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I. INTRODUCTION TO
ECONAR HEAT PUMPS
ECONAR Energy Systems, Corp. has been producing
geothermal heat pumps in Minnesota for over fifteen
years. The cold winter climate has driven the design of
ECONAR Energy System's heating and cooling
equipment to what is known as a "Cold Climate"
geothermal heat pump. This cold climate technology
focuses on maximizing the energy savings available in
heating dominated regions without sacrificing comfort.
Extremely efficient cooling, dehumidification and
optional domestic hot water heating are also provided in
one neatly packaged system.
Geothermal heat pumps get their name from the transfer
of heat to and from the earth. The earth coupled heat
exchanger (geothermal loop) supplies the source energy
for heating and absorbs the discharged energy from
cooling. The system uses a compression cycle, much like
your refrigerator, to collect the earth's energy supplied by
the sun and uses it to heat your home. Since the process
only moves heat and does not create it, the efficiencies are
three to four times higher than the most efficient fossil
fuel systems.
ECONAR produces three types of GeoSource 2000 heat
pumps: hydronic heat pumps, which transfer heat from
water to water; forced air heat pumps, which transfer heat
from water to air; and combination heat pumps, which
incorporate the hydronic heating of a water to water unit
into a forced air unit. This guide discusses the hydronic
units.
ECONAR's hydronic heat pump transfers energy from the
earth-coupled heat exchanger to hydronic heating and
cooling equipment. Water-to-water heat pumps have the
ability to supply heated or chilled water for use in a wide
range of heating and cooling applications.
Safety and comfort are both inherent to, and designed into
ECONAR Energy System's geothermal heat pumps.
Since the system runs completely on electrical energy,
your entire home can have the safety of being gas free.
The best engineering and quality control is built into
every ECONAR heat pump built. Proper application and
correct installation will assure excellent performance and
customer satisfaction.
ECONAR's commitment to quality is written on the side
of every heat pump we build. Throughout the building
process the technicians that build each unit sign their
names to the quality assurance label after completing their
inspections. As a final quality test, every unit goes
through a full run test where the performance and
operation is verified in both the heating and cooling
modes. No other manufacturer goes as far as to run a full
performance check to assure system quality.
** IMPORTANT**
Service of refrigerant based equipment can be hazardous
due to system pressure and 230 volt electrical energy.
Only trained or qualified service personnel can install,
repair or service refrigerant equipment.
1 Warning -
Turn off the main switches before
performing service or maintenance to this unit. Electrical
shock can cause personal injury. The installer is
responsible to see that all local electrical, plumbing,
heating and air conditioning codes are followed.
II. UNIT LOCATION/
MOUNTING
Locate the unit in an indoor area where the ambient
temperature will remain above 45
o
F. Servicing of the
heat pump is done primarily from the front. Rear access
is desirable and should be provided when possible. A
field installed drain pan is required under the entire unit
where accidental water discharge could damage
surrounding floors, walls or ceilings.
Units must be mounted on a vibration-absorbing pad
slightly larger than the base to provide isolation between
the unit and the floor. Water supply pumps should not be
hard plumbed directly to the unit with copper pipe; this
could transfer vibration from the water pump to the
refrigeration circuit, causing a resonating sound. Hard
plumbing could also transfer vibration noise from the unit
through the piping to the living space.
,CAUTION - Before driving screws into the cabinet,
check on the inside of the unit to be sure the screw will
not hit electrical or refrigeration lines.
III. EARTH LOOP WATER
PIPING
Since water is the source of energy in the wintertime and
the energy sink in the summertime, good water supply is
possibly the most important requirement of a geothermal
heat pump system installation. There are two common
types of water supplies, closed loop systems and open
loop systems.
A. Closed Loop Applications
A closed loop system recirculates the same water/
antifreeze solution through a closed system of
underground high-density polyethylene pipe. As the
solution passes through the pipe, it collects heat (in the
heating mode) that is being transferred from the relatively
warm surrounding soil through the pipe and into the
relatively cold solution. The solution is circulated to the
heat pump, which pulls heat out of the solution, and then
back through the ground to extract more heat from the
earth.
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