Design is one of the most important aspects of a geothermal heating system and over 10 years, Nutherm have developed a complete system approach. Below we give some examples of the common errors made when designing a geothermal heat pump system. All the figures for the calculations come directly from the performance table shown below.
If there are insufficient loops in your geothermal collector, there is a chance that during cold periods, the temperature in your collector will drop. This affects the efficiency of your system and increases your running costs as shown below.
Alternatively if your distribution system is not specifically designed for a geothermal installation (e.g. cast iron radiators, poor underfloor heating installation), a higher flow temperature will be required through the system to provide sufficient heat output. However as shown below, this again has a negative impact on the efficiency of a heat pump system. Therefore we recommend the installation of a suitable underfloor heating system with geothermal heat pumps.
You have most likely heard several horror stories about geothermal heating but in nearly all cases, these are the result of poor system design. If an underfloor heating system is designed for oil (i.e. 300mm spacings, longer loops) or a geothermal collector is undersized, these will have a negative effect on the system’s efficiency as shown above.
Nutherm provide a fully integrated system design, were each component is specifically catered towards geothermal heating. This ensures maximum comfort and economy for you and your family. If you don’t believe us, talk to one of almost 1000 previous domestic customers and see for yourself.