Geothermal Learning System (varying ground conditions)
46126-AGallery
Description
A compact workstation to teach the fundamentals of residential geothermal heat pumps
This system allows students to develop knowledge in heat transfer and air conditioning. The exercises are designed learn the skills required during installation, operation, and troubleshooting of geothermal heat pumps.
Geothermal heat pumps are among the most energy efficient systems available today for heating and cooling residences. Like solar and wind energies, geothermal is among the renewable energy sources whose utilization increases each year, meaning that more qualified technicians need to be trained.
The Geothermal Learning System (varying ground conditions) is designed to maximize learning capabilities by regrouping every subsystem in geothermal home energy installations. It consists of a geothermal heat pump, ground-loop heat exchanger, pumping station, domestic hot water system, circulation pump, control panel, and the instrumentation required to measure the operating parameters of the system.
Students learn the fundamentals of heat transfer, refrigeration, and air conditioning applied to geothermal heat pumps. It is suitable for varied educational requirements: future system designers and builders, maintenance technicians, and students learning the concept of energy efficiency in general.
With its courseware containing detailed theory and practical exercises, the Geothermal Learning System (varying ground conditions) is the most efficient and effective way to gain the knowledge and skills that are put into practice every day in the geothermal industry.
The Geothermal Learning System (varying ground conditions), is variant of the Geothermal Learning System. It contains the same equipment with the addition of second geothermal heat pump with its control panel. This heat pump is used to control the temperature of the water in the tank to simulate various ground conditions.
Features & Benefits
- Compact and safe workstation that faithfully replicates a geothermal residential installation
- Simulates the effects of various ground-loop lengths and configurations as well as changing environmental conditions
- Temperature measurement points, flow meters and pressure gauges to demonstrate the theoretical concepts involved
- Standard commercial components students will use in the field
- Six instructor-insertable electrical faults to develop troubleshooting skills
Topic Coverage
- Explain the concept of geothermal energy, geothermal heat pumps, ground loops, and the refrigeration cycle
- Plot the refrigeration cycle on a pressure-enthalpy diagram using pressures and temperatures measured on the learning system
- Determine COP and energy efficiency ratio (EER) using measured temperature, humidity, voltage, and current values
- Learn how to characterize a geothermal heat pump system
- Analyze and compare two geothermal heat pump system projects using reports produced by software design tools