How Geothermal Heating and Well Water Can Work Together for Your Business
Geothermal heating has taken off in recent years as an energy-efficient and environmentally conscious HVAC solution for both businesses and homes. While many business owners are slowly beginning to realize the advantages of this technology, few are aware of all the details. As you learn more about how geothermal solutions work, you may be surprised at the number of benefits they can offer.
In particular, geothermal technology pairs exceptionally well with groundwater pump systems. These two technologies work so well together that it can often be a good idea to switch to well water when you upgrade to geothermal heating. Keep reading if you’re ready to discover how these two environmentally friendly technologies can team up to help your business.
Understanding Geothermal Loops and Heat Transfer
The key to understanding why geothermal heat pairs so well with groundwater wells is the heat transfer loop. Like all forms of geothermal energy, geothermal heating systems work by transferring subsurface heat above ground. Ground-source well systems transfer heat to the surface by pumping warm water up from an aquifer for use in heating or other purposes.
System designers broadly divide geothermal heating into two categories: open- and closed-loop. As the names imply, these designs vary primarily through their treatment of used water. In a closed-loop configuration, the water cycles back through the system. In an open-loop design, the water leaves the system once it has expended its heat.
Although both types of systems have their advantages, well-based open-loop systems offer some particularly attractive benefits for commercial use.
The Advantages of Open-Loop Systems
At first glance, dealing with expended water may seem like a hassle. In cases where there is no need to use the system’s pumped water or discharge options are unavailable, then closed systems may be preferable. For many businesses, however, open-loop systems allow water to serve dual roles for both heat transfer and commercial inputs.
A well-based (or ground-source) open-loop system typically uses a single well and pump to bring water to the surface, where it passes through a heat pump to provide warm air to your facility. Once the pump extracts heat from the water, it can then be discharged to the surface or used elsewhere. This latter option can provide an opportunity for further efficiency gains for your business.
Reusing Geothermal Waste Water
Although the water pumped in a geothermal system will typically not be considered potable without additional filtration, it is suitable for a variety of other purposes. If your business currently makes use of municipal water for industrial processes, landscaping, or other purposes, then a ground-source geothermal well might be able to take on some or all of this demand.
Fortunately, setting up an open-loop system to provide water to your business is generally not challenging or excessively costly. Instead of routing used water to a discharge area or return well, your installer can instead direct that water to a holding tank or existing supply infrastructure. Depending on your needs, you may be able to supply most or all of your business’s water in this way.
Note that open-loop geothermal systems can potentially produce more than 20,000 gallons of water per day, so your business should be prepared to deal with both the volume of water and the flow rate of the pump. In cases where the pump produces more water than your facility can use or store, your system’s design must provide a method to discharge the excess.
Bruce MacKay Pump & Well Service can help design and install a geothermal system that’s perfect for your business’s unique needs. Get in touch with us today to begin realizing the energy-saving advantages of a pumped geothermal heating system
