Groundwater enhanced geothermal heat pump

A geothermal heat pump system comprising:

• a main heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a ground loop flow and a heat distribution system;
• a borehole that extends in a vertical direction through first and second aquifers, which are displaced from each other in the vertical direction;
• a first ground loop comprising:
• a first groundwater heat exchanger contained within the borehole and the first aquifer and including heat exchange piping;
• a second groundwater heat exchanger contained within the borehole and the second aquifer and including heat exchange piping;
• ground loop pipes configured to deliver the ground loop flow to the heat exchange piping of the first and second groundwater heat exchangers, and return the ground loop flow from the heat exchange piping of the first and second groundwater heat exchangers to the main heat exchanger;
• a first pump located in the borehole configured to drive a first groundwater flow in the borehole in a horizontal direction that is transverse to the vertical direction across the heat exchange piping of the first groundwater heat exchanger;
• and
• a second pump located in the borehole configured to drive a second groundwater flow in the borehole in the horizontal direction across the heat exchange piping of the second groundwater heat exchanger,
• wherein heat exchange occurs between the ground loop flow within the heat exchange piping of the first groundwater heat exchanger and the first groundwater flow and between the ground loop flow within the heat exchange piping of the second groundwater heat exchanger and the second groundwater flow.

A method of exchanging heat using a geothermal heat pump system comprising:

• delivering a ground loop fluid flow through heat exchange piping of a first groundwater heat exchanger positioned within a first aquifer and a borehole that extends in a vertical direction through the first aquifer;
• driving a first groundwater flow in the borehole in a horizontal direction that is transverse to the vertical direction across the heat exchange piping of the first groundwater heat exchanger using a first pump located in the borehole;
• and
• transferring heat between the first groundwater flow and the ground loop fluid flow at the heat exchange piping of the first groundwater heat exchanger.

A geothermal heat pump system comprising:

• a main heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a ground loop flow and a heat distribution system;
• a borehole that extends in a vertical direction through an aquifer;
• a ground loop comprising:
• a groundwater heat exchanger contained within the borehole and including heat exchange piping;
• an input pipe configured to deliver the ground loop flow from the main heat exchanger to the heat exchange piping;
• and
• an output pipe configured to deliver the ground loop flow from the heat exchange piping to the main heat exchanger;
• and
• a pump located in the borehole and configured to drive a groundwater flow in the borehole in a horizontal direction that is transverse to the vertical direction across the heat exchange piping,
• wherein heat exchange occurs between the ground loop flow within the heat exchange piping and the groundwater flow, and
• wherein:
• the borehole penetrates the aquifer, and the groundwater heat exchanger is positioned within the aquifer;
• the borehole comprises:
• a sealed wall section that blocks the groundwater flow into the borehole;
• a first permeable wall section located within the aquifer;
• and
• a second permeable wall section located within the aquifer on an opposing side of the borehole from the first permeable wall section and displaced from the first permeable wall section in the horizontal direction,
• wherein the pump drives the groundwater flow into the borehole through the first permeable wall section and out of the borehole through the second permeable wall section;
• the system further comprises:
• a first packer positioned above the groundwater heat exchanger within the borehole;
• and
• a second packer positioned below the groundwater heat exchanger within the borehole,
• wherein the first and second packers isolate the groundwater flow in the borehole to a section of the borehole that is between the first and second packers;
• the first and second packers isolate the groundwater flow to the aquifer and through the groundwater heat exchanger;
• the groundwater heat exchanger is a first groundwater heat exchanger;
• the aquifer is a first aquifer located at a first zone of the borehole;
• the pump is a first pump;
• the groundwater flow is a first groundwater flow;
• and
• the system further comprises:
• a second groundwater heat exchanger including heat exchange piping that receives the ground loop flow and positioned within a second aquifer located at a second zone of the borehole that is displaced in the vertical direction from the first aquifer;
• and
• a second pump configured to drive a second groundwater flow in the horizontal direction across the heat exchange piping of the second groundwater heat exchanger,
• wherein heat exchange occurs between the ground loop flow within the heat exchange piping of the second groundwater heat exchanger and the second groundwater flow.