Geothermal heat exchange unit
OwnerB. Ryland Wiggs, Jack L. Womack +2inventors
InventorsB. Ryland Wiggs, Jack L. Womack, William C. Bickford, John E. Hawk
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Abstract
An improved geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in ground and/or water, has a rigid hollow core about which is formed a helical winding of thermally conductive tube. The return section of the tube extends vertically along a central axis of the core, separated from the inner wall of the core by thermal insulating material. The heat exchange unit is optionally encased in a solid thermally conductive casing and may have a small diameter oil return tube from the lowermost portion of the unit to the suction intake port of a gas compressor. An optional high pressure water hose is attached for installation assistance in wet sand or wet soils.
Claims9
A geothermal heat exchange unit comprising:
- a. a substantially cylindrical core having a rigid wall defining a central axis;
- b. a heat transfer fluid tube having a supply section helically formed around the wall of the core, and a return section connected to a distal end of the supply section;
- c. the return section of the tube disposed along the central axis of a sleeve, the return section separated from the wall of the core by a thermal insulating material;
- and
- d. the core and heat transfer fluid tube enclosed in a rigid casing, the casing having a thermally conductive outer wall filled with a thermally conductive fill material.
The geothermal heat exchange unit of 1 wherein the return section of the heat exchange fluid tube is made of a material having a low thermal conductivity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.