Vertical Axis, Horizontal Axis: Positives And Negatives Of Geothermal Systems Installations
Posted on: 13 May 2017
Geothermal systems for heating and cooling are an investment, but they are a very worthwhile investment. If you are going to install a geothermal system for your industrial plant, you are installing the means to reduce your carbon footprint and turn your plant into a very "green" company. However, it may be of interest to you to know that these systems are installed along a vertical or horizontal axis, which means you need to have enough open property to excavate the installation site. The positives and negatives of the installation along these axes follows.
Vertical Axis for Installation
If your industrial property is severely limited on available property, but it has just enough property left to dig straight down, then the vertical installation is the right solution for you. The heat exchange loop is installed straight down into a hole in the ground, about twenty-odd feet. This means you can still enjoy all of the benefits of geothermal heating. The bad part, which is not so bad, is that if your heating coil ever needs to be repaired or replaced, it it incredibly difficult to dig up and fix. However, since geothermal units have a very long life, repairs should not be part of your immediate or later future.
Horizontal Axis for Installation
This is the much more common of geothermal installation processes. However, it does require a very long swatch of property that currently does not have any buildings or structures resting on it. Backhoes and excavators will come in to rip this area up and dig a deep enough and long enough trench in which to install the heating loop before burying it back up again. Additionally, you can never build over the top of the loop, nor can you pave that area in case the system needs repairs. You would not want to rip up the floor of an addition to the factory nor rip up a brand new parking lot for something such as that. The upshot is that this type of installation makes it much easier to access the loop and repair it, should it ever need repairs.
Above-Ground Is Not an Option
Unlike other heating and cooling systems, the geothermal system cannot be taken from the ground and be built above ground. It relies entirely on the temperatures within the ground itself. Attempting to convert the system from a below-ground system to an above-ground system simply will not work.
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