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US 12,644,627 B2Granted
Capping apparatus and method for in-ground heat exchangers
AssigneeInnovia Geo Corp.
InventorsAndrew Cameron Lee, Sarah Ruth Nicholson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for in ground heat exchange, including at least one first array and one second array, each first and second array comprising a plurality of capped pipes; at least one temperature sensor; and at least one flow rate sensor, a plurality of flow rate valves connected to each first array and second array, the flow rate valves configured to facilitate flow of a liquid through the system; at least one pump attached to the flow rate valves for modulating the flow rate of the system; and a heat pump, wherein the system is configured to provide heating and cooling to a building.
Claims15
A system for in ground heat exchange, the system comprising:
- a primary in ground array and at least one secondary in ground array, each primary and secondary in ground array comprising:
- a plurality of capped pipes;
- at least one temperature sensor;
- and
- at least one flow rate sensor;
- a plurality of flow rate valves connected to the primary in ground array and at least one secondary in ground array, the flow rate valves configured to facilitate flow of a liquid through the system;
- at least one circulating pump attached to the flow rate valves forming a closed loop system for modulating the flow rate of the system;
- at least one heat exchanger attached to the pump and flow rate valves to transfer heat between the primary in ground array and the at least one secondary in ground array;
- and
- a heat pump;
- wherein the system is configured to provide heating and cooling to a building by calculating temperature differences between the primary in ground array and the at least one secondary in ground array and, based on the calculated temperature differences, either activating or deactivating the at least one secondary in ground array for operating the heat pump in a heating mode wherein the at least one secondary in ground array transfers heat to the primary in ground array, or in a cooling mode wherein the primary in ground array transfers heat to the at least one secondary in ground array via the plurality of flow rate valves, the at least one circulating pump, and the at least one heat exchanger, thereby enabling fluid within the at least one secondary in ground array to naturally absorb heat from the ground during heating mode operation of the heat pump or dissipate heat into the ground during cooling mode operation of the heat pump while the at least one secondary in ground array is deactivated and flow of the fluid through the at least one secondary in ground array is stopped, such that the fluid passively comes to equilibrium temperature with the ground for greater efficient operation of the heat pump on subsequent activation of the at least one secondary in ground array, and
- wherein when the calculated temperature difference exceeds a threshold, the at least one secondary in ground array is activated, and when the calculated temperature difference no longer exceeds the threshold, the at least one secondary in ground array is deactivated.
9 more elements
A method for in ground heat exchange, the method comprising:
- segmenting a primary in ground array from at least one secondary in ground array;
- collecting temperature inputs through temperature sensors on the primary in ground array and at least one secondary in ground array;
- calculating a temperature difference in the working fluid between the primary in ground array and the at least one secondary in ground array;
- determining whether a temperature difference threshold has been exceeded, and activating the at least one secondary in ground array to transfer heat between the primary in ground array and at least one secondary in ground array upon determination that the temperature difference threshold has been exceeded, and
- deactivating the at least one secondary in ground array upon determination that the temperature difference threshold is no longer exceeded, thereby enabling the working fluid within the at least one secondary in ground array to naturally absorb heat from the ground during heating operation or dissipate heat into the ground during cooling operation, thereby enabling the working fluid to passively come to equilibrium temperature with the ground for greater efficient operation on subsequent activation of the at least one secondary in ground array.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.