Design of Commercial

Ground Source Heat Pumps

Kirk Mescher, PE, LEED® AP

1
Steps to Improving Ground Source
Design
Kirk Mescher, PE, LEED® AP
Learning Objectives

•  What documents are required to effectively

communicate a ground source system design?
•  Energy simulations
•  Ground Loop 101
•  What makes water source heat pump installations
unique?
•  What makes a good ground source installation?

3
Heat Exchanger Configurations

Open Loop
Surface Water

Horizontal Bore
Vertical Bore

Courtesy Water Furnace

4
Getting Started:
•  References
–  ASHRAE CHAPTER 34 – HVAC
Applications Volume
–  ASHRAE TC 6.8 Geothermal Heat Pump
and Energy Recovery Applications
–  Various Journal articles
•  Attend seminars like this
5
Recommended
ASHRAE Design
Guide for
Commercial and
Institutional
Buildings

6
 Improving System Design:
Simplicity

Everything should be made as simple as possible,

but not simpler. ~Albert Einstein

7
 Why Simple?

•  Designs should be challenged

–  Everything in the system should be challenged to add
VALUE
–  Clear project definition and goals
•  Energy Efficiency
•  Ease of Maintenance
•  Longevity
–  What do we NEED in controls?
–  What kind of service staff does the client have?
–  How close are emergency service reosurces?

8
 Codes and Standards (US)
•  International Mechanical Code
–  Chapter 12
•  IGSHPA - Closed-Loop/Geothermal Heat Pump Systems
- Design and Installation Standards
•  ASHRAE Standard 90.1
–  Variable flow requirements
–  Isolation valves
•  CSA C448 - Design and Installation of Earth Energy
Systems

9
 Ground Source

•  What is it?
–  Efficient system connected with the
ground?
•  Heat recovery system?
–  Recover energy from season to
season?

10
Are Ground Source Systems a
Renewable Energy Source?

11
Ground Source Energy

The earth
absorbs
nearly half
of the
sun’s
energy.

12
 Energy Efficient Heating:
Coefficient of Performance

or
buildin
g

13
Key to Good System Design

A.  Is ground source a proper

selection?
B.  Interior Design
C.  Physical Constraints of the Ground

14
Opportunities for Improving Design

•  Efficiency
–  Pumping power
–  Heat pumps
–  Ground loop design
•  Simplicity
–  One-pipe systems

15
 Developing 12-Steps

A.  Proper selection

1.  Calculate peak and OFF-peak loads
2.  Estimate energy to and from the bore field
B.  Interior Design
3.  Select operating temperatures
4.  Correct heat pump operation for actual conditions
5.  Select HPs for peak load (heating or cooling) and
minimize duct runs
6.  Arrange HPs into building circuits

16
 Developing 12-Steps
C.  Physical Constraints of the Ground
7.  Conduct investigation for thermal properties and
drilling conditions
8.  Determine ground heat exchanger arrangement
9.  Calculate optimum ground heat exchanger
dimensions
D.  Integration of indoor and outdoor design
10. Iterate to determine optimum operating
temperatures, flows, materials
11. Layout Interior piping for minimum head loss
12. Select pumps and control methodology
17
Is Ground Source A Proper Selection?

A
18
 Ground Source
“The Efficiency Silver Bullet”

•  The most efficient HVAC system

there is!!!
•  It works everywhere!!!
•  XXX m/kW (xx ft/ton) is adequate
everywhere!!!

19
 Applicability A
•  Depends on:
–  Building energy balance
–  Undisturbed ground temps
–  Site characteristics
•  Is there a hybrid design opportunity?
–  High heating and low cooling demand
–  High cooling with low heating demand

20
 Ground Source Sizing A

•  Building energy estimate

•  Idea of how the building will operate
•  Drilling requirements
•  Some reference of ground thermal
conductivity and thermal diffusivity

21
 Estimating Energy Usage A
•  Don’t use ‘Rules of Dumb’
•  Equipment efficiency affects bore
field sizing
•  Perform the Calculations!
–  Bin data or 8760 hour simulation to
understand the energy coming into
the facility and going out

22
 Energy Recycling

Geothermal
Bore Field
Bore field acts
as a battery, storing
heating energy in the summer
and releasing it in the winter
Thermal
Conductivity
23
 Real-World Loading
Cooling Energy >> Heating Energy

Geothermal
Bore Field

Heat in bore field

is likely to increase

24
Hybrid Geo-Exchange Systems

Excess Heat

FLUID
COOLER

Cooling
Dominated

25
Calculate Peak and 1
Off-Peak Loads

26
 Peak and Off Peak loads 2
Energy Pulses

27
Estimate Energy To and 2
From the Bore Field

28
 Seasonal Energy Usage
2

Building
uses more
energy for
Seasonally Stored
cooling than
Energy for Cooling
for heating

Seasonally Stored
Energy for Heating

29
10-Month School 2
In Colder Climate

30
Interior Design

B
31
 Interior Design Concerns
•  The interior is where most of the $ are
spent on Ground source systems
•  Controls should be minimal and add value
•  Systems operate in a temperature range,
unlike chilled and hot water
•  Flow should be controlled with Heating
and cooling demand

32
Components of Commercial
Ground Source System
VFD

Do We Need All of This??????

PD

KEY:
Ground Coupled heat exchanger
Piping Network
Pumps
Water source heat pumps
Controls
33
Please do your
own pump
pressure drop
calculations!!!

34
Pumping Power

35
 Attributes
Direct Flow
 Heat Pump flow managed
by regulator valves
without Loop Temp Control
 Demand Fluid Control

 Flow Regulator volume
control

Challenges
VFD
 System changes manages
with flow regulators

 Pipe Length/ pressure loss

 Heat/cool energy exchange
at bore field

 Last heat pump can be
short of water flow
PD
 Central pump must be
sized for connected load

36
Reverse Return Attributes

 Demand Fluid Control
without Loop Temp Control
 Flow regulator volume
control

 Equal pipe length to each
heat pump
VFD
Challenges

 System changes managed
with flow regulator valves

 Pipe Length/ pressure loss

 Heat/cool energy exchange
at bore field

 Central Pump must be
PD
sized for connected load

37
One-Pipe Loop Attributes

 Demand Fluid Control
Distributed Primary
 Secondary pump
Secondary Loop flow control

 Little loop temp control
sequencer

 Unit by unit diversity

 No flow regulators

 Low system pump head

 Primary pump can be sized
for BLOCK load conditions

 No drive/pump/static
control head inefficiency
T
Challenges

 Temperature control

 Pipe Length/pressure loss

 Last heat pump will have
warmer/cooler water

38
“Heat Recovery, Attribute
One-pipe loop allows heat
Anyone????” pumps to recover energy from
the other units in the system.
sequencer Cooling units add heat to the
loop, heating units extract
heat…

It doesn’t take VRF to have

heat recovery.

39
 Piping Diagrams

Traditional 2-pipe
arrangement

1-pipe
arrangement

40
 Parallel Pump Curve
Parallel pump
operating point
2.3 kW (8.1 Wm/kWt)

Individual pump
operating point
1.3 kW (4.5 Wm/kWt)

Single pump and parallel pump operation allow for greatly reduced pump
horsepower usage during normal operation. No speed control is required.
757 lpm @ 12.2m Parallel pumps
625 lpm @ 8.2m Single pump
41
Heat Pumps

42
Effect of Temperature T
VFD

Control on Performance
PD
System EER

UNIT EER Variable Flow EER UNIT COP Variable Flow COP
30 7

6.5
25
6

5.5
20
5

COP
EER

15 4.5

4
10
3.5

3
5
2.5

0 2
30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
TEMP (F)
43
43
 Water Source Heat Pumps
(Self-Contained Approach)
•  Many consider: Traditional Equipment
•  Horizontal Units
•  Vertical Units
•  Water to Water
•  Console Units

44
 Water Source HP’s, Traditionally

–  “100’s of noisy boxes” above the ceiling

–  “Require” cooling towers or boilers “to work right”
–  2-pipe controlled water distribution
•  Water flow control
•  Motorized isolation valves
•  Variable speed drives

–  Have maintenance issues

•  Low flow at the end of the distribution
•  Low temp difference

45
 New Paradigm
•  Many different heat pump systems
•  When properly designed and implemented, ground loops
can provide all system heat rejection and heat addition
•  Water distribution
–  Traditional 2-pipe variable capacity
–  Individual circulations
–  Circulators with central pumps
–  One pipe
•  Lower maintenance costs
–  Simpler distribution
–  Managing flow to the units
46
Preliminary Loop Operating 3
Temperatures and Flow
Rate

47
Selecting Operating Temperatures 3
•  A good starting point
–  Undisturbed ground temp
•  Cooling 10-20ºC (20-35ºF) Above
•  Heating 5-10ºC (10-15ºF) Below
•  Generally, max cooling inlet temps should
be below 32.2ºC (90ºF)
•  Generally, min heating above 0ºC (Use
7-8ºC to start)
•  Final selection based on energy balance
•  It’s ALL about SYSTEM EER and COP
48
Correct Heat Pump 4
Operation for
Actual Conditions

49
 HP Performance Ratings
•  AHRI/ISO/ASHRAE/ANSI 13256-1 - Water-
source heat pumps - testing and rating for
performance - Part 1: Water-to-air and brine-to-
air heat pumps
•  EN 14825 - Air Conditioners, Liquid chilling
packages and heat pumps, with electrically
driven compressors, for space heating and
cooling – Testing and rating at part-load
conditions and calculations of seasonal
performance
50
 Why Adjust Unit Capacity? 4
•  Under ISO 13256-1
–  What is the system fan static pressure for
rating?
–  What is the pumping energy based upon?

•  What are the entering water and air

conditions?

51
 Adjusting Unit Capacity 4
•  ISO 13256-1
–  0 kPa static pressure
–  25ºC (77ºF EWTc) / 0ºC (32ºF) EWTh
–  19ºC (66.2ºF) EWB Cooling
–  20ºC (68ºF) EDB Heating
–  Pumping power is included
Some manufacturer’s programs properly adjust the capacity
based on your operating conditions, some do not. The point is,
capacity adjustment is required to properly select the required
equipment.

52
Heat Pump Ratings

1 2 3

53
Select HPs for Peak Load 5
(Heating or Cooling) and
Minimize Duct Runs

54
Schedule HP Equipment 5

55
Is this sufficient to define the System requirements?

Ever see this?

56
System Definition Requirements
•  Design parameters
–  Flow
–  Pressure loss
–  Water quality and
volume
–  Antifreeze solution and
volume, if required

•  Header pipe definition

–  Material
–  Diameter
–  Pressure class rating
–  Circuit isolation
requirements
–  Flush/purge provisions

57
System Definition Requirements
•  Vertical bore definition
–  Drilling technique if available
–  Casing requirements, if any
–  Bore depth and approximate bore
diameter
–  Grout Definition
•  Thermal Conductivity
•  Placement method

•  Equipment specification
–  Airflow and pressure drop
–  Heating and cooling capacity
–  EER and COP
–  Water flow and pressure drop
–  Electrical characteristics
–  Air filtration specification

58
System Definition Requirements
•  Inside Building
–  Piping specification
–  Pumping system
–  Control Specification
–  System diagram
•  Air separation
•  Compression
•  Make-up

•  Commissioning
–  Piping installation
inspections and
testing
–  Purge volume and
flow
–  Purge procedure
–  System start-up
procedure
–  Start-up
documentation

59
Cleaning and Flushing

60
 Why Is Pumping Power Important?

kWm/100kWt
1.06
1.59
2.12
3.18
4.24
5.30

61
Physical Constraints of the Ground

C
62
Bore field
Arrangements

63
Conduct Investigation for 7
Thermal Properties and
Drilling Conditions

64
Thermal Properties for Design
•  Thermal Conductivity
•  Deep Earth Temperature
•  Thermal Diffusivity

65
 7
The purpose of the test is to
determine the physical properties
of the ground surrounding the
bore hole.

66
 Typical Bore Detail 9

1.2m

100m
1.9

(1) U PE100 PN 16

67
Calculate GLHX 9
Requirements

68
 Output from 9
Loop Sizing Routine

69
Iterate to Optimize GLHX 10
1- Balancing length with
operating Temperatures

2- Changing to Different
Equipment

3- Balancing with Different

Equipment
70
Determine Ground Heat
8
Exchanger (GLHX)
Arrangement

71
Ground loop design Parameters
•  Pressure loss under 20 ft tdh
•  Ability to purge ALL piping at 2 fps
•  Allow the bore field to be self balancing
•  Consider proper water chemistry
–  Anti freeze protection
–  Corrosion inhibitors

72
 Basic Header Types
•  None
–  Loop connected directly to equipment

•  Close Coupled
–  U-loops connected to end of the pipe

•  Vaults
–  Reverse return circuits connected to headers in valve vaults

•  Reverse Return
–  Header piping connected to circuits with reverse return piping
and underground valves

•  Direct Return
–  Header piping connected to circuits with direct return piping and
underground valves
73
Close Coupled

74
Vaults

75
Inexperienced design keys

Trenching shown on both sides of the string of bores

Balance is affected by lack of reverse return

Balancing considerations are problematic

Cross trenching, direct supply and return

Fix the balance issue by adding valves

76
 Reverse Return
Reverse Return
•  Circuits are generally pressure
balanced throughout the
system
•  First supplied is last returned
•  Each bore sees the same
length of piping material

77
 Direct Return
•  The U-loops are in control Direct Return

of the pressure loss

throughout the system
•  The valve authority of the
U-loop control flow

78
 Header Configurations
Vault Reverse Return Direct Return

79
Header Configurations

Carlson relationship
Circuit pressure loss >80% of
overall PD = balanced flow

80
Bore Field Don’ts PVC or Copper
• ---- use vaults
• ---- require cross-trenching
• ---- use pure Bentonite grout
• ---- put bores any closer than 20 ft
(6.1m) OC.
• ---- put flow controls on loops

Bentonite
Grout

81
Ground Loop Use good design practices for header design
Close coupled
Supplement Reverse return
Direct return with knowledge of U-loop flow control

Bore Field and HDPE SDR 11

Building Purge Assembly UNI-LOOP

20 ft (6.1m) MIN
Connecting Piping
DR 15.5 HDPE

Thermally
enhanced
grout

Total Field Pressure Loss

20 ft H20 (60 kPa)

82
 Energy Expectations

•  What happens if you follow these

guidelines……

83
 Geothermal HVAC System retrofit Washington Elementary School
105,000 sq. ft. Belvidere, Illinois
60+ classrooms
One Pipe Design
Energy recovery ventilation
Digital control system
Lighting retrofit throughout the classrooms
VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) in office area
Annual operating cost savings -$64,000
Renovation over 1 summer

$26.12/ sq ft

Client:
Belvidere Community Unit
School District 100
1201 5th Avenue
Belvidere, IL 61008

815-544-0301
Contact: Michael Houselog, Superintendent
84
 DOUGLAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
CLINTON, IL

(Photo of old mechanical room)

Ground Source System

One-Pipe Design
Retrofit of existing school
23,980 sq. ft.
15 Classrooms
Approximately 192 students (08-09)
Retrofit cost under $20.00/sq ft
Energy usage – 24.83 KBTU/Sq. Ft.

85
LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
CLINTON, IL

(Photo of old mechanical room)

Ground Source System

One-Pipe Design
Retrofit of existing school
29,090 sq. ft.
19 Classrooms
237 students (2007-2008)
Installation cost- Under $20.00/sq ft
Annual energy usage-30.1 KBTU/Sq ft

86
GLENN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
NORMAL, IL

Geothermal HVAC System retrofit

One Pipe Design
27,110 sq. ft.
14 classrooms
Installation Cost - $15.75/sq ft
Energy Star 99

87
FAIRVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
NORMAL, IL

Geothermal HVAC System retrofit

35,125 sq. ft.
24 classrooms
One Pipe Design
Provided heating and cooling system retrofit of
existing hot water unit vent system
Operating cost for heating and cooling to be
under heating only costs
Energy Star Rating of 98

88
 OAKDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
NORMAL, IL

Geothermal HVAC System

One-Pipe Design
44,168 sq. ft.
28 classrooms
Former operating cost $.99/ft^2
New Operating cost $.76 ft.^2 ($.45 ft^2 lights)
$.23/ft.^2/year in HVAC energy savings
Carbon equivalent savings 13-14 #/sq. ft./year
Energy Star Rating of 96

89
 FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
STERLING, IL

Geothermal HVAC system retrofit

One Pipe Design
Well Field Design
Water Loop specification and design
Control System Design
Specification of test boring
Power distribution to
Ground Source System
Grades K-2
362 students
36,000 sq. ft. (School was built in 1957.)
23 classrooms 90
 JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
STERLING, IL

Geothermal HVAC system retrofit Client:

One-Pipe Design Sterling Community Unit District No. 5
Well Field Design 410 E. LeFevre
Water Loop specification and design Sterling, IL 61081
815-626-5050
Control System Design
Contact: Dr. Wil Booker, Superintendent
Specification of test boring
Thermal Conductivity Analysis
Power distribution to Ground Source
System
39,020 sq. ft.
26 classrooms 91
427 students (2007)
 Case Study:

MEM Independence

92
 Case Study: MEM
Independence
•  Missouri Employers Mutual
•  Independence, Missouri
•  557 m2 office facility renovated from
rooftop A/C to Ground Source
•  First 2 years of results – Less than
impressive $600 per year in additional
operating cost.
93
94
Building Energy Consumption

95
As Designed

96
 Ultimate Solution
1

1.  Install variable speed circulators to pump the

bore field based on temperature differential
2.  Install hydronic de-coupler (bridge)
3.  Install circulators on each heat pump

97
 Ultimate Solution:
Building Energy Consumption

98
What have we learned?

99
 Lessons Learned
•  Pumping energy use is not an insignificant
issue.
•  Decoupling bore field and using
temperature differential to control bore
field capacity offers significant benefits.
•  Minimizing head on unit circulators is
beneficial.
•  Low efficiency circulators can provide high
efficiency.
100
 Questions
? ?
?
? ??
?
?
? ?
? 101
 HVAC System Designer
•  Responsible for
–  Thermodynamics of the
system
–  Design of system hydronics
–  Specification of the entire
HVAC system
•  The ground HX is part of it!
–  The entire system
performance
102
Some Background

•  Vocabulary
•  Codes and Standards
•  References

103
ASHRAE HVAC Applications
Handbook Chapter 34
Geothermal resources classification
by temperature:

High Temperature t > 150 C (300 F)

Intermediate Temperature
90 C (195 F) < t < 150C (300 F)
Low Temperature t < 90 C (195 F)

•  Direct Use
•  Ground-Coupling

104
 Vocabulary
•  Ground Source, Geo-Exchange, Ground Coupled –
A heating and cooling system that uses the ground
as a moderator. The ground acts as a heat sink for
heating and cooling energy.
•  Geothermal – A heating system that typically uses
“hot rocks” or a high temperature aquifer for direct
heating or energy production.
•  Central Plant – A heating and/or cooling system
where multiple facilities are tied together such that
the single plant can produce the necessary energy
or resource.
105
 Vocabulary
•  Well – A water-producing bore typically with a
submersible pump.
•  Bore – An approximately 15 cm (6 in.) hole
drilled into the geological formation.
•  Borehole, U-loop Heat Exchanger, etc. – A
typically vertical u-loop pipe (or ground probe)
placed into a bore and grouted into position.
•  Bore Field – Accumulation bores designed to be
connected with header piping to support a
ground source heating and cooling system.
106
 Vocabulary
•  GCHP – Ground Coupled Heat Pump

•  EER – Energy Efficiency Ratio

•  SEER – Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio

–  Does NOT apply to GCHP

•  COP – Coefficient of Performance

WARNING>>>>>>>WARNING>>>>>>WARNING>>>>>>WARNING>>>>>>
When making comparisons, be sure you are comparing equal terms.
These terms can be applied to equipment or SYSTEMS. It is best to
compare SYSTEM performance.
107
Energy Simulation Should
Generate System Parameters 1

SYSTEM HEATING AND COOLING

EFFICIENCY AFFECTS PERFORMANCE,
DESIGN AND SIZING
108
System Integration

D
109
Layout Interior Piping for 11
Minimum Head Loss

110
 System Layouts
•  Direct Flow
–  With 3-way control
–  With 3-way control and VFD
–  With secondary geo pump
–  Without loop temp control
•  Reverse Return
–  With 3-way valve control
–  With secondary geo pump
–  Without loop temp control
111
 Attributes
Direct Flow
 Control of water temp
Summer and Winter 30/7
with 3-Way Control
 Demand Fluid Control

 Flow Balance managed by
Regulator Valves

Challenges
T
 System changes with each
device added or subtracted
from duty

 Pipe Length/pressure loss

 Control valve pressure
loss/authority

 Heat/cool energy exchange at
bore field

 Central pump must be sized
for connected load

 Last Heat Pump can be
short of water flow

112
Select Pumps and
Control Method, 12
Determine
System Efficiency

113
 Original Pumping Strategy
•  Continuous pumping through all heat
pumps

114
 Solutions?

•  What will make the system operate more

efficiently?
–  Distributed pumping?
–  ASHRAE 90.1 variable flow solution?
–  One-pipe solution?
–  Something different?
115
Solution Considerations:
Distributed Pumping

116
Solution Considerations:
ASHRAE 90.1
Install motorized isolation valves and variable speed primary pumps

117
Solution Considerations:
One-Pipe Solution
Required re-piping of the building

118
Ultimate Solution

119