Horizontal Loops

If sufficient land area suitable for drilling or trenching is available, then horizontal loops may be the most economic. A
horizontal system will use a number of horizontal trenches. Piping system designs range from a single pipe, to
multiple pipes arranged vertically in a narrow trench to multiple pipes in a wider trench.

The ground heat exchanger may be either series or parallel piping. Each has both advantages and disadvantages.

Series System

Advantages:

 Single flow path and pipe size

 Higher thermal performance per foot of pipe since a larger diameter pipe is required

Disadvantages:

 Larger water or antifreeze volume of larger pipe,

 Higher price per foot of piping material,
 Increased installed labor cost,
 Limited length due to fluid pressure drop and pumping costs.
Parallel System
Fabricated from smaller diameter pipe (which is generally less costly), special care must be taken in flushing to get all
the air out of the piping loop.

Advantages:

 Lower cost pipe

 Less antifreeze required

Disadvantages:

 Special attention to assure air removal

 Attention to balanced flow, within plus or minus 5 percent, in each parallel path is required

Examples:
Some examples, depending on system size, of typical horizontal ground heat exchangers are:

 Single 1¼ to 2 inch pipe, series water flow, 350 to 500 feet per ton nominal length, buried 4 to 6 feet
deep
 Two-pipe using 1¼ to 2 inch pipe, series water flow, 210 to 300 feet of trench per ton with 420 to 600 feet
per ton nominal length, buried 4 and 6 feet deep
 Four layer using ¾ to 1 inch pipe with 1¼ to 2 inch headers, parallel water flow, 125 to 200 feet of trench
per ton with 500 to 800 feet per ton nominal length, buried 6 feet deep with 12 inch spacing

Selection & Sizing

The selection and sizing of the heat pump system require two things.

1. The building's heating and cooling loads and the domestic hot water heating requirements must be
provided by the heat pump system.
2. An estimate must be made of the ground heat exchanger loads given the heat pump operating hours.

The steps to follow are:

1. Calculate the building's heating and cooling design loads using one of many alternative methods
including:
o Hand calculations based on ASHRAE recommendations.

o Air Conditioning Contractors of America Manual J for single family detached homes , or
o Manufacturer or other accepted computer software programs such as those available from
Carrier, Right-J, WaterFurnace, and Trane, or from Oklahoma State University for multi-family
and commercial applications.
2. Select a properly sized heat pump to serve these loads. This subject is discussed in more detail in the
Heating and Cooling Equipment Sizing segment, and in equipment manufacturer's catalogs.
3. Select the type of indoor distribution system. An air system is typical for single family residential and
some commercial and institutional applications. A water-to-air system is often considered for larger multi-
zone commercial and institutional type buildings. In the latter case, the primary heat pump is a water-to-
water unit, rather than the water-air type.
4. Size the indoor distribution system. There are a number of manuals and some software programs that
can assist the distribution system designer.
5. Select the proper air supply and return diffusers, registers and grilles.
6. Estimate the building's energy requirements given:
o The heating and cooling loads,
o The type and size of heat pump equipment selected, and
o The thermal characteristics of climate and soil.
7. Estimate the ground heat exchanger loads, considering the annual load and the design month's load.