geothermal loop instalation thermal battery

New method of geothermal loop installation

author: Paweł Kwarciński

[email protected]

Target:To build in cohesive soil or sands over the water table this kind of heat battery. In summer heated water from solar collector goes to the center and radiacally heat the soil. In winter the heating medium in pipes goes in other direction (from outside to inside and takes heat stored in summer.

This pipes might be also driven around your thermal battery to catch heat running out your system.

Types of ground loops we know:


-horizontal-vertical

I would like to propose new type closed ground loop which will be cheaper in installation than vertical and horizontal loop, will take less space and will be more heat effective than horizontal loop. I also assume that it will be very fast in installation.

New type of geothermal loop characteristics


shape - continuous PE pipe



could be installed from bottom of linear excavation to be more heat effective



depth - 4-8 meters depending on soil conditions, equipment and eventual driving assistance (for example water jetting)

depth may be shallower in case of obstacles



spacing between loops 0.5-1m or even more in case of obstacles

spacing may be wider in case of obstacles



Width of loops 0.2-0.5 m depends on driving apparatus width

Installation steps


1. We dig an excavation. Depth of excavation depends on required system efficiency and soil conditions.

Installation steps


a) pile - main element of apparatus driven by vibrohammer into ground, may be done from H-beam or sheet pile

2. We install coiled PE pipe on installation apparatus. Invented apparatus consist of four main elements:


b) pile head - welded to pile end; bends during installation PE pipe by 180 deg. Additionally it may be equipped with bearings that guide PE pipe and reduce friction (yellow on one of below shotscreens)


c) steel tube (grey)- welded to one side of pile, it shields PE pipe during installation


d) digging share (violet)- attached to pile head (this could be frictional connection but also digging sgare may be hold by steel wire, threaded bar or other that will ease detaching digging share from pile head); digging share holds PE pipe by clamping rings (green); digging share has 3 main purposes:- shields pile head during installation- shields PE pipe during installation- anchors PE pipe in ground after start of pile pulling

View’s on aparatus ready for installation


pile

pile head

steel tube

clamping rigs

digging share

bolt connecting clamping rig and

digging share

Semi sectional view


clamping rigs

Overall view on aparatus


steel pipe with PE pipe inside

coiled PE pipe

pile

digging share pile head

Installation steps


3. We attache apparatus to vibrohammer and position it over excavation bottom.

We attach wooden or steel block to pipe end in order to avoid pulling it below ground level during installation.

Installation steps


4. Start of installation. During installation the PE pipe is uncoiled it enters to steel shielding pipe is bended on pile head and exit apparatus on other side. Please pay attention to fact that during installation PE pipe is shielded by steel pipe and digging share and after exiting pile head on other side of apparatus it is not moving against the soil. Thanks to this the risk of PE pipe damage is minimized.

Installation steps


5. We reach maximum installation depth. Maximum installation depth may be limited either by apparatus length or by soil conditions.

Installation steps


6. We pull apparatus up. The shape of digging share forces it to stay in ground (anchor). The Digging share holds PE pipe by clamping rigs. The PE pipe is uncoiling enters steel shielding pipe and exits it on apparatus bottom. In this steps there is also no movement between PE pipe and soil which reduces damage risks.

Installation steps


7. After pulling apparatus over ground level we install new digging share with clamping rigs which hold PE pipe and reposition apparatus to next installation point.

We can use portable template with groove for PE pipe which will secure PE pipe against damage.

Installation steps


8. we continue installation process.

To check if man principles works correct I’ve invested some money.On October 2013 I’ve build and tested if the digging share will stay in

the ground

I took 5m long sheet pile, 2 blue HDPE pipes, connected on the bottom by digging share. The digging share was connected with top of pile by steel ropes.

When we have driven sheet pile we released the ropes and pulled up apparatus by vibrohammer.

The digging share stayed in the ground and kept plastic pipes on its position.

So at least that I have checked. To develope it more I need to find someone who believe in it.

Please look on next slides to see photographs of apparatus and test.

Please notice that apparatus you see on photographs is only to check the digging share principle of work and that apparatus acc. to my patent will be completely different!!!

As you can imagine never such kind of apparatus was used and tested, at least according to information I gathered before sending patent application, so please treat presented model like a pictorial one that only explains the main principles of work.

For sure many elements of apparatus will be redesigned and improved compared to drawings I've presented today. The digging share doesn't have to rounded, the pile doesn't have to be H-beam shaped, the coil with PE pipe doesn’t have to be attached to apparatus etc. I have dozens of improvements in my head that will allow installation on bigger depths, with bigger speed for smaller money and with better future heat transfers.

If you have any questions and would l ike to ask for more detai ls please contact me.

Paweł Kwarcińskie-mail: [email protected]. +48 797 147 962Skype. kwarcinski1

Thank you for your attention!

geothermal loop instalation thermal battery

Environment

installation pe pipe

pawe kwarciskisteel

pawe kwarciskid

pawe kwarciski3

pawe kwarciski1

pawe kwarciskispacing

installation shields

installation anchors