ᐅ Ground source heat pump with cooling function – controllable?
Created on: 29 Oct 2013 09:17
K
kaho674
Hello,
we would like to install a geothermal heating system with a cooling function from a well-known manufacturer in our house. It can be controlled in the upper rooms (including bedrooms). On the ground floor, it is uncontrolled because the heat has to go somewhere when the heating is on. Now my question:
In the height of summer, we would of course like to cool the rooms, but primarily the rooms upstairs. Is it possible to close the heating circuit downstairs, for example with an additional valve, so that only the upper floor is cooled in summer?
PS: Please no discussions about the pros or cons of the cooling function. Thank you.
we would like to install a geothermal heating system with a cooling function from a well-known manufacturer in our house. It can be controlled in the upper rooms (including bedrooms). On the ground floor, it is uncontrolled because the heat has to go somewhere when the heating is on. Now my question:
In the height of summer, we would of course like to cool the rooms, but primarily the rooms upstairs. Is it possible to close the heating circuit downstairs, for example with an additional valve, so that only the upper floor is cooled in summer?
PS: Please no discussions about the pros or cons of the cooling function. Thank you.
perlenmann schrieb:
Well, I thought that if I only get a 1-degree drop for €1300, that’s quite little. As I already said, we’re hoping for 4°C (7°F). That would make a huge difference for me and be worth every cent.
perlenmann schrieb:
An air conditioner would achieve more of what I imagine by cooling. I wasn’t thinking of a professional split system with installation, more like a small unit with a condensate water tank. It’s apparently just about one room of 15-20m² (160-215 sq ft), and maybe for 20 days a year, right? Yes, in an emergency, you can always set something up. But the water changing is quite annoying. We currently have a unit where you have to constantly empty the water—it's a hassle.
For us, summer lasts from June to August, sometimes even for consecutive years. 😉 And the climate is supposed to get more extreme all the time.
Mycraft schrieb:
As already mentioned, with the passive cooling approach you are planning, you should not expect more than a 1-2 degree Celsius (2-4 degrees Fahrenheit) difference. If the sun shines on the house for several days during midsummer and it heats up… then it’s questionable whether any cooling effect will be noticeable at all…As I said before, we will report back. I find it pointless to argue against it without personal experience. So far, I have only read positive reports from those who actually own the system. And if it doesn’t work—well, then it’s just bad luck—and we’ll have to try something else. 🙂Before you consider tackling the issue with expensive high-tech solutions: have you thought about external shading?
The situation here in our top-floor apartment with a southwest orientation and many southwest-facing windows: external sun protection made of white awning fabric that still lets in a lot of light. The rooms are not dark or unusable.
In summer, it can reach around 35°C (95°F) outside and 28°C (82°F) inside, provided the sunshade is consistently kept down during the day or when exposed to direct sunlight. The building was constructed in 1980 and has rather suboptimal insulation.
The situation here in our top-floor apartment with a southwest orientation and many southwest-facing windows: external sun protection made of white awning fabric that still lets in a lot of light. The rooms are not dark or unusable.
In summer, it can reach around 35°C (95°F) outside and 28°C (82°F) inside, provided the sunshade is consistently kept down during the day or when exposed to direct sunlight. The building was constructed in 1980 and has rather suboptimal insulation.
D
Deichkind8731 Oct 2013 18:17Hello,
I’m chiming in again.
So, 4K (4°C / 7.2°F) is definitely achievable. There is more than enough cooling capacity available; the only issue—and the reason why only about 4K (4°C / 7.2°F) drop below the outdoor temperature can be reached—is that the dew point must not be undershot.
A more elegant solution would be to heat the house using «chests» that are then used both for heating and cooling the house. (Chest → ventilation unit with heat exchanger and forced ventilation)
With these chests, the 10°C (50°F) supply temperature from the primary circuit of the heat pump can be fully utilized, since the condensate that forms is drained directly from the chest and there is no uncontrolled dew point undershoot (condensation) in the room.
Regarding the effort involved, any cooling achieved by an active cooling unit is and remains an energy consumer. Among these, the expensive split air conditioners are still the cheaper option; the "cheap" split air conditioners without capacity control are not even the most expensive variant. Portable units with exhaust hoses are hardly surpassed, except maybe by an air-water heat pump used for cooling...
Incidentally, even large companies with technical applications use this type of cooling.
The only thing that is not optimal is simply the placement of the heat exchanger surface inside the building. Heat rises upward, which is why underfloor heating is often used. Actually, the heat exchanger surface for cooling should be installed at the top (there are also cooled ceilings for this), but here, too, dew point undershoot must be prevented (there are controls to avoid this). Alternatively, heating and cooling can also be realized with ventilation systems (partial air conditioning). The chest solution would be placed in that category.
This chest solution has been or is being successfully used by a large home builder.
With a ventilation system, this could also be implemented if a heat pump with geothermal energy use is installed.
I’m chiming in again.
So, 4K (4°C / 7.2°F) is definitely achievable. There is more than enough cooling capacity available; the only issue—and the reason why only about 4K (4°C / 7.2°F) drop below the outdoor temperature can be reached—is that the dew point must not be undershot.
A more elegant solution would be to heat the house using «chests» that are then used both for heating and cooling the house. (Chest → ventilation unit with heat exchanger and forced ventilation)
With these chests, the 10°C (50°F) supply temperature from the primary circuit of the heat pump can be fully utilized, since the condensate that forms is drained directly from the chest and there is no uncontrolled dew point undershoot (condensation) in the room.
Regarding the effort involved, any cooling achieved by an active cooling unit is and remains an energy consumer. Among these, the expensive split air conditioners are still the cheaper option; the "cheap" split air conditioners without capacity control are not even the most expensive variant. Portable units with exhaust hoses are hardly surpassed, except maybe by an air-water heat pump used for cooling...
Incidentally, even large companies with technical applications use this type of cooling.
The only thing that is not optimal is simply the placement of the heat exchanger surface inside the building. Heat rises upward, which is why underfloor heating is often used. Actually, the heat exchanger surface for cooling should be installed at the top (there are also cooled ceilings for this), but here, too, dew point undershoot must be prevented (there are controls to avoid this). Alternatively, heating and cooling can also be realized with ventilation systems (partial air conditioning). The chest solution would be placed in that category.
This chest solution has been or is being successfully used by a large home builder.
With a ventilation system, this could also be implemented if a heat pump with geothermal energy use is installed.
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