Modular Shallow Ground Source Heat Exchanger for Compact Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ground source heat pump systems require large areas and deep excavations for installation, making them impractical and costly for residential and small-scale applications, as they typically use extensive horizontal or vertical loops that are difficult for DIY installation and are not suitable for locations with limited space or resources.
Innovation Solution
A compact, modular ground source heat exchanger system featuring horizontally oriented water/fluid loops with thermally conductive pipes, allowing for flexible installation near building foundations and utilizing shallow depths to maximize thermal efficiency and minimize land use, with the option to combine components in series or parallel configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional horizontal or vertical loops are used for ground source heat pump installation, then heat exchange capacity is achieved, but installation area and excavation depth requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple modular units that can be independently installed and connected. Each module contains integrated pipes and thermal conductive material, allowing the system to be segmented into manageable sections that reduce overall space requirements while maintaining heat exchange capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The design nests multiple pipes within a confined modular structure, with thermal conductive material filling the spaces between pipes. This nested arrangement maximizes heat exchange surface area within a compact footprint, significantly reducing the installation area compared to conventional loop systems.
2Reliability
If extensive pipe lengths are used to achieve required heat exchange, then thermal efficiency is maintained, but installation complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple pipes and thermal conductive materials are merged into integrated modular units. The pipes are positioned in close proximity within each module, allowing shorter overall pipe lengths to achieve the same heat exchange effectiveness that would require extensive pipe runs in conventional systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchange occurs in three-dimensional space within the modular units, with pipes arranged vertically and horizontally in compact configurations. This multi-dimensional heat exchange approach replaces the linear extensive pipe layouts of conventional systems, reducing installation complexity while maintaining thermal efficiency.
3Reliability
If deep excavations are performed for vertical loop installation, then adequate heat exchange depth is achieved, but installation cost and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal conductive material is pre-positioned within the modular units before installation. This preliminary arrangement of heat exchange materials eliminates the need for deep excavations and complex on-site assembly, allowing installation in shallow trenches or even at ground level while maintaining adequate heat exchange depth.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves high energy efficiency with a potential coefficient of performance (COP) of 3 to 5 and energy efficiency ratio (EER) of 18, is low maintenance, and can be used for both heating and cooling, as well as domestic hot water production, while reducing installation costs and space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
horizontally oriented water/fluid loops with thermally conductive pipes, allowing for flexible installation near building foundations and utilizing shallow depths to maximize thermal efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A heat pump, heat pump exchanger component, and method of using a heat exchanger, the heat pump exchanger has long pipes arranged in at least one layer in fluid communication with one another, and spaced a minimum of about two (2) feet apart. Shorter pipes may be disposed between long pipes, and connectors between adjacent pipes. The long pipes are composed of high thermal conductive materials, such as aluminum, while the short pipes and/or connectors may be composed of flexible lower thermal conductive materials. Heat exchanger is placed a minimum of twenty-four (24) inches beneath the ground surface.