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SECTION B THE HERALD December IMS Heat pumps draw free energy from the earth The earth under our feet is ai in severest winters Continually replenished by the sun this energy tan satisfy the year round heating requirements fur typit single family home In most regions or Canada the surface of freezes during winter Bui a few feci be low ground temperature of earth remains relatively con slant throughout the year Using proven and reliable tech known as energy heat pomps this low grade heal be tween and upgraded lo provide spate and water heating for an household In the summer the sys lent an be reversed tool die home with the recovered energy used lor domestic heating or heal swimming pool energy heal pumps arc growing in popularity across Can In addition to enabling lo tap into a free source of energy heat pumps arc quiet and long life and low maim Canada to conserve fuels at Ihe same me I the ful environmental impacts a burning these fuels energy heii pumps tan he it cither directly from the ground or from water in the ground Water or antifreeze is used as the is transferring energy from the How they work pumps upgrade the earths energy by circulating refrigerant gas through an evaporation and condensation cycle A compressor pumps Ihc re frig between two he exchangers one of which is in contact ihe earth energy source and the olher with the homes heating ducts In ihe first heat exchanger the evaporates into a gas as it absorbs heat from its surroundings liquid Irani the ground loop The refrigerant passes through a compressor where its pressure and temperature are raised 10 a level suitable heating rromlhc compressor the refrigerant moves iodic second heat exchanger where heat is removed and pumped ink home As the heal is extracted the re reverts to a liquid then isscs through expansion valve where its temperature and arc dropped further before- it is re turned to the first heat exchanger where it begins the cycle ogam Many energy systems an additional heat exchanger provide water heating In the summer the flow of the refrigerant is reversed causing heat to be- extruded from household air the domestic hot system The System thus acts air conditio and as heat source in winter source heat pumps jlso known as closed loop directly from ihe ground In these systems a loop of special plastic pipe is buried in ground and connected a heat pump on the surface An solution which has been chilled by the heal pump is circulated through the scaled loop absorbing heat from the ground around the pipe- Closed installed cither horizontally or vertically The length 11I the pipe will depend on several including the paciiy the heat pump type and temperature of the soil conditions and a number of other variables Inhonzonul installations the pipes arc placed in trenches about I m deep On average I it to HI pipe arc required per heal pump capacity The vertical installation method involves drilling a bore hole in the ground inserting a I shaped pipe A practical rule of thumb is HI m per tonne of healing capacity G rou nd watersou rce systems Groundwater source heal pumps also known as open loop terns heal from underground aquifers The aquifer is tapped by drilling a well A see water to the aquifer once it has passed through system loop systems merely remove heat from the aquifer they have no detrimental impact the environment This is assuming that system is well designed with proper return of the water to the aquifer and that water move and cooling does not seriously affect the water table Before installing such system iter source should be tested to ensure docs not contain corrosive or suspended solids which can damage the sys tern for hardness acidity and iron con tent This testing will be conducted by the contractor You should also consult local environmental authon tics to determine whether a license is required for the installation Consumer considerations A groundsource heat pump can reduce a home s annual energy costs by up to per cent However depending on the circumstances these systems may be more to install than most other heat and cooling systems On the other hand they are seldom limited in terms of location and work ef fectively even on small urban lots Groundwater generally not suitable in urban ar eas or where access aquifers is limited or nonexistent If your home needs a new fur and you are also considering central air conditioning a heat pump may be a cost effective solution If you decide to 1 nstull an eanh energy heat pump remember that most homes should also have a supple heating system usually electric duct heaters Earth energy systems should be sized to meet the maximum cooling and hot water needs of a home rather than iu peak heating requirements During severe weather conditions peak heating requirements can be met by the supplementary system Installation of an energy heat pump is not a job for do-it- yourselfers be designed installed and serviced by an experienced contractor However you can reduce the mands on the system by ensuring that your home is adequately insu lated and caulked Additional information on heat pumps is available from most local utilities