving heat - you will need to accumulate thermal energy and direct it to a storage tank.
• Heating the coolant. The heated antifreeze must transfer thermal energy to the liquid that circulates in the heating and hot water system.
• Cooled antifreeze must be returned to the heat exchanger for further heating.

To solve these issues, a geothermal pump using the heat of the earth was developed. A geothermal heat pump allows you to extract an amount of heat that is more than enough to produce a large amount of heat and use it as a main or additional heating equipment, depending on the design and location of the house.

How does geothermal heating work at home, principle of operation

Underground deep heating from the ground is no longer a fantasy. Such installations can be easily purchased in Russia. Moreover, geothermal installations are able to operate both in northern and southern latitudes. But what principle do they use in their work? Even in the last century, it was noted that when certain types of liquids evaporate, they can cool the surface. This is exactly what happens when they wipe the skin with alcohol before an injection or water a paved area heated under the sun. This principle was taken as the basis for the development of refrigeration equipment.

Then the idea arose: why not start the cooling process in reverse side and not get hot air instead of cold. Most modern air conditioners are able to not only cool the air in the room, but also work to heat it. But the disadvantage of such devices is that they are limited by the ambient temperature. So, after the mark reaches -5 degrees, they stop working. Geothermal pumps for heating private houses from the ground are completely devoid of this disadvantage, although they use a principle that is in many ways reminiscent of the operation of an air conditioner to heat a room.

How does geothermal heating work?

As already noted, a geothermal heating system from the bowels of the earth is in many ways similar to the operation of an air conditioner in heating mode. What is happening at this moment?

• In the lower layers of the soil, at the bottom of a river or lake, water collectors are installed through which antifreeze circulates. Collectors absorb heat and release cold.
• The heated antifreeze rises to the top using a pump.
• Heat exchange occurs in the buffer tank. Heated antifreeze transfers thermal energy to the coolant or heats the water.
• The cooled antifreeze flows back to the collectors.

There are installations that are able to heat themselves large premises, others are used exclusively as auxiliary equipment capable of providing 50-75% of the room’s heat needs.

Geothermal equipment for using the heat of the earth

The operating principle of a deep home heating system using earth energy is based on the use of special equipment. It performs the following functions: accumulates heat from the environment and transfers it to the coolant of the heating system. The following nodes are used for this:

• The evaporator is located deep underground. The function of the evaporator is to absorb thermal energy found in the surrounding soil.
• Condenser - brings antifreeze to the required temperature.
• Heat pump - circulates antifreeze in the system. Monitors the operation of the entire installation.
• Buffer tank - collects heated antifreeze in one place to transfer energy to the coolant. It consists of an internal tank containing water from the heating system and an internal coil through which heated antifreeze moves.

Although natural low-temperature geothermal heating of a house with the heat of the earth provides enough thermal energy, the most practical heating option for this solution is to connect it to a “warm floor” system.

Installation and installation of geothermal heating

The main difficulty regarding the installation of geothermal equipment is associated with the installation of the heat exchanger circuit in the soil-ground. Although you can find it on the Internet a large number of advice on how to do this work yourself, practice shows that most of the advice cannot be applied without special specialized education, therefore, all work must be performed by professional installers who are representatives of the manufacturer. After contacting specialists, geothermal heating systems for private houses using the heat of the earth are installed in the following several stages:

1. An engineer will visit your home. During the first visit, soil samples are taken, the features of the area are determined, and a decision is made on the most effective installation of the geothermal system. The efficiency of the installation can also be affected by the source of the intended heat. It is considered more productive to install heat exchangers at the bottom of a reservoir or at the sources of thermal sources.
2. Conclusion of a contract and acquisition necessary equipment. Prices may vary significantly depending on the complexity of the installation work and other nuances. But on average, if a high-quality German manufacturer is chosen, the cost of installation will be approximately equal to its price. Turnkey purchase of Vaillant installation for a house of 350 sq. m. will cost approximately 21 thousand $
3. Installation work. Heating a private house with underground geothermal heat sources, or rather, its efficiency largely depends on correct implementation works at the installation stage. After the water heat exchangers are installed in the ground, a connection is made to the geothermal installation and home heating system.
4. Commissioning works. The engineer starts the system and makes fine adjustments to the device. After setup, the Work Completion Certificate is signed.

According to current legislation, the company installing the equipment may provide additional warranties subject to payment for these services. Such guarantees will cost an additional $1000.

Is geothermal heating effective in the North?

To create the minimum conditions necessary for the operation of a geothermal installation, it is sufficient to comply with the following conditions:

• The temperature of the soil layer in which the heat exchangers are located should not fall below +5.+7°C degrees.
• Throughout the entire system through which antifreeze flows, conditions have been created to prevent it from freezing.
• Geothermal heating of a country house was carried out after all the necessary calculations and design documentation.

If we take into account all the described requirements, it becomes clear that such installations can be effective if the above conditions are met. Nevertheless, for the northern regions it is more advisable to use such installations for heating small areas up to 150-200 sq. m.

Geyser heating of a private house

The performance of a geothermal pump largely depends on the temperature of the soil or water in which the heat exchanger is located. In this regard, the residents of Kamchatka are in a more advantageous position. On the peninsular Kamchatka there are a huge number of thermal springs - geysers that do not cool down even in the winter season. Before installation of equipment, geological exploration must be carried out. If warm spring located on the territory of the house, it makes sense to place the heat exchangers at the bottom of this reservoir. In this case, geothermal energy will pay for itself much faster.

How to heat a house using a geothermal pump

The technology of heating a house with underground heat is most in demand in the West. This is primarily due to the mentality of the residents Western countries. They are used to making long-term investments that pay off completely only after a few years. And there are few people who are able to pay about $20 thousand at a time for the installation of equipment. But the number of people who want to become independent from other heating sources is constantly growing. Alternative methods Geothermal heating of homes is becoming more popular, especially when you consider the ever-increasing cost of gas.

Thermal energy literally lies under your feet. It's just a matter of bending down and “picking up” it. A geothermal installation can help with this. Installation of the pump allows, depending on the area, either to completely compensate for the needs for thermal energy, or to satisfy them partially, significantly reducing the load on the main heating source and DHW system private home.

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Is heating a house effective using the heat and energy of the earth: analysis and tips for arrangement

Geothermal heating is one of the most promising of all alternative energy sources. Unlike solar systems, it practically does not depend on the time of year. But is it profitable to heat a house using the heat and energy of the earth?

Geothermal home heating

Geothermal heating scheme

First you need to understand the principles of obtaining thermal energy. They are based on an increase in temperature when going deeper into the earth. At first glance, the increase in the degree of heating is insignificant. But thanks to the advent of new technologies, heating a house using the heat of the earth has become a reality.

The main condition for organizing geothermal heating is a temperature of at least 6°C. This is typical for medium and deep layers of soil and reservoirs. The latter are highly dependent on the external temperature, so they are extremely rarely used. How can you practically organize heating a house with earth's energy?

To do this, you need to make 3 circuits filled with liquids with different technical characteristics:

• Outer. More often, antifreeze circulates in it. Its heating to a temperature of at least 6°C occurs due to the energy of the earth;
• Heat pump. Without it, heating using earth's energy is impossible. The coolant from the external circuit transfers its energy to the refrigerant using a heat exchanger. Its evaporation temperature is less than 6°C. After this, it enters the compressor, where after compression the temperature rises to 70°C;
• Inner circuit. A similar scheme is used to transfer heat from the compressed refrigerant to water in the cooling system. In this way, heating occurs from the depths of the earth with minimal costs.

Despite the obvious advantages, such systems are rare. This is due to the high costs of purchasing equipment and organizing an external heat intake circuit.

It is best to entrust the calculation of heating from the heat of the earth to professionals. The efficiency of the entire system will depend on the correctness of the calculations.

Heat pump design

The “heart” of geothermal heating is the heat pump. It consists of several components, the operation of which directly affects the efficiency of the entire system. Therefore, before planning to heat a private house from the ground, you need to find out the main characteristics of this unit.

Since this device belongs to the category complex equipment– It is recommended to purchase only factory models. The heat pump design includes the following components:

• Evaporator. In this block, energy is transferred from the external circuit;
• Compressor. Required to create high pressure in a refrigerant environment;
• Capillary. It serves to reduce the internal pressure in the refrigerant circuit;
• Control system. With its help, the heating of a private house from the ground is regulated - operating temperature, flow rate of coolants, etc.

The main problem with self-production The purpose of a heat pump is to reduce heat losses and normalize the operation of the internal circuit with refrigerant. Setting up factory models occurs at the manufacturing stage, and the design provides for the possibility of adjusting its parameters.

How to correctly calculate the parameters of the pump so that the heat of the earth for heating the house ensures a normal temperature? To do this you need to find out thermal power pump For an approximate calculation, you can use the following formula:

Where t1-t2 is the temperature difference between the inlet and return pipes, °C, V is the estimated volume of coolant flow, m³/h, Q is the rated power of the heat pump, W.

This technique is not applicable for complex systems, since they contain many additional factors. In particular - heat losses on the highway. This is especially true for those areas where it comes out as close to the ground surface as possible. To minimize heat losses, insulation of heating pipes in the ground should be done.

Since the operation of the heat pump depends on electricity, it is recommended to install a emergency power.

Geothermal heating options

Methods for arranging the external contour

In order for the earth's energy to be used for heating the house to the maximum, you need to choose the right external circuit diagram. In fact, the source of thermal energy can be any medium - underground, water or air. But it is important to take into account seasonal changes in weather conditions, as discussed above.

Currently, there are two common types of systems that are effectively used to heat a house using the heat of the earth - horizontal and vertical. The key selection factor is area land plot. The layout of the pipes for heating the house with earth's energy depends on this.

In addition, the following factors are taken into account:

• Soil composition. In rocky and loamy areas it is difficult to make vertical trunks for laying highways;
• Soil freezing level. It will determine the optimal depth for the pipes;
• Location of groundwater. The higher they are, the better for geothermal heating. In this case, the temperature will increase with depth, which is the optimal condition for heating using earth energy.

You also need to know about the possibility of reverse energy transfer in the summer. Then heating a private house from the ground will not function, and excess heat will transfer from the house to the soil. All refrigeration systems operate on the same principle. But for this you need to install optional equipment.

You cannot plan to install an external circuit away from the house. This will increase heat losses in heating from the bowels of the earth.

Horizontal geothermal heating diagram

Horizontal arrangement of outer pipes

The most common method of installing external highways. It is convenient due to its ease of installation and the ability to relatively quickly replace faulty sections of the pipeline.

For installation according to this scheme, use collector system. To do this, several contours are made, located at a minimum distance of 0.3 m from each other. They are connected using a manifold, which supplies coolant further to the heat pump. This will ensure maximum energy supply for heating from the heat of the earth.

But you need to take into account a number of important nuances:

• Large plot area. For a house of about 150 m² it should be at least 300 m²;
• Pipes must be installed to a depth below the soil freezing level;
• With possible soil movement during spring floods, the likelihood of highways shifting increases.

The defining advantage of heating from the heat of the earth horizontal type is the possibility of independent arrangement. In most cases, this does not require the use of special equipment.

For maximum heat transfer, you need to use pipes with a high thermal conductivity - thin-walled polymer. But at the same time, you should consider ways to insulate heating pipes in the ground.

Vertical geothermal heating scheme

Vertical geothermal system

This is a more labor-intensive way to organize heating of a private house from the ground. The pipelines are located vertically in special wells. It is important to know that such a scheme is much more effective than a vertical one.

Its main advantage is to increase the degree of water heating in the external circuit. Those. The deeper the pipes are located, the greater the amount of heat from the earth for heating the house will enter the system. Another factor is the small area of ​​the land. In some cases, the installation of an external geothermal heating circuit is carried out even before the construction of a house in the immediate vicinity of the foundation.

What difficulties can you encounter when obtaining earth energy to heat a house using this scheme?

• Quantitative to qualitative. For a vertical arrangement, the length of the highways is much higher. It is compensated by higher soil temperatures. To do this, you need to make wells up to 50 m deep, which is labor-intensive work;
• Soil composition. For rocky soil, it is necessary to use special drilling machines. To prevent the well from collapsing, a protective shell made of reinforced concrete or thick-walled plastic is installed in the loam;
• If problems occur or loss of tightness occurs, the repair process becomes more complicated. In this case, long-term disruptions in the operation of the heating of the house due to the thermal energy of the earth are possible.

But despite the high initial costs and labor-intensive installation, the vertical arrangement of the highways is optimal. Experts advise using exactly this installation scheme.

For coolant circulation in the external circuit in vertical system powerful circulation pumps are needed.

Organization of geothermal heating

Installation of a horizontal geothermal heating circuit

Consumers still have main question– Is it possible to use earth energy as the main source of heating for a country house? This is possible, but only if professional approach at all stages - from calculation to installation and testing of the system.

First of all, you need to choose the right heat pump. Considering their high cost, you should first perform all preliminary calculations of its characteristics. Only in this case will heating using the thermal energy of the earth have maximum efficiency. Among the reliable manufacturers are Buderus, Vaillant and Veissman. average cost a heat pump for heating from the depths of the earth is about 360 thousand rubles with a rated power of 6 kW. More productive models can cost over 1 million rubles.

In addition to the cost, you need to pay attention to the material used to make the pipes. To minimize heat losses in heating from the thermal energy of the earth, it is recommended to use the following:

• Cross-linked polyethylene. It is characterized by low cost - optimal for horizontal schemes;
• Steel stainless pipe. It is used in heating using the thermal energy of the earth with a vertical arrangement of the external circuit. It compares favorably with cross-linked polyethylene due to its high thermal conductivity and mechanical strength. The disadvantage is the high cost.

Taking into account all these factors, in most cases geothermal heating from earth energy is installed as an additional option. Over time, the cost of components and the efficiency of heat pumps will increase - and only then will it be possible to consider such systems as the main ones.

An example of installing geothermal heating in a private house can be found by watching the video:

www.strojdvor.ru

Underground geothermal home heating

To provide a private home with heat, units that run on electricity, solid, gas or liquid fuel are traditionally used. In recent decades, solar collectors and the heat of the earth's interior have been used as an alternative source of thermal energy. Heating a home using heat from the earth is called geothermal home heating.

Geothermal home heating using earth energy

Heating from the ground is in growing demand as the cost of conventional energy sources is steadily increasing, while fossil fuel reserves are decreasing. Investing in earth heating for a country cottage is quite profitable, taking into account economic prospects and significant cost savings on autonomous heat supply during the heating season.

Methods for obtaining natural thermal energy

Geothermal heat pumps vary in the way they extract heat:

1. Installations that use the heat of deep groundwater, hot geysers, etc.
2. Systems that include a tank with antifreeze installed in the ground at a depth of 75 meters. Heating from the depths of the earth is provided by the natural heating of a container with antifreeze; As a result, the refrigerant, passing through the heat exchanger, gives off the resulting heat and returns to the container.
3. The geothermal circuit is laid along the bottom of a reservoir, which is a natural heat accumulator. In this case, you need to take into account that the reservoir can completely freeze in winter.

Types of geothermal heat pumps

Heating a house with earth's energy requires large-scale installation of the system, but it is an environmentally friendly way to obtain practically free thermal energy. To heat a house, there will be a small cost for the electricity required for the system to function.

Operating principles of geothermal heating

Heating using earth energy has been successfully used in various climatic zones: the systems are capable of operating in both southern and northern regions.

During its operation, a geothermal installation uses such physical property some liquids have the ability to evaporate, which leads to cooling of the surface. This phenomenon underlies the operation of refrigeration equipment.

The operating principle of geothermal heating is a cooling process running in reverse. This is how air conditioners work, capable of not only cooling, but also heating the air in the room.

Working principle of a heat pump

However, air conditioning units have limited performance - they cannot function at temperatures below -5°C. A geothermal system can provide heating to a home regardless of the surface air temperature. This is due to the fact that in the environment from which it takes thermal energy, stable temperature conditions are naturally maintained.

Construction of a geothermal heating system

Geothermy (the science of the thermal state of the Earth) made possible the practical use of thermal energy, which Earth's crust receives from the hot magma in the center of the planet.

A specially designed heat pump for heating a house is installed on the surface, and a heat exchanger is mounted in the ground or at the bottom of a reservoir. Thermal energy is “pumped out” to the surface and makes it possible to heat the coolant in the heating circuit of a house or non-residential facility.

How does the heating process occur?

Geothermal heating of a private home is a cost-effective option. If you use the earth's energy to heat a house, then for every kilowatt of electricity required to operate the equipment, there is from 4 to 6 kW of useful thermal energy obtained from the bowels of the planet.

In comparison with the operation of an air conditioner, we will see that when operating it, more than 1 kW of electricity is required to produce 1 kW of thermal energy. This is due to the inevitable losses in converting one energy into another, etc.

Heating a residential building using the thermal energy of the earth’s interior is very profitable, but the payback period for the equipment and installation costs will take some time.

Using the heat of the earth to heat a house does not require installing a traditional boiler to heat the coolant.

In this case, the system consists of three components:

• heating circuit - geothermal source of thermal energy;
• heating circuit inside the house - low-temperature radiator or floor-mounted;
• pumping station - a heat pump for pumping thermal energy into the heating circuit from the heating circuit in the soil or under water.

Geothermal heating systems can also be used to heat greenhouses, auxiliary buildings, swimming pool water, garden paths etc.

Equipment for arranging geothermal heating

Geothermal equipment for a deep heating system allows you to accumulate thermal energy extracted from the environment and transfer it to the coolant in the heating circuit.

The list of equipment for heating using earth heat includes:

• Evaporator. The device is located at depth, and it serves to absorb thermal energy located in geothermal waters or soil.
• Capacitor. Allows you to bring the antifreeze temperature to the value necessary for the functioning of the system.
• Heat pump. Provides circulation of antifreeze in the heating circuit and controls the operation of the geothermal installation.
• Buffer tank - a container for collecting heated antifreeze. Allows you to transfer the thermal energy of the earth's interior to the coolant. The tank through which the coolant passes is equipped with a heat exchanger in the form of a coil. Heated antifreeze moves along it, giving off heat.

Heat pump design diagram

System installation

Geothermal heating of a country house at the stage of arrangement requires substantial financial investments. The high final cost of the system is largely due to the large volume of earthworks associated with the installation of the heating circuit.

Over time, the financial costs pay off, since used during the heating season thermal energy extracted from the depths of the earth with minimal energy consumption.

Installation of a horizontal heat exchanger for a geothermal heating system

To ensure heating of the house with the heat of the earth, it is necessary to install the following system:

• the main part should be located underground or at the bottom of a reservoir;
• in the house itself, only fairly compact equipment is installed and a radiator or underfloor heating. Equipment located inside the house allows you to regulate the heating level of the coolant.

What does geothermal equipment look like in a home?

When designing heating using ground heat, it is necessary to decide on the installation option of the working circuit and the type of collector.

There are two types of collectors:

1. Vertical - sinks into the ground several tens of meters. To do this, you need to drill a number of wells at a short distance from the house. The circuit is immersed into the wells (the most reliable option- pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene).

Disadvantages: Large financial costs for drilling several wells in the ground with a depth of 50 meters.

Advantages: The underground location of the pipes at a depth where the soil temperature is stable ensures high efficiency of the system. Besides, vertical collector occupies a small area of ​​land.

2. Horizontal. The use of such a collector is allowed in regions with warm and temperate climates, since the depth of soil freezing should not exceed 1.5 meters.

Disadvantages: Necessity of use large area plot (main disadvantage). After laying the circuit, this piece of land cannot be used for a garden or vegetable garden, since the system works by releasing cold when transporting the refrigerant, which will cause the plant roots to freeze.

Advantages: Cheaper earthworks, which you can even do yourself.

Horizontal and vertical collector type

Geothermal energy can be extracted by laying a horizontal geothermal circuit at the bottom of a frost-free reservoir. However, this is difficult to implement in practice: the reservoir may be located outside private territory and then the installation of the heat exchanger will need to be coordinated. The distance from the heated object to the reservoir should be no more than 100 meters.

Important! The temperature of the environment surrounding the collector should not fall below +5°C. In contact with freezing ground top part The collector must be protected with thermal insulation to avoid loss of thermal energy.

Advantages and disadvantages

Heating with earth energy has a number of advantages:

• Efficiency. Compared to the cost of electricity to operate a heat pump, the system allows you to obtain several times more thermal energy.
• Environmental friendliness. This type of heating is completely environmentally friendly, there are no emissions into the atmosphere.
• Safety. No need to use any fuel, chemicals etc., there is no threat of explosion or fire of the equipment.
• Minimal need for technical support. A properly installed system can operate without any intervention for at least 30 years.
• Economical. During operation there are no repair costs, which allows you to pay for the installation of heating within 5-8 years.
• There is no need to monitor the operation of the system.
• Low noise level during equipment operation.
• Inexhaustible source of thermal energy; no need to purchase and store energy.

Environmentally friendly use of thermal energy from the subsoil

The disadvantages include:

• initially high equipment costs;
• the need to carry out complex drilling work at the site for the installation of a vertical circuit or spoil the landscape by preparing trenches for a horizontal heat exchanger.

IN temperate climate geothermal installations have proven their effectiveness. In the northern regions, this type of heating is suitable for small houses (up to 200 m2).

Having figured out how the system works and what parts it is made of, you can determine the possibility of installing it on your own site. Mostly, heating from the ground is installed at the stage of building a house - in this case it is easier to carry out excavation, since the planning of the site and the creation of landscape design are still ahead.

Video on the topic:

profiteplo.com

How to make heating from the ground in a private house

Most of us understand that using coal, gas and wood as fuel does not leave its mark on the environment. However, the introduction of alternative energy sources is hampered by their high cost and efficiency, which are still inferior to traditional ones. But in Lately Manufacturers are increasingly paying attention to such products, so we hope that soon they will be easier to install and not so expensive.

Today we’ll look at geothermal heating, which you can install for a private home with your own hands. You will learn about the principle of its operation, types, features and self-installation.

How is a country house heated by the earth's heat?

It is worth saying that in European countries and the USA, ground heating is gradually becoming the main source of heating at home, but in our country such systems are still only an alternative to more traditional ones.

Appearance and distribution

Earth energy for heating began to spread in the United States towards the end of the 80s of the last century in cities that were heavily experiencing the crisis. Wealthy people immediately became interested in the system, for whom it gave the opportunity to save on heating their homes. Then it began to become cheaper, and the poorer class of the population began to use it.

After some time, the warmth of the earth for heating became the prerogative of most owners of private houses. In Europe, every year the number of households using ground heat to heat their homes is only increasing.

This trend in the spread of geothermal heating is quite understandable. Using earth's heat for heating allows for significant savings family budget, it is safe and economical.

Functioning of geothermal heating

Its operating principle can be compared to a conventional refrigerator, only in reverse. The earth retains heat constantly, so it can heat objects located on its surface.

The idea behind this method is that the planet is heated from the inside by hot magma, and the soil on top prevents it from freezing. The resulting thermal energy is used by a geothermal heating system based on a special heat pump.

You can get heating from the heat of the earth thanks to a heat pump

The following process occurs:

1. The heat pump is installed on the surface.
2. A hole is drilled in the ground into which the heat exchanger is lowered.
3. The groundwater passing through the pump is heated and then used for domestic and industrial purposes.

Using a heat pump, it is possible to convert 1 kW of electricity into 4-6 kW of heat energy

The main advantage of the system is the ratio of electrical energy and received power - 1 to 4-6 kW. For example, when using a conventional air conditioner, the result is 1 to 1. Therefore, the installation will be able to pay for itself in a short time.

Peculiarities

Self-heating a house from the ground has certain difficulties, which we will discuss below:

1. They begin with the manufacture of a mine shaft. Its calculation is carried out separately for each specific case, taking into account:

• climate in the area;
• soil type;
• characteristics of the structure of the earth's crust in this region;
• heating area.

In the photo - the basis of geothermal heating of a house is deep well and heat pump

Typically the depth varies between 25-100 m.

1. At the next stage, pipes are lowered into the shaft, which should absorb heat from the depths and supply it to the pump, which increases the temperature of the coolant in the heating system.

Advice: it is better to carry out the work with an assistant, since the pipes are often quite heavy.

In summer, heating using earth energy can be used as an air conditioner. Why is the reverse mechanism activated? During operation, the heat exchanger will begin to take cooling energy.

Kinds

For environmentally friendly and efficient operation of the system, there are three main options:

Groundwater	In this case, the thermal energy of groundwater located on the great depth. She's got enough high temperature, so the heating heat pump lifts it and heats it up. After this, the water releases the bulk of the available energy through the heat exchanger.
Antifreeze	Method requires additional expenses. A tank with antifreeze is lowered to a depth of 75 m and below, the price of which is quite high. When it heats up, it is lifted to the heat exchanger by a heat pump. After the heat is released, the antifreeze enters the container again.
Water	This method does not require equipment for a soil mine. This kind of heating of a house from the ground is suitable if there is access to a body of water. Horizontal probes are placed from the heat exchanger along the bottom of the reservoir, which help convert the heat of the water.

Types of geothermal heating

Now let’s find out what advantages such systems have, and whether they can satisfy our needs:

1. The thermal energy released is several times greater than the electricity consumption for operating the pump.
2. There are no harmful emissions, so heating a country house from the ground is an environmentally friendly way.
3. The system requires only electricity to operate. No chemicals or fuel required.
4. There is no danger of explosion or fire during operation.
5. Correct installation heating system guarantees operation without technical support for approximately 30 years.

How to use the earth's heat to heat your home yourself

Self-installation of geothermal heating

It must be said right away that heating a house with earth’s energy will require a large investment of funds at once. The lion's share of which will go to the construction of the mine shaft.

Tip: The most expensive part in a heat pump is the compressor. If you don't want problems, don't buy it from a Chinese factory. It is better to use Danfoss or Copeland (preferably not from China).

We also recommend using a heated floor system instead of heating radiators. This way you can reduce the payback on equipment significantly. The annual increase in tariffs for traditional energy resources should also be taken into account, at the same time, a geothermal heating system for the house will allow you to avoid price jumps.

There will be nothing inside the house to remind you that you are using earth heating. The main part of the scheme - the well and the heat exchanger - will be hidden underground. You just need to select small place for a device, for example, in a basement, that generates heat.

Heat pump design

The device allows you to adjust the temperature and supply heat energy. The instructions for installing a heating system in a house are no different from traditional way, so there are no special features in it.

Conclusion

The use of heat pumps allows you to get rid of traditional fuels that become more expensive every year, although the initial costs will be quite large. It is quite possible to install geothermal heating yourself, only when installing pipes into a mine shaft it is advisable to have an assistant.

The payback of the project depends on the insulation of the housing, as well as the heating method - radiator or heated floors. The video in the article will give you the opportunity to find Additional information on the above topic.

Page 2

One of the main trends modern world is that the price of traditional types of energy used to heat a home is constantly increasing. Therefore, an increasing number of people are thinking about completely or partially converting their homes to alternative views heating systems that do not use fuel in the traditional sense of the word.

Particular attention is paid to inexhaustible natural resources, which include, for example, sunlight.

Alternative energy sources are the future of heating systems

Ways to obtain free thermal energy

Strange as it may sound, there is not just one, but several in various ways heating own home without the use of gas or solid fuel.

These include:

1. Earth energy. The soil below the freezing level, even in winter, has a constant temperature, which can be used correctly to heat the premises of the house.
2. Energy of water. The principle of use is the same as for the earth. If there is an open body of water near the house that does not freeze to the bottom in winter, this energy can also be converted into heat used for heating.
3. Air energy. The air outside serves as a source of heat. By cooling it using special equipment, the resulting energy can be used to increase the temperature in the house.

Thermal energy from the earth can be used to heat a home

All of the technologies listed above have been known to engineers for quite a long time, but they have significant drawback: To extract thermal energy, special devices that operate on electricity must be used. Therefore, you won’t be able to get completely free heat here.

The only option is the sun. Although the equipment needed to transform solar energy into thermal energy is quite expensive, the installation instructions are simple. You can design heating collectors with your own hands, providing yourself with free heat in the future.

Note! Such an installation will work effectively only in the southern regions, where the sun warms the earth well.

For other regions of our country, we can recommend using this design as a complement to traditional heating methods.

Solar energy is the most promising source of heat for heating a home

Using a solar system for heating

General requirements

Before deciding to install a solar heating system, consider the following:

1. It is advisable to install a solar heating system only as part of the main one. IN certain days and months, it increases the capacity of the traditional climate network, reducing fuel costs. Modern equipment does not yet allow the use of solar collectors as the main source of heat.
2. The solar heating system does not reduce the efficiency of the main heating system, as it operates separately.
3. There is equipment capable of accumulating solar energy, storing it in special devices. However, these technologies are in the development stage and are not widely used. Therefore, the house must be equipped with a traditional boiler.
4. In summer, the heating system can be used as a source of hot water for domestic needs. The heating circuit is switched off.

The solar system is not able to cover all the thermal energy needs of the house

Solar collector area

To determine the area of ​​fields that are harvested solar energy and convert it into heat, it is necessary to take as a basis the heat demand of all summer consumers.

These include:

• supply system hot water;
• system to prevent moisture condensation in basements;
• others network engineering, not related to heating.

Then the obtained value must be increased by 2-2.5 times, thereby obtaining the required power of the solar system. Accurate calculations It is advisable to entrust this to specialists, since this parameter is influenced by many other factors.

Advice! For an approximate (very rough) determination of the area of ​​solar collectors, you can take the following ratio: to heat 1 km. meter of a house you need a heliofield with an area of ​​0.1 to 0.2 square meters. meters.

Solar panel tilt angle

When installing a solar system, it is very important to observe the recommended angle of inclination of the collectors relative to the horizon. If you have the opportunity to choose this value, which is not always the case, then solar panels must be placed at an angle of 60 degrees to the horizon, directed to the south.

Note! This parameter is slightly different from that used in hot water systems.

Thus, greater efficiency of the panels is achieved in winter, and excess thermal energy generated in summer is reduced.

In the case where panels that capture solar heat are supposed to be mounted on a roof whose angle does not exceed 30 degrees, it is advisable to give preference to tubular structures (with vacuum tubes) rather than flat ones. Their brackets provide the ability to individually orient and change the angle of inclination above the horizon, which significantly increases efficiency.

The photo shows solar collectors consisting of vacuum tubes

Water storage capacity

To cover the needs of the inhabitants of the house for hot water, it is necessary to include a storage tank in the solar climate system. It allows you to provide residents with water on cloudy days.

The tank capacity is calculated as follows:

• 50 liters each square meter flat solar collectors;
• 90 liters per square meter of tubular storage tanks.

Scheme of operation of a solar heating system

Types of solar heating systems

When designing a solar climate system, you can choose between two main options:

1. Accumulate solar energy in special devices for later use. In this case, part of the system is storage tank, in which water is heated. To ensure the system operates on cloudy days, an additional boiler using traditional energy sources is required. It will heat the water in the tank when there is not enough efficient work solar climate system.

   From the tank, the heated coolant flows through pipelines into heating radiators, which operate in the same way as in classical system heating

2. Directly use the resulting heat into the home heating system. Here the sun heats the water coming from the batteries (return). Thus, the boiler receives coolant with more high temperature, which significantly reduces heating costs - the heater will operate with much less load.

Combined heating system with boiler and solar panels

Some operating features

Let's note the most important points regarding the use of solar systems:

• it can cover no more than a third of the home’s heating needs;
• it is made part of the traditional system with liquid coolant, where radiators are used as heating equipment;
• It is advisable to use a condensing gas boiler, which has the highest efficiency, as the main source of energy;
• The angle of inclination of the collectors must be made equal to 60 degrees, otherwise the efficiency of the solar system is significantly reduced in winter.

The sun's heat can be used in different ways

Conclusion

Although currently existing solar systems cannot replace traditional heating, they significantly reduce the load on the boiler, saving fuel used. And the sun is not the only helper in this. You can learn more about combined heating schemes from the video in this material.

hydroguru.com

• Which pipes are best used for heating an apartment?

Content

To provide a private home with heat, units that run on electricity, solid, gas or liquid fuel are traditionally used. In recent decades, solar collectors and the heat of the earth's interior have been used as an alternative source of thermal energy. Heating a home using heat from the earth is called geothermal home heating.

Geothermal home heating using earth energy

Heating from the ground is in growing demand as the cost of conventional energy sources is steadily increasing, while fossil fuel reserves are decreasing. Investing in earth heating for a country cottage is quite profitable, taking into account economic prospects and significant savings on autonomous heat supply during the heating season.

Methods for obtaining natural thermal energy

Geothermal heat pumps vary in the way they extract heat:

1. Installations that use the heat of deep groundwater, hot geysers, etc.
2. Systems that include a tank with antifreeze installed in the ground at a depth of 75 meters. Heating from the depths of the earth is provided by the natural heating of a container with antifreeze; As a result, the refrigerant, passing through the heat exchanger, gives off the resulting heat and returns to the container.
3. The geothermal circuit is laid along the bottom of a reservoir, which is a natural heat accumulator. In this case, you need to take into account that the reservoir can completely freeze in winter.

Types of geothermal heat pumps

Heating a house with earth's energy requires large-scale installation of the system, but it is an environmentally friendly way to obtain practically free thermal energy. To heat a house, there will be a small cost for the electricity required for the system to function.

Operating principles of geothermal heating

Heating using earth energy has been successfully used in various climatic zones: the systems can operate in both southern and northern regions.

During its operation, a geothermal installation uses the physical property of some liquids, such as the ability to evaporate, which leads to cooling of the surface. This phenomenon underlies the operation of refrigeration equipment.

The operating principle of geothermal heating is a cooling process running in reverse. This is how air conditioners work, capable of not only cooling, but also heating the air in the room.

Working principle of a heat pump

However, air conditioning units have limited performance - they cannot function at temperatures below -5°C. A geothermal system can provide heating to a home regardless of the surface air temperature. This is due to the fact that in the environment from which it takes thermal energy, stable temperature conditions are naturally maintained.

Construction of a geothermal heating system

Geothermy (the science of the thermal state of the Earth) has made possible the practical use of thermal energy that the earth's crust receives from the hot magma in the center of the planet.

A specially designed heat pump for heating a house is installed on the surface, and a heat exchanger is mounted in the ground or at the bottom of a reservoir. Thermal energy is “pumped out” to the surface and makes it possible to heat the coolant in the heating circuit of a house or non-residential facility.

How does the heating process occur?

Geothermal heating of a private home is a cost-effective option. If you use the earth's energy to heat a house, then for every kilowatt of electricity required to operate the equipment, there is from 4 to 6 kW of useful thermal energy obtained from the bowels of the planet.

In comparison with the operation of an air conditioner, we will see that when operating it, more than 1 kW of electricity is required to produce 1 kW of thermal energy. This is due to the inevitable losses in converting one energy into another, etc.

Heating a residential building using the thermal energy of the earth’s interior is very profitable, but the payback period for the equipment and installation costs will take some time.

Using the heat of the earth to heat a house does not require installing a traditional boiler to heat the coolant.

In this case, the system consists of three components:

• heating circuit - geothermal source of thermal energy;
• heating circuit inside the house - low-temperature radiator or floor;
• pumping station - a heat pump for pumping thermal energy into the heating circuit from the heating circuit in the soil or under water.

Geothermal heating systems can also be used to heat greenhouses, outbuildings, swimming pool water, garden paths, etc.

Equipment for arranging geothermal heating

Geothermal equipment for a deep heating system allows you to accumulate thermal energy extracted from the environment and transfer it to the coolant in the heating circuit.

The list of equipment for heating using earth heat includes:

• Evaporator. The device is located at depth, and it serves to absorb thermal energy located in geothermal waters or soil.
• Capacitor. Allows you to bring the antifreeze temperature to the value necessary for the functioning of the system.
• Heat pump. Provides circulation of antifreeze in the heating circuit and controls the operation of the geothermal installation.
• Buffer tank - a container for collecting heated antifreeze. Allows you to transfer the thermal energy of the earth's interior to the coolant. The tank through which the coolant passes is equipped with a heat exchanger in the form of a coil. Heated antifreeze moves along it, giving off heat.

Heat pump design diagram

System installation

Geothermal heating of a country house at the stage of arrangement requires substantial financial investments. The high final cost of the system is largely due to the large volume of earthworks associated with the installation of the heating circuit.

Over time, the financial costs pay off, since the thermal energy used during the heating season is extracted from the depths of the earth with minimal energy consumption.

Installation of a horizontal heat exchanger for a geothermal heating system

To ensure heating of the house with the heat of the earth, it is necessary to install a system:

• the main part should be located underground or at the bottom of a reservoir;
• In the house itself, only fairly compact equipment is installed and a radiator or underfloor heating circuit is laid. Equipment located inside the house allows you to regulate the heating level of the coolant.

What does geothermal equipment look like in a home?

When designing heating using ground heat, it is necessary to decide on the installation option of the working circuit and the type of collector.

There are two types of collectors:

1. Vertical - sinks into the ground several tens of meters. To do this, you need to drill a number of wells at a short distance from the house. The circuit is immersed in the wells (the most reliable option is cross-linked polyethylene pipes).

Disadvantages: Large financial costs for drilling several wells in the ground with a depth of 50 meters.

Advantages: The underground location of the pipes at a depth where the soil temperature is stable ensures high efficiency of the system. In addition, the vertical collector occupies a small area of ​​land.

2. Horizontal. The use of such a collector is allowed in regions with warm and temperate climates, since the depth of soil freezing should not exceed 1.5 meters.

Disadvantages: The need to use a large area of ​​the site (the main disadvantage). After laying the circuit, this piece of land cannot be used for a garden or vegetable garden, since the system works by releasing cold when transporting the refrigerant, which will cause the plant roots to freeze.

Advantages: Cheaper earthworks, which you can even do yourself.

Horizontal and vertical collector type

Geothermal energy can be extracted by laying a horizontal geothermal circuit at the bottom of a frost-free reservoir. However, this is difficult to implement in practice: the reservoir may be located outside of private territory and then the installation of the heat exchanger will need to be approved. The distance from the heated object to the reservoir should be no more than 100 meters.

Important! The temperature of the environment surrounding the collector should not fall below +5°C. The upper part of the collector in contact with the freezing soil must be protected with thermal insulation to avoid loss of thermal energy.

Advantages and disadvantages

Heating with earth energy has a number of advantages:

• Efficiency. Compared to the cost of electricity to operate a heat pump, the system allows you to obtain several times more thermal energy.
• Environmental friendliness. This type of heating is completely environmentally friendly, there are no emissions into the atmosphere.
• Safety. There is no need to use any fuel, chemicals, etc., there is no danger of explosion or fire of the equipment.
• Minimal need for technical support. A properly installed system can operate without any intervention for at least 30 years.
• Economical. During operation there are no repair costs, which allows you to pay for the installation of heating within 5-8 years.
• There is no need to monitor the operation of the system.
• Low noise level during equipment operation.
• Inexhaustible source of thermal energy; no need to purchase and store energy.

Environmentally friendly use of thermal energy from the subsoil

The disadvantages include:

• initially high equipment costs;
• the need to carry out complex drilling work at the site for the installation of a vertical circuit or spoil the landscape by preparing trenches for a horizontal heat exchanger.

In temperate climates, geothermal installations have proven their effectiveness. In the northern regions, this type of heating is suitable for small houses (up to 200 m2).

Having figured out how the system works and what parts it is made of, you can determine the possibility of installing it on your own site. Mostly, heating from the ground is installed at the stage of building a house - in this case, it is easier to carry out excavation work, since the planning of the site and the creation of landscape design are still ahead.