Geothermal Heat Pump Operation
The geothermal heat pump system consists of two units, an indoor unit that has a similar size to your typical gas furnace, and an outdoor component that directs the heat from the ground into the house in the winter time and ejects heat from the house into the ground in the summer time. The indoor component is commonly referred to as the "heat pump" while the outdoor component is referred to as the "loop".
The indoor heat pump, powered by electricity, increases the temperature of the intake source to around 35°C and distributes the heat throughout the house via a forced air or radiant floor heating/cooling system.
The loop is where the ground source heat is utilized. In general, a fluid such as water or food-grade refrigerant is pumped through the loop to carry heat energy into the house (in the winter time), or to carry heat energy out of the house (in the summer time). There are several types of loops and selecting the loop is based on the location of the site, available land, and geological setting. In general the loops may be classified as follows:
Open Loop System
Closed Loop System