Sizing the loop field for your geothermal heat pump water heater“>geothermal heat pump water heater can seem daunting at first, but with a little knowledge and advice, you can get it right first time. This guide will take you through the process and help you understand the basics of how to properly size the loop field for your geothermal system.
First off, what is a loop field? It’s essentially a series of pipes connected by a manifold that circulates water from your ground source, to the heat pump and back again. This circulation of water allows you to utilise the constant temperature of the ground to provide heating and cooling throughout your home.
The size of your loop field should be determined by a number of factors. These include:
– The size of your home
– The amount of power you will need
– The amount of space available around your home
– Your local climate
– Your budget
– The type of soil in your area
To get an accurate sizing, it’s best to have a professional come out and assess your property and provide an estimate based on their findings. They will usually use software tools that factor in all these elements and more, to give an accurate sizing recommendation. However, if you are confident enough, you can also calculate it yourself using various online resources such as those provided by energystar.gov or calculators provided by some manufacturers. This process is slightly more complicated but does save money if done correctly.
When calculating yourself, there are three main components that need to be taken into consideration: pipe diameter, pipe length and spacing between loops. Generally speaking, larger pipes require less energy due to less head loss (the amount of energy lost as water flows through pipes), so bigger is better when it comes to pipe diameter – generally aiming for 4 inch or larger piping is recommended unless there are other restrictions in place such as space or budget constraints which limit this option. Pipe length should be calculated based on the total area available for each loop – typically this should be no more than 1000 feet per loop with no more than 300 feet between each connection point (the distance between two points where heat exchangers are connected). Finally, spacing between loops should be kept relatively close together in order to maximise efficiency – aiming for around 10 feet apart is usually recommended but this could vary depending on local conditions such as soil type or climate etc.
Overall, sizing the loop field for your geothermal heat pump water heater“>geothermal heat pump water heater isn’t too difficult when broken down into its component parts; however getting an accurate sizing does require some knowledge and understanding – so if in doubt it’s always best to consult with a professional who can help ensure everything is done correctly from start to finish!