natural refrigerant, enhanced geothermal heating …...natural refrigerant, enhanced geothermal...

Natural Refrigerant, Enhanced Geothermal

Heating & Cooling Solutions

Lalit Chordia, PhD, Marc Portnoff

150 Gamma Drive

Pittsburgh, PA 15238

www.thargeo.com

http://www.igshpa.okstate.edu/membership/login.asp

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Thar Geothermal, LLC © 2014│ All Rights Reserved

The Challenge: The Built Environment

Buildings accounted for

41% of the primary energy consumption &

40% of the carbon emissions

in the USA in 2010 (2011 Buildings Energy Data Book, buildingsdatabook.eren.doe.gov).

The Opportunity:

To improve HVAC & R system performance

Heat

Pumps

R744

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Air Side Heat Pump

It takes less energy & $$

to transfer heat to the

Cool earth than the

Hot summer air

85 F-100 F

+

Geothermal Heat Pump

~55 F year

round

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Geothermal Ground Source Heat Pump System Components

Terminals: Means for space heating and cooling Ducts

Fan coils

Radiant floor

Radiant beam

Heat Pump Loop: Hot/cold refrigerant heats/cools the: Air

Water (i.e. hydronics) which then heats/cools the air

Domestic Hot Water (optional): uses heat pump capacity for

simultaneous heating and cooling to heat water when space cooling

Ground Heat Exchanger (Ground or Earth Loop): Transfers energy from hot/cold refrigerant into or out of the ground

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“Ground Source Heat Pumps reduce Greenhouse Gas by up to 40% over

convention HVAC systems.” US EPA DiEnna, J., Geothermal, The Energy Under Our Feet, International Ground Source Heat Pump Association, 26th Annual Conference, October 8-9, 2013, Las Vegas, NV

“The geothermal heat pump, also known as the ground source heat

pump, is a highly efficient renewable energy technology that is gaining

wide acceptance for both residential and commercial buildings.” US DOE DiEnna, J., Geothermal, The Energy Under Our Feet, International Ground Source Heat Pump Association, 26th Annual Conference, October 8-9, 2013, Las Vegas, NV

“Ground Source Geothermal is the most energy-efficient, environmentally

clean and cost effective space conditioning systems available today.” US EPA Space Conditioning: The Next Frontier. Office of Air and Radiation, 430-R-93-004, 4/93

Renewable Energy

Available 24/7/365

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Tangible Benefits

• Superior comfort in cooling and heating modes

• More energy efficient, saving fuel and lowering HVAC costs

• Reliable operation

• Safe & Clean

• Reduced local pollution

• Elimination of outdoor equipment

• For commercial systems: eliminates cooling tower fresh

water use

Ground Source Geothermal Heat Pump Systems

With all these benefits,

why is Geothermal limited to 1-2% of the HVAC market?

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1) High cost of ground heat exchanger (GHX)

installation; ~50-75% of total system

2) Degree of disruption associated with GHX

installation

3) Cost and difficulty of evaluating the suitability

of individual installation sites

How can Thar Geothermal solutions

confront these market barriers?

Market Barriers confronting Conventional Geo Systems

Hughes, P., Geothermal (Ground-Source) Heat Pumps: Market Status, Barriers to Adoption, and Actions

to Overcome Barriers, EERE Geothermal Technologies Program, U.S. Department of Energy, December

2008, ORNL/TM-2008/232

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Evaporator

Condenser

Expansion

Valve

Compressor

Geothermal

Well Field

R744

Refrigerant

Loop

CO2

WARMHOT

COLDCOOL

Cold AirHot Air

Successful Demonstrations 2012-2013 • Enhanced Energy Efficiency

• Reduced Environmental Footprint

What differentiates Thar Geothermal

from other commercial geothermal systems?

Commercial Scale,

Direct Exchange Design

Recycled Carbon Dioxide (co2)

R744 the Safe & Natural Refrigerant

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Comparison: Direct & Indirect Exchange Geothermal

COOLING MODE

Water Indirect Exchange

Evaporator

Condenser

Expansion

Valve

Compressor

Geothermal

Well Field

R744

Refrigerant

Loop

CO2

WARMHOT

COLDCOOL

Cold AirHot Air

Heat Flow

R744 Direct Exchange

DX - Simpler Design

with Fewer

Components Geothermal

GHX

Geothermal

Well Field

Warmer Water

Cooler

Water

Water

Pump

Water

Loop

Heat Flow

Expansion

Valve

Cold Air

Evaporator

Hot Air

Low Pres Liquid

Condenser

Compressor

R410a

Refrigerant

Loop

High Pres Liquid

Low

Pres

Vapor

High Pres Vapor

WARMHOT

COOL COLD

R410a to

Water HXGeothermal

GHX

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Thar All 744 DIRECT EXCHANGE

Ground Source Geothermal - COOLING MODE

Evaporator

Low Pres Liquid

Condenser

Expansion

Valve

Compressor

Geothermal

GHX

R744

Refrigerant

Loop

High Pres Liquid

Low Pres

Vapor High Pres Vapor

CO2

WARM HOT

COLD COOL

Cold Air Hot Air

Heat Flow

Pre

ssu

re (

psi

g)

Enthalpy (Btu/lbm)

Well Field

Evaporator HX

Pres

sure

(psig

)

Enthalpy (Btu/lbm)

Well Field

Evaporator HX

GHX

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Thar Geo R744 DIRECT EXCHANGE

Ground Source Geothermal – HEATING MODE

Evaporator

Low Pres Liquid

Condenser

Expansion

Valve

Compressor

Geothermal

GHX

R744

Refrigerant

Loop

High Pres Liquid

Low Pres

Vapor High Pres Vapor

CO2

WARM HOT

COLD COOL

Cold Air Hot Air

Heat Flow

Pre

ssu

re (

psi

g)

Enthalpy (Btu/lbm)

Condenser HX

Well Field

Pres

sure

(psi

g)

Enthalpy (Btu/lbm)

Condenser HX

Well FieldGHX

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How does R744 refrigerant expand opportunity?

• R744 is safe, low cost, and environmentally friendly enables

Direct Exchange Geothermal design at the commercial scale

• R744 enables the design of smaller diameter ground loops (Geo-loops)

Ground heat exchanger design flexibility

Horizontal, Radial, Vertical, Shallow Earth

Established Supply Chain

Integrated Hardware

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Smaller Boreholes Less earth removed

Less waste – lower disposal $

Less grout

Smaller equipment

Lower mobilization cost

R744 Smaller Geo-loops can reduce

Environmental Footprint & Cost

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

6.03.0

1.5

300 ft Well vol (ft3)Volume of 300 ft Borehole

Conventional

1.25” Pipe (1.66” O.D.)

HDPE

Thar Geothermal

Stainless

Steel

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Thar R744 Geothermal Facility, Pittsburgh, PA

Well Field Development

Vertical

Well Field

#1

Horizontal

Well Field

#1 Vertical

Well

Field #2

Well Field #3

Radiant Patio

Wells

Mud Rotary

Down Hole Hammer

Sonic

Horizontal Directional

Horizontal Directional

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Thar Geothermal systems are versatile and can

integrate with all types of standard HVAC systems

• Central or Distributed

• Air or Water Heat Exchangers

• Active Radiant (Chilled Beam)

• Passive Radiant

• Cassette

• Wall Mount

• Mini Air Handling Unit

• Variable Refrigerant Flow

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Thar R744 Geothermal Facility, Pittsburgh, PA

System Integration & Development

Radiant P

ati

o

Manufacturing &

Warehouse Space Cooling & Heating

Air Handling Units

Shipping & Receiving Cooling & Heating

Air Handling Units

Front Offices

Radiant Floor

CompressorPumps

Toll Process Space Cooling & Heating

Air Handling Units

Geothermal

Lab & Workshop

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R744 Radiant Floor Thermal Image Overlay

Office Café

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Café

Patio

March 6, 2013 Thermal Image

R744 Radiant Patio – Snow Melt

February 18, 2014

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

0 1,440 2,880 4,320

CO

P

2/16 2/17 2/18 2/19

CO

P

R744 Radiant Floor Heat Pump COP

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Thar Geothermal Development Facility

Air Handling

Units

• Validate R744 DX heat pump cycle

• Component Testing and Evaluation

Microchannel Heat Exchanger Designs

Electronic Expansion Valves

Oil Management Systems

Control Software/Hardwares

• Demonstration at commercial scale geothermal system (15-20 ton)

Air Side Heat Exchangers (heating and cooling)

Radiant Floor & Panels (heating and cooling)

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

100 200 300 400

Tem

p (d

eg

F)

AHU_2_TE1 AHU_2_TE2

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ECO2 Efficient

0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

1.60

Gas&ACConv-GSHP

Thar DX-GSHP

En

erg

y C

os

t ($

/ft2

)

Gas H

eat

& A

/C

Co

nven

tio

nal G

rou

nd

So

urc

e H

eat

Pu

mp

Th

ar

Geo

therm

al

Dir

ect E

xch

an

ge

210,000 ft2 Facility Pittsburgh, PA

Enhanced Energy Efficiency

Lower Energy Costs

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tcsgroup.eu.com

Comfort Controls

Conventional HVAC

Delivery Systems

Temperature

Relative Humidity

Indoor Air Quality

R744

Above Ground

Mechanical Room

DX

Geothermal

GHX

Below Ground

Geology- Drilling- Geo-Loop Installation-Grouting

R744

The Approach

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• Thar Geothermal Solutions are the next generation in

Ground Source Heat Pump Systems providing Enhanced

Economic & Environmental Value

• Natural, Safe & Non-toxic R744 (recycled CO2) Refrigerant

Less expensive, Promotes ease of maintenance

• Direct Exchange Design More Efficient

• Improved Return on Investment Reduced Operating Costs

Reduced Maintenance Costs

Same or Lower Capital Costs

• Reduced Environmental Impact

Conclusions

CO2MFORT

ADVANTAGE

Nature’s

natural refrigerant, enhanced geothermal heating …...natural refrigerant, enhanced geothermal...

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