TECHNOLOGIES
We specialise in using different low-carbon technologies to create and design systems for every possibility.
WHY HEAT PUMPS?
The UK needs to reduce the carbon emissions associated with heating and cooling by 95% by 2050 to reach Net zero climate targets. Heat pumps offer a cost-effective and sustainable solution for heating and cooling needs.
Sometimes a solution is not linear and requires a fusion of various technologies. GeoEnergy Design provides holistic system designs integrating a variety of heat pump technologies best suited for your needs and budget.
GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS (GSHPs)
Also known as geothermal heat pumps, this technology utilises the heat available in the ground to provide heating and cooling.
Consisting of a network of pipes buried in the ground, called a ground loop, a fluid circulates through the pipes, absorbing heat from the ground and transferring it to the building's interior during the heating season. In the cooling season, the process is reversed, with heat from the building being transferred to the cooler ground, thus recharging it and prepping it for the next season.
The constant source temperature means that the heat pump systems can run very efficiently, GSHPs are often the most efficient means of providing space heating and domestic hot water.
GSHP systems can use either a horizontal or vertical ground loop. Horizontal loops are installed horizontally in long trenches and are most suitable for sites with large areas of land. Vertical loops i.e. boreholes, can be drilled at great depths even in confined spaces, making them the most common form of ground loops. They can be either open or closed-loop.
Here at GED, we have extensive experience and are certified Ground Loop Designers. We have designed and installed a wide variety of GSHP systems and have been involved in some of the U.K.'s largest installations.
AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS (ASHPs)
Air source heat pumps operate in the same manner as a ground source heat pump, however, they extract their heat from the air around us and transfer it into the building. This eliminates the need for expensive and disruptive groundwork and often makes them one of the cheapest routes to decarbonising a heating or cooling system.
ASHPs are very versatile and can extract heat from the air all year round, even at temperatures as low as -15°C. During warmer seasons, these heat pumps can operate in reverse to provide space cooling by extracting heat from indoor air and releasing it outdoors.
ASHPS are classed as either air-to-air or air-to-water. Air-to-water heat pumps use the heat provided by outdoor air to heat a water-based central heating system. This warm water is then redistributed via radiators, underfloor heating or both. Air-to-air heat pumps, on the other hand, distribute directly to the indoor air.
Although widely considered loud, if sized and placed correctly, ASHPs are barely noticeable in terms of noise. Opting for an acoustic enclosure can be another option, depending on your requirements.
You can rely on our engineers to appropriately size and spec your ASHP.
WATER SOURCE HEAT PUMPS (WSHPs)
Water source heat pumps are similar to GSHPs. Instead of extracting heat from the ground, heat is extracted from a body of water such as a lake, river, reservoirs ponds and wells.
Pipes (also called slinkies) are submerged in the water and a fluid is circulated through them, thus harnessing the heat from the surrounding water.
They can operate in either a closed loop (by circulating cold water through closed pipes immersed in the water source) or in an open loop arrangement (by extracting and then returning water from the chosen body of water.
Due to the high conductivity of water compared to soil or air, a WSHPs heat exchanger can be much smaller than a GSHPs whilst also maintaining high efficiency. This makes them an excellent option when the opportunity is available.
The hydrologic conditions of a body of water must be first examined to indicate whether or not the water conditions are sufficient to supply your property with a WSHP.
WASTE HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEMS
Heat recovery is an ingenious strategy to capture otherwise wasted heat from cooling systems. This process involves capturing and utilising excess heat generated from various processes or systems such as chillers, creating the perfect opportunity to utilise and maximise existing equipment.
Chillers, like heat pumps move heat from one place to another. In the case of a chiller, heat is removed from the target environment and dumped into the outside air. By harnessing this dumped heat, we can redirect the heat and utilise it to heat other areas of a site. It is possible to dramatically increase efficiency and lower emissions through heat recovery. By ground coupling a chiller unit, it is possible to increase efficiency by 50%.
Our engineers can identify opportunities for waste heat capture and create a solution that can reduce running costs significantly and contribute towards a more sustainable system.
COMBINED HEAT & POWER (CHPs)
CHPs are also referred to as cogeneration. These systems simultaneously generate electricity, through typical combustion methods and then capture and utilise the produced heat as a byproduct. They are commonly used in industrial, commercial, and institutional settings to provide both electricity and heat for various applications, including space heating, hot water, and industrial processes.
Cogeneration systems derive their overall efficiency from the useful application of this recovered heat. When properly designed and implemented, cogeneration systems can reach overall efficiencies of greater than 75%, well over the 25-30% efficiency that is typical of utility-generated power that is delivered to customers.
On some occasions, load demands cannot be met with just heat pumps. In this case, GED engineers create bivalent or hybrid systems that use both heat pumps and CHPs or standard boilers as top-up or back-up.
Boilers can be used intermittently on the occasion of when outdoor air temperatures are extremely low. This allows the size and therefore cost of the heat pump system to be reduced while most of the carbon savings can still be achieved.
SOLAR POWER (SOLAR THERMAL, PV & PVT)
Solar power is another solution that can be used as a top-up or back-up for your heat pump system. Solar power technology includes solar thermal collectors, Photovoltaic (PV) Cells and PVT (Photovoltaic-Thermal).
Solar thermal collectors are roof or ground-mounted panels that utilise the sun's radiation to heat water. This can either be used directly in a heating system or can be combined with a GSHP to 'recharge' the ground and increase the efficiency of the heat pump.
Similar to solar thermal, PV Cells generate electricity rather than heat a fluid. A well-established technology, the price of solar PV has dropped dramatically over the last decade, providing an economical source of energy for a site.
PVT is a hybrid solar energy system that combines PV and solar thermal technologies into a single integrated system. Not only does the system generate electricity but also captures solar energy to provide hot water, space heating and so forth.
GED offers a Feasibility Study that includes modelling solar technology and offering options on how to best couple this technology with heat pumps to deliver a perfectly balanced system.
Interested in working with us?
We provide low carbon heating solutions and a wide range of design services, with the technical expertise to create any solution. Feel free to reach out with details of your needs and we’ll see how we can help craft a solution for you.