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Groundwater Heat Pump System Efficiency Measurements
- POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about measuring the performance efficiency or operating cost of ground water heat source heat pumps
Groundwater heat pump coefficient of performance COP and energy efficiency measurements.
This article discusses efficiency measurements of ground coupled heat pump systems: COP's and EER's. Also see our list of heat pump inspection, diagnosis, and repair articles beginning at HEAT PUMPS.
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Heat Pump Efficiency Measurements
Groundwater Heat Pumps: confused about COPs and EERs
Question:
Several well-water heat pump manufacturers claim COP's of 3 to 6 and EER's of 13 to 17 [1986 data].
But the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) (cited atReferences or Citations ) list tested COP's of 2.6 to 3.4 and EER's of 9 to 14.
Who's right? - Howard W. Murray, Bowie, MD
Answer:
You can't tell which COP and EER measurement for groundwater based heat pump systems is "right" without additional data describing the testing conditions, according to Atlanta-based engineer Don Abrams, author of "Ground Coupled Heat Pumps" [Solar Age Magazine, Sept. 1985].
See HEAT PUMP COP for a definition of heat pump COP or coefficient of performance and for comments about sources of variation in COP numbers.
At SEER RATINGS & OTHER DEFINITIONS we define EER, the Energy Efficiency Ratio for HVAC equipment.
The building's heating and cooling loads and incoming water temperature all affect the efficiency measurements of the heat pump system.
Another factor affecting measurement of a ground-coupled heat pump system's efficiency is the energy required to pump the water. this could, by itself, account for the groundwater heat pump efficiency measurement differences on the order reported in your question above.
ARI engineer David Feron says that for groundwater-source heat pump efficiencies to compare with ARI figures, testing has to be done in accordance with ARI [now AHRI, Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute] standard 325-85.
[Note: as of 2011 AHRI publishes the following standards for Water-Source & Ground Water-Source Heat Pumps]
- AHRI 320-1998: Water-Source Heat Pumps
- AHRI 325-1998: Ground Water-Source Heat Pumps
- AHRI 330-1998: Ground Source Closed-Loop Heat Pumps
- AHRI 410-2001: Forced-Circulation Air-Cooling and Air-Heating Coils
The question-and-answer article about heat pumps, quotes-from, updates, and comments an original article from Solar Age Magazine and written by Steven Bliss. Adapted with permission. January 2011.
Geothermal Energy & GeoExchange or Earth-Coupled Ground-Source or Water Source Heat Pump Rules of Thumb
Current Energy Use measurements for heat pumps are expressed as EER or COP. The range of top performing heat pumps in 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, can provider
- An EER of 18.1 to 28.7, and a COP ranging from 3.8 to 5
- Annual energy use between 1730 and 5034
Using current best ground source heat pump technology as of August 2017, to obtain one ton of heating or cooling energy a ground-source heatpump system will need a 100-foot deep (or long) hole into which a 1/4" or 1/2" tube of refrigerant will be looped. This data is for typical soil conditions found in the Hudson Valley such as Poughkeepsie, New York 12603.
Soil and site conditions that affect the cost and trouble of the soil drilling to install a geothermal energy system vary considerably by both geographic area and site specific conditions such as hitting buried boulders, convenient drilling location, angle, and depths available.
- For the geoghermal heat pump bore hole rule of thumb, special thanks to Christopher Ryan, M.P., owner of Geo Geothermal Energy Options, POB 499, Lagrangeville NY 12540 Tel: 845-240-1827, Website: geo-us.com Email: Crhis@geo-us.com who provided this comment during a Vassar College leaseholders meeting in August 2017.
Website excerpt:
Geothermal Energy Options is a full service geothermal heating and cooling company. We engineer, design and install residential systems and specialize in direct exchange geothermal.
References on ground and ground water source heat pumps
- Addison ? WATER to AIR PACKAGED HEAT PUMP WPH-SERIES IO MANUAL [PDF] (1996)
- AMERICAN WATER HEATER 50 GALLON RESIDENTIAL HYBRID ELECTRIC HEAT PUMP MANUAL [PDF] Model HPHE10250H045DV (2015)
- BARD WATER SOURCE HEAT PUMP GV-SERIES INSTALLATION MANUAL [PDF] (2015) Manual No. 2100-545E Models: GV27S2AA GV38S2AA GV51S2AA GV61S2AA GV71S2AA
- Carvalho, Anabela D., Pedro Moura, Gilberto C. Vaz, and Anibal T. de Almeida. "Ground source heat pumps as high efficient solutions for building space conditioning and for integration in smart grids." Energy Conversion and Management 103 (2015): 991-1007.
Abstract:
Buildings space conditioning is a key sector with a high potential for cost effective energy and carbon savings, in which high efficient heat pumps can have a significant contribution. Besides consuming electricity increasingly produced by renewable energies, heat pumps can also have an important role to balance supply and demand, allowing the integration of intermittent renewable generation in smart grids.
The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that ground source heat pumps are a very high efficiency technology for buildings space conditioning, and present a high potential for electric load management as a flexible load, when combined with the thermal storage capacity of the building.
The very high efficiency of an advanced ground source heat pump system, which integrates state of art components in an optimal manner, was assessed considering the seasonal performance factors for one complete heating season and one complete cooling season, calculated based on the monitored data of an experimental site installed in a service building in Portugal.
Innovative load management strategies to control the heat pump coupled with the thermal mass of the building were tested and its associated benefits, including integration for intermittent generation, were evaluated.
The thermal response of the building was analyzed applying a model based on the lumped capacitance method, and it was validated with experimental data. A load shifting strategy by preheating the building and avoiding peak periods is proposed to allow the use of lower electricity rates leading to a reduction of electricity costs of 34%.
Additionally preheating the buildings also contributes a larger integration of the renewable generation surplus (19–30% of the surplus generation). The implementation of Demand Response actions by switching off heating loads, during some periods of time, to compensate the variations and forecasting errors of wind power is also evaluated with positive impacts. - CMHC, Residential Earth Energy Systems, Buyer's Guide [PDF], Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, ed. (2002) ISBN 0-662-30980-4 retrieved 2017/05/23, original source http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/M92-236-
- Egg, Jay, & Brian Howard, Geothermal HVAC, [Amazon.com] McGraw-Hill Professional; ISBN-10: 0071746102, ISBN-13: 978-0071746106, quoting:
This definitive guide covers commercial and residential geothermal heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technologies and explains how to take advantage of their money- and energy-saving features. Geothermal HVAC: Green Heating and Cooling reviews the array of choices currently available, offers market values for systems based on varying options and conditions, and describes how to pair the best systems for each application and budget.
Whether you're a contractor or a consumer, you'll find out what you need to know to implement a geothermal HVAC system in a retrofit or new construction project, and start benefiting from this sustainable, affordable technology. - ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2017 - Geothermal Heat Pumps [PDF], retrieved 2017/08/15, original source https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=most_efficient.me_geothermal_heat_pumps
- Girard, Aymeric, Eulalia Jadraque Gago, Tariq Muneer, and Gustavo Caceres. "Higher ground source heat pump COP in a residential building through the use of solar thermal collectors." Renewable energy 80 (2015): 26-39.
- Healy, P. F., and V. I. Ugursal. "Performance and economic feasibility of ground source heat pumps in cold climate." International Journal of Energy Research 21, no. 10 (1997): 857-870.
- Kim, Jinsang, and Yujin Nam. "A NUMERICAL STUDY on system performance of groundwater heat pumps." [PDF] Energies 9, no. 1 (2015): 4. Retrieved 2017/08/16, original source: www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/1/4/pdf
- Liu, Zhijian, Wei Xu, Cheng Qian, Xi Chen, and Guangya Jin. "Investigation on the feasibility and performance of ground source heat pump (GSHP) in three cities in cold climate zone, China." Renewable Energy 84 (2015): 89-96.
- Lund, John, B. Sanner, L. Rybach, R. Curtis, and G. Hellstrom. "GEOTHERMAL (ground-source) heat pumps-a world overview."[PDF] (2004). Retrieved 2017/08/17, original source https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ladislaus_Rybach/publication/238065306_ Geothermal_ground_source_heat_pumps-A_world_overview/links/ 0a85e53385d9cb1f33000000/Geothermal-ground-source-heat-pumps-A-world-overview.pdf
Conclusions Excerpt:
While installations of these systems have been quietly growing, there has been limited recognition that they make a contribution to the adoption of renewable energy. This is partly because they are purely associated with the provision of heating and cooling, and therefore, do not figure in renewable electricity considerations.
However, there are two other factors--a question mark over the sustainability of the energy from the ground, and a widespread notion, based on air source heat pumps, that there is no net gain in energy output--and that they are, therefore, only an energy efficiency technology.
...
Ground-coupled heat pumps are demonstrating SPFs in excess of 3.5. This results in an apparent “efficiency” of 140%, with 71% of the final energy now coming from the ground. More importantly there is an excess of 40% over and above the original energy consumed in generating the electricity. - Mehrpooya, Mehdi, Hoofar Hemmatabady, and Mohammad H. Ahmadi. "Optimization of performance of combined solar collector-geothermal heat pump systems to supply thermal load needed for heating greenhouses." Energy Conversion and Management 97 (2015): 382-392.
- Thermco HPX SERIES WATER SOURCE HEAT PUMP IO MANUAL [PDF] 1 - 5 Ton Units (2015) Thermco Energy Systems, 74 Chula Brookfield Rd, Chula GA. 31733 USA, Tel: (904) 424-9773 Email: info@thermcoenergysystems.com Web: Thermcoenergysystems.com
- McQuay WATER SOURCE HEAT PUMPS CC / UC 330 MANUAL [PDF] EH Electro Hydroinic Systems
- McQuay Enfinity™ WATER SOURCE HEAT PUMP MANUAL [PDF] (2007) Model CCH & CCW Ceiling Concealed – Size 007–060 Model FCV & FCW Vertical Floor – Size 007–060, McQuay Air Conditioning,
- Miami Heat Pump / Thermco HPX Series 7.5 Ton & Up WATER SOURCE HEAT PUMP MANUAL [PDF] Miami Heat Pumps: Tel: (561) 705-7341 (904) 424-9773 Email: info@miamiheatpumps.com Web: miamiheatpumps.com
- Omer, Abdeen Mustafa. "Ground-source heat pumps systems and applications." Renewable and sustainable energy reviews 12, no. 2 (2008): 344-371.
- Ochsner, Karl & Robin Curtis,Geothermal Heat Pumps: A Guide for Planning and Installing, [Amazon.com], Earthscan Publications Ltd. (December 2007), ISBN-10: 1844074064, ISBN-13: 978-1844074068 quoting:
Geothermal Heat Pumps is the most comprehensive guide to the selection, design and installation of geothermal heat pumps available. This leading manual presents the most recent information and market developments in order to put any installer, engineer or architect in the position to design, select and install a domestic geothermal heat pump system.
Internationally respected expert Karl Ochsner presents the reasons to use heat pumps, introduces basic theory and reviews the wide variety of available heat pump models.
Expertly reviewed and adapted for the most geographically broad application possible, the book offers the reader valuable tips for planning and system control using data, graphics and tables from a growing and innovative market. - Rafferty, Kevin D. "WELL-PUMPING ISSUES in commercial groundwater heat pump systems." [PDF] ASHRAE Transactions 104 (1998): 927. Retrieved 2017/08/16, original source: http://www.oit.edu/docs/default-source/geoheat-center-documents/otl/resources/well-pumping-issues-commercial-groundwater-heat-pump-systems.pdf?sfvrsn=4
Abstract:
Groundwater flow minimizes total system power (well pump, heat pumps, loop pump) and is based upon building peak block load. Optimum flow for water temperatures in the 50°F to 70°F range is 1.25 gpm to 2.5 gpm per ton of peak block load, depending upon total pump head. Submersible pumps are likely to be the type used in most systems.
Contrary to popular belief, well pumping does not result in substantially lower groundwater system performance (system EER, system (COP) compared to closed-loop systems. In fact, groundwater systems, due to more favorable operating temperatures, can offer performance superior to ground-coupled systems under certain circumstances.
All systems evaluated in this report employ a plate heat exchanger to isolate the heat pump from the groundwater. - Safa, Amir A., Alan S. Fung, and Rakesh Kumar. "Heating and cooling performance characterisation of ground source heat pump system by testing and TRNSYS simulation." Renewable Energy 83 (2015): 565-575.
- SNYDER GENERAL & McQuay HVAC HISTORY, MANUALS - heat pump manuals for Snyder & McQuay water source heat pumps
- Stojanowski, John, Residential Geothermal Systems: Heating And Cooling Using The Ground Below, [Amazon.com], Pangea Publications LLC (March 17, 2010) ISBN-10: 0981922112, ISBN-13: 978-0981922119. Quoting from Amazon.com reviews:
Readers will learn how heat pumps are able to extract heat from relatively low temperature water circulating in ground loops and raise it to a temperature high enough to heat a home.
They will also learn how to estimate the size of the heat pump required and the ground loop size as well for straight 2-pipe, 4-pipe, 6-pipe and Slinky loop configurations. This is important in order to verify that the installer correctly sizes the system. Both horizontal and vertical loop systems, for GX and DX, are covered.Some of the technical issues that are addressed include: Loop water flow rates and Reynolds Number, heat of extraction/rejection, heating capacity, desuperheater setup, open-loop/closed-loop, SCW, pond loops, DX, Manual-J, COP.
The final chapter consists of a set of flowcharts guiding the homeowner to ask the pertinent questions needed for a successful installation.
Watch out, the geothermal and groundwater source heat pump articles just below are ridiculously expensive documents also available at Amazon.com.
- The 2009-2014 World Outlook for Ground and Ground Water Source Heat Pumps
- Outlook for Ground and Ground Water Source Heat Pumps in Greater China
- The 2009-2014 World Outlook for Single and Split System Ground and Ground Water Source Heat Pumps with 42,000 to 64,999 BTU Per Hour
The question-and-answer article above paraphrases, quotes-from, updates, and comments an original article from Solar Age Magazine and written by Steven Bliss. The link to the original Q&A article in PDF form immediately below is preceded by an expanded/updated online version of this article.
- Q&A on Groundwater Heat Pumps - original PDF version, use your browser's back button to return to this page. Solar Age Magazine, September 1986.
...
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- RATED COOLING CAPACITY
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Citations & References
In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
- Solar Age Magazine was the official publication of the American Solar Energy Society. The contemporary solar energy magazine associated with the Society is Solar Today. "Established in 1954, the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is the nation's leading association of solar professionals & advocates. Our mission is to inspire an era of energy innovation and speed the transition to a sustainable energy economy. We advance education, research and policy. Leading for more than 50 years. ASES leads national efforts to increase the use of solar energy, energy efficiency and other sustainable technologies in the U.S. We publish the award-winning SOLAR TODAY magazine, organize and present the ASES National Solar Conference and lead the ASES National Solar Tour – the largest grassroots solar event in the world."
- Steve Bliss's Building Advisor at buildingadvisor.com helps homeowners & contractors plan & complete successful building & remodeling projects: buying land, site work, building design, cost estimating, materials & components, & project management through complete construction. Email: info@buildingadvisor.com
Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com - Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, now the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, (AHRI), 2111 Wilson Blvd, Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22201, USA, Tel: 703.524.8800,
E-mail: ahri@ahrinet.org. Quoting from AHRI:
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is the trade association representing manufacturers of air conditioning, heating and commercial refrigeration equipment. AHRI’s 300+ member companies account for more than 90 percent of the residential and commercial air conditioning, space heating, water heating, and commercial refrigeration equipment manufactured and sold in North America.
AHRI Standards can be downloaded at no charge from http://www.ahrinet.org/Content/FindaStandard_218.aspx - Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, have provided us with (and we recommend) Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates'Technical Reference Guide to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Technical Reference Guide purchased as a single order. Just enter INSPECTATRG in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. - Geothermal HVAC, [Amazon.com] Jay Egg & Brian Howard, McGraw-Hill Professional; ISBN-10: 0071746102, ISBN-13: 978-0071746106, quoting:
This definitive guide covers commercial and residential geothermal heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technologies and explains how to take advantage of their money- and energy-saving features. Geothermal HVAC: Green Heating and Cooling reviews the array of choices currently available, offers market values for systems based on varying options and conditions, and describes how to pair the best systems for each application and budget. Whether you're a contractor or a consumer, you'll find out what you need to know to implement a geothermal HVAC system in a retrofit or new construction project, and start benefiting from this sustainable, affordable technology. - Geothermal Heat Pumps: A Guide for Planning and Installing, [Amazon.com], Karl Ochsner, Robin Curtis, Earthscan Publications Ltd. (December 2007), ISBN-10: 1844074064, ISBN-13: 978-1844074068quoting:
Geothermal Heat Pumps is the most comprehensive guide to the selection, design and installation of geothermal heat pumps available. This leading manual presents the most recent information and market developments in order to put any installer, engineer or architect in the position to design, select and install a domestic geothermal heat pump system. Internationally respected expert Karl Ochsner presents the reasons to use heat pumps, introduces basic theory and reviews the wide variety of available heat pump models. Expertly reviewed and adapted for the most geographically broad application possible, the book offers the reader valuable tips for planning and system control using data, graphics and tables from a growing and innovative market. - Residential Geothermal Systems: Heating And Cooling Using The Ground Below, [Amazon.com], John Stojanowski, Pangea Publications LLC (March 17, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0981922112, ISBN-13: 978-0981922119. Quoting from Amazon.com reviews:
Readers will learn how heat pumps are able to extract heat from relatively low temperature water circulating in ground loops and raise it to a temperature high enough to heat a home. They will also learn how to estimate the size of the heat pump required and the ground loop size as well for straight 2-pipe, 4-pipe, 6-pipe and Slinky loop configurations. This is important in order to verify that the installer correctly sizes the system. Both horizontal and vertical loop systems, for GX and DX, are covered.
Some of the technical issues that are addressed include: Loop water flow rates and Reynolds Number, heat of extraction/rejection, heating capacity, desuperheater setup, open-loop/closed-loop, SCW, pond loops, DX, Manual-J, COP. The final chapter consists of a set of flowcharts guiding the homeowner to ask the pertinent questions needed for a successful installation.
- Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
- In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
CONTINUE READING or RECOMMENDED ARTICLES.
- Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The HOME REFERENCE BOOK - the Encyclopedia of Homes and to use illustrations from The ILLUSTRATED HOME .
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