Do-it-yourself geothermal heating of a country house. What is geothermal heating at home, the pros and cons of such a system Do-it-yourself geothermal system

The development of any civilization is associated with meeting the requirements for one’s home. Wherever a person lived in a cave or a modern skyscraper, taking care of warmth and comfort was as important as obtaining food. To warm himself with a small fire, stove or modern heating system, he was forced to use firewood, coal, peat, diesel fuel, burning the priceless gifts of nature.

Technical development has made it possible to build powerful hydroelectric power stations, learn how to use wind energy, and having comprehended the secrets inner layers earth, think about creating an alternative method of using stored heat in the form of geothermal energy systems.

The fundamental operation of a geothermal heating system is based on the laws of physics discovered by scientists. The search for materials capable of changing their properties while releasing a certain amount of heat has made it possible to create not only conventional refrigeration units and air conditioners, but also powerful

It is with their help that we can transfer the heat that always exists in the bowels of the earth to our home, carrying out coordinated control of the three special circuits that make up the heating system. The purpose of the external circuit is to collect thermal energy from the ground or water. The coolant in it is a non-freezing liquid.

This heat is transferred through the heat exchanger to freon, which fills the second circuit of the system. Its physical properties, consisting in a low boiling point, make it possible to obtain energy during the transition to a gaseous state. Moreover, the temperature coming from the external circuit is quite sufficient for this. The third internal circuit of the heating system is required amount radiators, pipes used in the house. It can be separate or common with the hot water supply circuit included in the project.

Functional features of the system

Operating principle and functional features geothermal heating systems for a home consist of the following steps:

1. The solution located in the outer loop acquires additional heating in the ground by about 5 degrees. Its final temperature may be around 3.
2. Having entered the heat exchanger of the pump, the solution transfers even its small energy to freon, for which it is quite enough for evaporation. Having passed into a gaseous state, freon enters the compressor, where it is compressed. The thermodynamic processes occurring in this case lead to a rise in temperature to 100. And the hot gas is supplied to the heat exchanger, where it transfers energy to the coolant of the internal circuit, most often water. Thanks to the scientific work of physicists and engineers, this process has been studied in detail and is embedded in the fundamental principles of the operation of various types of modern equipment.
3. The coolant of the internal circuit reaches a temperature of 50-70 and enters the radiators and pipes. The cooled freon enters the expansion screen, its temperature and pressure drop to their original values ​​and the entire cycle can be repeated again. The solution of the outer contour moves in the same way into the depths of the earth for a new portion of energy.

Designs and types of geothermal heating systems

The first issue that has to be resolved in the process of creating a highly economical geothermal heating system is the choice of the type of external circuit, which is a heat exchanger located underground or in water. In this case, it is necessary to take into account not only your desires for the architectural fantasies of a new house, but also detailed geodetic studies of the area in which this house will be located or has already been built.

Not everywhere there are hot springs, geysers, volcanoes, but we are given the opportunity to use the warmth of Mother Earth almost anywhere on the planet. The main thing is to have a clear understanding of the technical side of the matter and the amount of necessary financial investments in any project to create a geothermal heating system.

The most common types of heat exchangers are:

1. Horizontal heat exchanger. This option can be considered as an effective proposal only if there is a large free area next to the house. It can only be used as a simple green lawn. Moreover, with a house area of, for example, 220 square meters. m. the heat exchanger will be located on an area of ​​600 sq.m. The pipes are laid in special trenches, the depth of which should be below the freezing level of the soil in this area.
2. Vertical heat exchanger. From a space-saving point of view, this option, of course, has certain advantages. A problem may be the creation of special wells, the depth of which reaches 200 m, with a diameter of about 150 mm. Excavation with drilling rigs are not cheap in any region. But the soil at such a depth always has a temperature of about 15, which ensures reliable operation systems with a vertical heat exchanger.
3. Heat exchanger at the bottom of the reservoir. The most economical and simplest method for creating the outer loop of a geothermal heating system. Especially if you have your own reliable pond or permission to use a public reservoir. The distance to the reservoir from the house should not exceed 100 m, and its depth should be 3 m.
4. There is an option for an open heating system based on the use of water coming from artesian well. It is passed through a heat pump as a coolant. To reverse the discharge of water, it is necessary to construct a second artesian well. But such a system is not possible in every place. In this case, a very important factor is the return of water in the same amount to the deep layers of the soil to maintain pressure in the layers.

Interestingly, the first attempts to drill wells to harness heat were made in the mid-18th century, but it was not until 1907 that an Icelandic farmer was able to direct hot steam from a nearby source through a cement pipe into his home.

The next step was also taken in Iceland and only in 1903 the first pipeline, 3 km long, appeared in Reykjavik. Currently, geothermal heating systems are very popular in many European countries, the USA, Mexico, Japan, and New Zealand.

Advantages and disadvantages

Geothermal energy, the reserves of which are so large that only 1% hidden in the earth's crust with a total depth of 10 km can provide a volume 500 times greater than all the world's oil and gas reserves.

There are four main types of geothermal energy:

1. This is the heat of the earth from shallow depths, used by heat pumps.
2. The energy of hot steam, water in the earth's crust, currently used to produce electricity.
3. Heat coming from deep layers without the presence of water and magma energy accumulated in volcanic zones.
4. The use of this amazing gift of nature is determined only by the existing level of technology, technological capabilities and economic calculations.

Modern designs of geothermal heating systems have both positive and negative aspects.

The main negative point is the cost. But this only seems at the initial moment. All costs are recouped, according to various data, in 4, 5 years. This is due to the fact that modern heat pump models use much less energy to operate than any other heating system. When consuming 1 kW of electricity, their output is 5 kW.

Positive points:

1. They do not burn fuel and do not produce harmful emissions of various compounds into the environment.
2. Minimal maintenance costs with high value Efficiency
3. Environmental Safety.
4. Reliable properties fire safety systems.

Efficiency and payback

Geothermal energy cannot be called a free gift from nature. The creation of heating systems based on it can cost over a million rubles without taking into account the cost heat pump. It all depends on the required heating volumes, its functional purpose and type. Typically, the economic feasibility of geothermal heating systems is calculated by comparing the costs of its maintenance.

The cost of any type of energy used is not constant and will never decrease. In this regard, their alternative replacement by using the heat of the internal layers is, of course, economically profitable and expedient, since heat pumps do not consume a lot of energy, and to extract and process thermal reserves there is no need to build expensive factories and power plants.

Moreover, each generation of scientists finds new solutions for creating equipment and technologies in this direction. In addition, it is more correct to estimate the cost of heating systems equally for all types of fuel from zero without using existing centralized systems supply, for example, gas. And then the payback of the system in 5 years will become a real value.

The use of geothermal heating systems is reminiscent of the question, why not drive a Zaporozhets car nowadays. Of course, you can, especially off-road and into the forest to pick mushrooms. But you want it faster and more comfortably. So it is in this case. The mere thought that your own heating system does not disturb the environment and does not interfere with the lives of even the smallest and most unknown creatures in nature will confirm the correctness of choosing a geothermal system.

Installation and Installation

It is better to install such a heating system not on your own, but by engaging specialists, at least for certain types of work, if you are confident in your own abilities.

The main stages are as follows:

1. Calculation of the internal contour heating system. This includes in detail the total length of the pipeline, the number of radiators, the creation of heated floors, the use of heat to produce hot water in the house.
2. Calculation of the laying depth of external circuit pipes for the selected type of heat exchanger. It is necessary to take into account the geodetic data of the area.
3. Drilling the required shaft and installing pipes. If there is no centralized water supply at the same time, the easiest way is to solve the issue of creating other water wells. The technology for their creation is different and requires special knowledge.
4. Selection and installation of the required heat pump model.
5. Installation automatic devices , monitoring the operation of the entire system and regulating the microclimate in any area of ​​the room.

Pump overview: manufacturers and models

The effective functioning of the entire system is determined by the right choice heat pump. Based on their operating principles, pumps belong to a modern, environmentally friendly type of equipment. During their operation, no harmful substances are released into the environment.

They are divided into:

• compression;
• absorption heat pumps;

The former are powered by electricity, the latter can use the energy of other types of fuel.

Currently, there are quite a lot of this type of equipment on the market. a large number of firms This allows you to purchase a heat pump for any power through a combination various models, which is convenient for creating geothermal heating systems on an industrial scale.

The classic option is the use of heat pumps from Waterkotte Germany. This is equipment with a constant efficiency value of up to 500%, independent of external factors. Having started producing heat pumps since 1970, the company is constantly updating a large range modern models without losing high quality.

The new award-winning EcoTouch pump series confirms this fact. It includes models like DC 5027 with output power from 6 to 26 kW and convenient intuitive touch controls. The best modern pumps include the Nibe F1245 model (Sweden), Korsa, Russia. The table shows the estimated cost of individual pump models.

Heat pump cost

Name	Heating power, maximum value, kW	Heated area, m2	Price, rubles
EcoTouch Ai 1 Geo	from 7.8 to 13.8	200-400	538 800 – 590 700
EcoTouch DS 5027 AI	from 5.9 to 7.3	100-200	337 800 – 379 000
F1126	from 5.56	100-200	from 240,000
F1145 PC	3,85	up to 100	316 300 – 397 200
HOTJET H-16w	from 5.53	200-400	291 560

Review of prices for geothermal heating at home

A full calculation of the creation of a geothermal heating system can only be carried out according to a specific application, taking into account all the requirements. The right thing to do is to choose the nearest company working in this direction and work out all the details under the guidance of specialists. As an example, we can cite the cost of the range of services of the Russian company Geotherm-Comfort.

Cost of installation of geothermal heating:

Heated area of ​​the house (sq. m)	Heat pump power (kW)	Heat pump price (RUB)	The sum of all costs for installing an earthen circuit, including drilling wells and connecting a pump (rub.)	Total:
90-110	10,5	250 000	324 000	574 000
140-150	14	260 000	427 000	687 000
170-190	17,5	280 000	476 000	756 000
200-230	21	315 000	529 000	844 000
330-370	35	470 000	850 000	1 320 000

Development prospects

Modern technologies in industry, used to create new equipment, allow almost every owner to take advantage of the warmth of the deep layers of the earth own home. The importance of the possibility of reducing energy costs for maintaining a home will only increase over time. Therefore, the process of development and implementation of geothermal heating systems cannot be stopped even by expensive projects. Because, ultimately, this is an undoubted gain and also concern for the environmental heritage of subsequent generations of our planet.

Content

To provide a private home with heat, units that run on electricity, solid, gas or liquid fuel are traditionally used. IN last decades Solar collectors and the heat of the earth's interior are 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 using heat groundwater deep burial, 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 in this case it is necessary to take into account that the reservoir can completely freeze in winter time.

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 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 principle of operation of geothermal heating is launched in reverse side cooling process. 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 system heating can also be used to heat greenhouses, auxiliary buildings, pool water, garden paths, etc.

Equipment for arranging geothermal heating

Geothermal equipment for a deep heating system allows you to accumulate extracted environment thermal energy 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 country house at the stage of arrangement it 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 financial expenses pay off because they are used in heating season thermal energy is extracted from the depths of the earth with minimal costs electricity.

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. 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. 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 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 own plot. 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 layout of the site and the creation landscape design still to come.

The problem of arrangement quality system heating a private house each time requires non-standard solutions. Well-known types of heating that generate heat during fuel combustion have long been recognized as economically unprofitable. A new product that is actively starting to become popular is geothermal heating at home with your own hands. Taking into account the rising prices for electricity and gas, most are increasingly looking at this option, although it is quite complicated in design and installation.

Geothermal energy is used, as a rule, on an industrial scale, for example, Far East Some power plants operate on the basis of heat from the earth's interior. For many, the idea of ​​do-it-yourself geothermal heating of a home borders on fantasy novels about future. But this is far from true! Thanks to the development of current technologies, this has become possible.

The ground does not freeze through even in winter. This feature used by installation crews who lay pipelines below freezing point. Surprisingly, the temperature in these layers of the earth rarely drops below +5 +7°C. Is it possible to accumulate heat in the earth, then extract it and use it to heat the coolant? Naturally!

But before implementing alternative heating of a private house using the heat of the earth, it is necessary to deal with the following problems:

1. Receiving heat - it will be necessary to collect heat energy for its subsequent direction to a special storage device.
2. Heating the coolant. The heated antifreeze must transfer heat energy to the liquid circulating in the heating system and the hot water supply.
3. The cooled antifreeze must be discharged back to the heat exchanger for subsequent heating.

To solve these problems, a geothermal pump was developed that uses the heat of the earth. This device makes it possible to extract the necessary amount of thermal energy, which is enough to produce a large amount of heat and use it as the main or additional equipment for heating.

Geothermal home heating uses a similar operating principle to an air conditioner in heating mode. The main element is, the dimensions of which are approximately similar to the dimensions washing machine, this element includes two circuits.

The first circuit (internal) looks like the heating system of a private house that is already familiar to us, in a design that includes ordinary pipes and heating radiators. The second (external) is a heat exchanger that is located underground or in water. Both ordinary water and a special liquid with the addition of antifreeze can circulate through this circuit.

An external circuit in which the coolant (water) circulates, which takes the temperature of the environment, after which it enters the heat pump, which can be configured for both heating and air conditioning. The heat that accumulates in the pump during heating is transferred to the internal circuit, and during cooling - to the external circuit.

Water collectors are installed in the lower layers of the soil, at the bottom of a river or lake, through which antifreeze circulates. Collectors release cold and absorb heat. With the help of a pump, the antifreeze rises to the top. Heat exchange takes place in the buffer tank. Heated antifreeze transfers heat energy to the coolant or heats the water. The cooled antifreeze goes back to the collectors.

There are installations capable of heating themselves large premises, the rest are applied as auxiliary equipment, which can provide from 50% to 75% of the heat demand for the room.

Advantages and disadvantages of underground heating

The discovery of new technologies makes it possible for almost all homeowners to use the energy potential of the earth, opening up the possibility of using a geothermal home heating system in the private sector. Soil can accumulate 98% of the sun's energy, which is dissipated over the surface.

Thanks to this phenomenon, even in winter, quite a lot of heat is retained in the thickness of the earth, which can heat houses; it is only necessary to direct it in the right direction using special equipment.

The positive aspects of this type of heating:

1. There is no fuel combustion process. This system is characterized by absolute fire safety, thanks to which the house is protected from fires that may arise due to a heating system using the fuel combustion method. There is no need to search for a fuel storage location, its procurement or delivery.
2. Sound comfort. The heat pump operates almost silently.
3. Significant economic benefits. There is no need for any additional monetary subsidies during the operation of the system. Annual heating is carried out thanks to natural processes that do not need to be purchased. Naturally, electricity is required to operate a heat pump, but at the same time, the amount of energy produced is much higher than the cost of electricity consumption.
4. Environmental factor. Geothermal heating of a private country home is the most environmentally friendly solution. Due to the fact that the combustion process is excluded, the release of various combustion products into the atmosphere is excluded.
5. Compactness of the system. There is no need to build or allocate a separate room for the boiler room. All that is required is a heat pump, which can be installed, for example, in the basement. The largest contour by volume will be under water or ground, so there will be no need to mask it.
6. Multifunctionality. A similar system can be used for both heating and cooling. In essence, it will play the role of not only a heater, but also an air conditioner.
7. The availability of this resource almost anywhere in the world, in addition to low costs for the operation and maintenance of this system.

A resource such as geothermal energy is virtually free; the main costs come from paying for the electricity that is necessary to operate the heat pump. By spending 1 kW of electricity, you can get 3-5 kW of thermal energy.

It is worth noting that the price of geothermal heating is quite high. This equipment pays for itself in approximately 5-8 years. This puts off many people who are planning to install inexpensive, but quite effective equipment for heating their home, but are not ready to spend quite a lot of money on purchasing the equipment.

Required geothermal equipment

Heating from the ground works by absorbing and releasing its energy, and is based on the use of special equipment. These devices accumulate heat from the environment and transfer it to the coolant of the heating system of a private home. The following heating devices are used for this:

1. Evaporator - placed deep under the ground to accumulate thermal energy that is in the environment.
2. Condenser - brings the antifreeze liquid to the desired temperature.
3. Geothermal pumping station - is responsible for the circulation of coolant in the circuit and controls the functioning of the entire heating installation.
4. Buffer tank - concentrates heated non-freezing liquid in one place for subsequent transfer of the thermal state. Inside there is a tank that contains water from the circuit and a coil within which heated antifreeze circulates.

Now it has become even clearer how geothermal technology works, thanks to which a private house is heated with heat from the earth or water environment.

Note that the performance of the heat pump depends on the temperature of the environment in which the heat exchanger is placed. In this case, the residents of Kamchatka are very lucky, since there are a lot of geysers here.

Before installing thermal heating equipment, it is necessary to conduct geological exploration. If the heat source is located in an area near the house, then it is better to make a pond in this place and place the heat exchanger at its bottom. Then geothermal heating of a private house will pay for itself much earlier.

Basic interchange schemes

There are three schemes for organizing thermal alternative heating, that is, setting up a circuit to accumulate heat energy:

1. The most effective harness is considered vertical system with borehole pump. However, the arrangement of such a circuit requires the use of special equipment and drilling wells with a depth of 50 to 200 meters. Wherein this method justifies the expense, since the life of the well is about 100 years.
2. Less expensive and simpler is horizontal piping, in which the pipes are located under a layer of earth below the freezing level of the soil. The main disadvantage of this option is that the contour occupies a very large perimeter. For example, for a building with an area of ​​180 sq.m. 450 sq.m. will be required. free area on the site so that the nearest tree is two meters from the pipes.
3. Cheapest and convenient way– place the heat exchanger at a sufficient depth of the reservoir so that the soil there does not freeze. The installation of such a system will not require the use of expensive special equipment. This option is the most optimal for creating geothermal heating at home, provided that the reservoir is located no further than 100-120 meters from the building.

The external circuit is assembled from pipes made of polyethylene, based on a ratio of 40-50 W of thermal energy per meter of collector. So, with a pumping equipment power of 10 kW, it will be necessary to equip a well with a depth of about 165-195 meters. To obtain the required estimated length, instead of one well, you can drill 2-3 less deep ones from one point, but in different directions, that is, by the cluster method.

How to do it yourself?

It is quite difficult to make geothermal heating, some semblance of power plants (geoPP), on your own, but it is quite possible. In the row next to the house, you need to build a structure from a closed piping system and place it at a considerable depth. The size of the collector and the design of the coil depend on the degree of thermal conductivity and the depth of the soil. If you undertake the installation of geothermal heating at home with your own hands, then it is better to purchase the external circuit ready-made.

To create minimum operating conditions for a geothermal system, the following conditions must be met:

1. The temperature of the soil layer where the pipe circuit will be located should not fall below +5°C.
2. Throughout the entire piping with antifreeze, insulation must be made to protect the circuit from freezing.
3. Thermal heating of a building is carried out after careful calculations and design.

Given these requirements, it becomes clear that geothermal heating can be effective. However, for the northern regions, the use of such an installation is justified for heating small buildings - up to 200 sq.m.

Let's consider only ways to create horizontal geothermal heating at home with your own hands under ground or water. Mounting the collector vertically is much more difficult and very expensive.

A heat pump will not take up much space, because this equipment is comparable in size to a conventional boiler. Connecting the sediment to the internal contour of the building is also not difficult. The main task is to arrange the external contour.

It is best to install the collector in a reservoir at a distance of no more than 100 meters. It is necessary that the area of ​​the pond be more than 200 sq.m., and the depth should be at least 3-3.5 meters. If you do not have rights to use this reservoir, you will first have to obtain permission to install the necessary equipment.

If the pond is on your property, then it will not be difficult for you to drain it for a while so that you can easily lay and secure the pipes in a spiral at its bottom. Excavation work consists only of digging a trench necessary to connect the external circuit to the geothermal pump. Having completed everything installation work, the reservoir can be filled again.

If your site does not yet have green spaces and many structures, then you can design a horizontal method of placing the heat exchanger underground. To do this, you need to calculate how much area the future collector will occupy, taking into account the parameters indicated above: 250-300 sq.m. contour per 100 sq.m. building area.

If there are trees and temporary buildings on your site, but you really want to install horizontal geothermal heating, then all the buildings and green spaces will have to be cut down and demolished. The process is complex, time-consuming, but necessary.

The technology of heating buildings with underground heat is very common in the West, since residents of Western countries know how to make long-term investments that pay off in 5-10 years. In our country, there are not many people willing to pay about $20,000 for the installation of such a system. However, alternative geothermal heating of a private home is becoming increasingly popular.

A geothermal heat pump is the most economical heating and cooling system for a country home. The pump uses free renewable solar energy accumulated in the bowels of the Earth. With the expenditure of 1 kW of energy, it produces up to 5 kW.

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What is geothermal energy?

Geothermal energy - the result solar radiation. It accumulates in the ground. This low-grade heat can be used to heat residential buildings. The following can be used as a source of such energy:

• natural and technical reservoirs;
• waste heat;
• geothermal probes.

As you can see, geothermal heating of a house uses the natural heat of the planet.

The first systems of this type began to be used in the 70s of the last century. They are now common in Western Europe, USA, Canada. For example, it is warm in Sweden Baltic Sea used for heating apartment buildings. Geothermal energy in our country is considered unconventional. The heat of the globe is considered to be an alternative source.

Composition of systems

A geothermal home heating system consists of a heat pump and a heat exchanger. In addition to them, this also includes a harmless and non-freezing liquid (antifreeze). It circulates through the circuit pipeline and collects the thermal energy accumulated in the ground. In heat pump evaporators, the energy of antifreeze is transferred to the refrigerant. As a result, it cools down by approximately 3 degrees.

Next, the temperature of the refrigerant is increased using a compressor. Thermal energy from this substance is transferred through a condenser to the water circulating in the heating system of the house. It can also be used to heat domestic water in heat storage tanks.

The efficiency of such a system largely depends on the climate of the area. More precisely, it depends on the degree of warming of the earth. If the heat content in it is low, the building will not be able to heat. The soil temperature should not be lower than +5-+7 degrees. The most effective way is to connect to the “Warm Floor” system.

Principle of operation

The operating principle of geothermal heating is to collect heat from water or soil and transfer it to the building's heating system. Due to rising tariffs on traditional energy sources, this type of energy production is becoming popular in the Moscow region. The surface of the earth during its arrangement performs in summer time functions of an air conditioner, in winter - a heating source.

Thermal energy of the earth is collected using a special circuit or heat exchanger to collect heat. It is created from a pipeline and installed underground, in reservoirs or rocks. Installation methods may vary. The most common solution is vertically drilled wells. They are called geothermal. This option is possible even for small plots of land. It is considered more energy efficient compared to the horizontal circuit.

Used in houses with large plot. To install the collector, an excavator digs several trenches 2-2.5 meters deep. HDPE pipes are placed in the trench. The area of ​​such a collector should not be less area Houses.

from 550,000 rub.

Apply to small areas. Two wells, each 90 meters deep, are being drilled near the house. Geothermal probes are lowered into the well. Has high durability and greater efficiency.

from 650,000 rub.

Bottom of the reservoir

If there is a reservoir of sufficient depth and size near your site, you can lower a horizontal collector to its bottom. This is the most energy efficient method of geothermal heating.

from 650,000 rub.

Benefits of Geothermal Heating

A system of this type is in a great way heat supply of buildings. This is an opportunity to save money and energy. The main advantages of geothermal heating include:

Energy efficiency

A geothermal heating system generates 5 units of energy from 1 unit. The efficiency of such a system is 530%. The efficiency indicator of a modern gas boiler is 98%.

Economic efficiency

Due to the large difference in energy efficiency of such a system, on average, investments in it pay off in several years.

Environmental Safety

Geothermal energy sources are recognized as the most environmentally friendly. They minimize the threat of air pollution. Installing one geothermal pump is the environmental equivalent of planting 750 trees.

Fire safety

Since the heat pump does not use natural gas to operate, there is no source of flame or carbon monoxide.

Everywhere Availability

The equipment can be installed anywhere. The main condition is the availability of electricity in the house.

High reliability

The geothermal circuit is located underground at a constant temperature. It is not exposed to thermal loads during fuel combustion. The declared service life of heat pumps is 25-30 years.

Features and installation procedure

The installation of geothermal heating in a private home should be entrusted to specialists. The main difficulties arise when installing the heat exchanger circuit in the ground. The main stages are the following:

Departure of engineers to the site. At the same time, they find out the features of the area and choose the most effective installation method.

Conclusion of a contract and purchase of equipment.

Installation work. Heat exchangers are being installed in the ground. Then the geothermal installation is connected to the heating circuit of the building.

Commissioning works. After their completion, a certificate of delivery is signed.

The efficiency of the installation is influenced by the type of heat source. The most effective option is to install the heat exchanger circuit near a thermal source or at the bottom of a reservoir. The company installing the equipment may provide the client with additional warranty obligations. In accordance with current legislation, this is permitted subject to payment for such services. This will cost the customer an additional fee.

The implementation of a system of this type is only possible with special equipment. It accumulates heat from soil or water and transfers it to the coolant of the building’s heating system. It includes:

• Heat pump;
• compressor;
• buffer tank;
• heat exchanger

The compressor helps bring the antifreeze to the required temperature. The buffer tank accumulates it after heating and transfers its heat to the coolant. The composition includes an internal tank, coolant water and a coil through which antifreeze circulates. This element is also necessary for the reason that the temperature of the antifreeze can vary from -5 to +20 degrees. At the same time, it expands and a container is needed to accommodate the increased volume.

Heat pumps

The main equipment of geothermal heating is a heat pump. It circulates antifreeze in the geothermal system. The heat pump controls the operation of the entire installation.

Spending 1 kW of electricity, it produces from 2.5 to 5 kW of thermal energy.

When heating residential buildings, cottages, municipal baths, industrial facilities pumps of different capacities are used.

In the case of using such systems for cottages, such a device completely solves the problems of hot water supply and heating. Used at industrial facilities modular designs heat pumps. In this case, standard modules with a heating capacity of 100 kW combine up to 25 units together.

Comparison of the cost of geothermal and gas heating

When analyzing the payback of switching from gas to geothermal heating, we compare already established gas costs without capital investments with the cost of completely new system. High costs for installation of a heat pump are associated with the need to lay a horizontal soil collector or drill a vertical well.

Installation of geothermal heating systems in private and country houses is an expensive pleasure. They are characterized by initially high capital investments compared to traditional ones gas systems. But their payback period is relatively short. It occurs by 18-20 years of operation.

If we compare the cost of gas and geothermal heating, the operation of the latter is cheaper. Such systems consume 3-5 times less electricity. Automation of heat pumps makes it possible to make maximum use of the preferential night tariff for electricity. The equipment allows heating buildings up to comfortable temperature at 22-24 degrees.

Therefore, installing a heat pump system represents an investment in your own comfort, safety, independence and prestige.

Alternative methods of heating homes are becoming fashionable. For such systems there is no need for the house to be located close to gas mains. At the same time, the designs do not provide for any fuel combustion. One of effective options is thermal heating of the house. Developing technologies contribute to the fact that various models of this type of space heating appear on the domestic market.

Application of earth energy

It must be taken into account that the soil, even with severe frost does not freeze too deeply in most regions of the country. This property is even exploited by builders who lay pipelines below the average soil freezing level. The thermal value is +5-+7 0 C. This allows you to use the energy of the earth to heat the house.

The heat received thanks to modern installation manages to accumulate. The principle of operation of geothermal heating at home, according to reviews from owners, is similar to the principle of operation of a refrigerator. The work cycle algorithm is as follows:

• you need to get heat in order to store it and redirect it to the energy battery;
• antifreeze is heated in one of the system circuits, and it transfers energy to the water circulating in the second heating and hot water circuit;
• the cooled antifreeze is redirected to the heat exchanger area to gain heat again.

This approach allows you to use the heat of the earth to heat your house. The systems use geothermal pumps. The recovered heat can be sufficient both to operate the installation as the main source of heat in the room, and to operate it as a backup or auxiliary circuit.

VIDEO: A miracle of technology - heat from underground

Principle of operation

Heating from the ground is no longer a fantastic or isolated development. In many European countries this area is a priority. In our country it is also gaining its fans.

It has long been noted that during evaporation, certain substances cool the surface they leave. This property first began to be used in household and industrial refrigerators for cooling. Later, the idea arose to use the reverse effect of this phenomenon, obtaining warm air. It was introduced into air conditioners that operate for heating. However, they are not able to function at temperatures below -50C. Geothermal devices do not have this drawback.

Equipment operation diagram

The basic link in the system is a heat pump, used in two circuits:

• first circuit - classical system heating with water coolant, consisting of main pipes, radiators and shut-off valves;
• the second circuit is a large-sized heat exchanger located deep in the soil or under a large open body of water.

Inside the second circuit, both special antifreeze and prepared water are used. It is heated using the energy of the internal heat of the earth and goes into a heat pump. From it, heat is transferred to the internal circuit and enters the radiators.

An important part is the heat pump. Its dimensions do not exceed the size washing machine. Consuming 1 kW, the device produces 4-5 kW of heating power. For comparison, air conditioners operate approximately in the consumption/output mode of 1 to 1.

Today, the price of earth heat for heating a house still remains high, but it is constantly decreasing.

The main costs during the installation process go to expensive foreign equipment and work with the soil. There are also developments in order to independently construct geothermal pumps that create heat in the house.

System advantages

Geothermal heating has a lot of positive qualities that set it apart from other systems, such as gas or electric. Benefits include:

• the installation is absolutely safe in terms of fire, since there is no flame in it;
• no need to break through chimneys for installation;
• no harmful emissions, noise or unpleasant odors;
• compact equipment does not take up much space;
• there is no need to deliver or store any fuel;
• the inexhaustible energy of the earth is used;
• the equipment can operate for heating in winter and cooling in summer;
• high performance at battery life;
• Although installation costs are expensive, operating costs are several times lower than those of traditional heating sources.

Types of layout

There are several options for installing geothermal systems. They are similar in effectiveness and are used depending on the capabilities of the nearby landscape and temperature conditions region.

Vertical installations

The main difference is the installation of the heat exchanger. The most compact is its vertical arrangement. This option does not require significant land area. However, it is necessary to use a drilling rig, since deep wells will be needed.

The approximate depth of wells for geothermal systems is 50-200 m for effective operation.

This type is the most expensive to install, but its expected service life, according to manufacturers, is up to 100 years, which is still the longest period among similar systems. The main advantage vertical installation is the maximum preservation of the adjacent landscape.

Horizontal installation

For regions where the level of soil freezing is relatively shallow, it is advantageous to place the heat exchanger in a horizontal plane. In this situation, the pipes are located in a dug trench. It occupies a fairly large area, which is often presented as a disadvantage of this layout. However, in this situation, expensive drilling is not required.

The collector in the form of tubes is distributed in loops throughout the designated area. It is necessary to move 1.5-2 m away from the roots of the trees so that they do not damage the structure. The approximate area for heating a house of 250 m2 will be about 600 m2. Not everyone has the resources to host a geothermal reservoir.

Underwater placement

Installing a collector under the water column is one of the most effective ways home heating. It is advisable that the reservoir be located no further than 100 m from the housing construction. The collector spirals are mounted to a depth of at least 2.5-3 m, which will allow them to be below the freezing point. The surface of the reservoir must be at least 200 m2 in area.

When the collector is placed in water, the need for water work is significantly reduced, and there is no loss in the efficiency of the installation.

Inside the house, such heating will resemble classic water system with radiators. However, heating of the coolant will be carried out without the use of fuel.

Of course, such a system is still very expensive - 2-3 times more expensive than gas heating. But if you calculate the savings on fuel, the reliability and safety of the equipment, the duration of operation - usually houses are built not for 10 or even 20 years, but for a much longer period, it becomes clear that such systems are the future. You can try to install it right now, or you can wait a few more years when domestic developments appear on the market.

VIDEO: Economical heating houses, types of heat pumps, connection diagram

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