Trane Sales Webinar

Central Geothermal Systems

A System Overview

Trane Sales Webinar

Lee Cline P.E.

Senior Principal Systems Engineer

Trane
La Crosse, WI

Agenda
Overview
Single Chiller/Heater Configurations
Multiple Chiller/ Heater Bi-directional Cascade
Water-to-Water Heat Pump Configurations
A Few Lessons
Additional Resources

Q&A

Distributed Geothermal System

WSHPs
Dedicated outdoor air units
Optional fluid cooler
Water pumps
Geo heat exchanger

vertical-loop ground
heat exchanger (borefield)

heat
pumps

water pumps

Central Geothermal System

Chillers provide heating and cooling

Ground couple for an efficiency boost
Central air handlers
VAV terminals
Water pumps
Auxiliary boilers
Fluid or dry cooler
Geothermal loop
(borefield)

chiller/heaters

Air handlers
VAV boxes

Central Geothermal Customer Benefits

Compared to Distributed

Premium efficiency (LEED EA Credit #1)

Efficient central equipment

Bi-directional cascading
VAV
Air economizing
Better heat recovery management

Easy to maintain
Central equipment, few cooling units
Uses equipment rooms, no access to occupied space
required
Simpler coil condensate collection

Central Geothermal Customer Benefits

Compared to Distributed

Low space noise (ASA 12.60)

Fans and compressors away from occupied space
Noise paths can be more easily attenuated

Good IAQ
Many filtration options available (LEED EQ 5 MERV 13)
Easier to deliver 30% more outdoor air (LEED EQ 2)

Vertical Markets
Education
Primary and secondary
Colleges and universities

Government
Federal sector
State and county level

Long-term owners
Accept extended payback periods
Interested in embracing green technologies
Usually have space for a borefield

10

Incentives
Utility
Reimbursement
Tax (if private)

www.dsireusa.org
11

Central Geothermal

System Types
System Type
Single chiller/heater
systems
cascading
multi-chiller/heater
systems
Water-to-water
heat pump system

12

Capacity Range

Target Market

K / 12 Schools
Simpler / Smaller
(based on typical industry units) Premium Efficiency

70-250 tons

High School / Secondary Ed

> 36,000 sq. ft
(based on typical industry units) Super Premium Efficiency
150-1500 tons

Small Building Large Volume

5-200 tons
80% of Buildings < 25,000 sq ft
(based on typical industry units) Premium Efficiency

Agenda
Single Chiller-Heater Central Geothermal Systems
Four-pipe distribution system configuration

Two-pipe distribution system configuration

Multiple Unit Cascading Systems

Water-to-Water Heat Pump Based Systems

13

Central Geothermal Systems

Single Chiller-Heater
Allow screw compressor chiller-heater based CGS
systems down to 70-75 tons

Simple configurations
Simpler operation
Two basic distribution configurations:
4-pipe simultaneous heating/cooling
2-pipe changeover heating/cooling

14

Single Chiller-Heater CGS

4-pipe distribution / Constant flow (3-way control valves)
heating
loads

aux
heat

from
ground
source

P-HT

cond

VAL-1 / VGS

CHR-1
Chiller/Heater

P-GS

P-CH

evap

to
ground
source
cooling
loads

15

Single Chiller-Heater CGS

4-pipe distribution / Constant flow (3-way control valves)
heating
loads

aux
heat

from
ground
source

P-HT

cond

VAL-1 / VGS

CHR-1
Chiller/Heater

P-GS

P-CH

evap

to
ground
source

Standard chilled water

system maybe constant
flow, primary/secondary or
variable primary flow

16

cooling
loads

Single Chiller-Heater CGS

4-pipe distribution / Constant Flow (3-way control valves)
heating
loads

aux
heat

from
ground
source

P-HT

cond

VAL-1 / VGS

CHR-1
Chiller/Heater

P-GS

P-CH

evap

to
ground
source

Heating water system will

likely be constant flow or
primary/secondary

17

cooling
loads

Single Chiller-Heater CGS

4-pipe distribution / Decoupled pumping
Primary/secondary
heating water system
- for expanded
distribution delta T
and variable flow
from
ground
source

heating
loads
heating water
by-pass
aux
heat
P-CD

cond

VAL-1 / VGS

CHR-1
Chiller/Heater

P-GS

P-CH

to
ground
source

P-HT

evap
chilled water
by-pass
cooling
loads

18

Single Chiller-Heater CGS

4-pipe distribution / 3-way control valves
heating
loads

aux
heat

from
ground
source

P-HT

cond

VAL-1 / VGS

CHR-1
Chiller/Heater

P-GS

P-CH

evap

to
ground
source
cooling
loads

Ground-source loop should be variable flow

for controllability and pumping efficiency

19

Central Geothermal System Options

Auxiliary heating
NOT OPTIONAL for single unit systems

Auxiliary heat rejection

Auxiliary cooling

Contingency cooling connections

20

Central Geothermal System Options

heating
loads
aux ht
reject

from
ground
source

cond

P-HT

VAL-1 / VGS
P-GS

Chiller/Heater
P-CH

to
ground
source

aux
heat

evap
aux
Contingency
Cooling
cooling
Connections

cooling
loads

21

Single Chiller/Heater
Central Geothermal Systems

Single Chiller-Heater CGS

2-pipe distribution / Constant Flow (3-way control valves)

to
ground
source

V3

V1
P-DS
auxiliary
heat

from
ground
source

P-GS

cond

V4

building
loads

Chiller/
Heater
evap

V2

23

Single Chiller-Heater CGS

2-pipe distribution / Constant Flow (3-way control valves)
Cooling only mode
to
ground
Chilled
source

V3

water distribution
V1
will likely be constant flow
or primary/secondary
from
ground
source

P-GS

P-DS
auxiliary
heat

cond

V4

building
loads

Chiller/
Heater
evap

V2

24

Single Chiller-Heater CGS

2-pipe distribution / Constant Flow (3-way control valves)
Cooling only mode
to
ground
source

V3

V1
P-DS
auxiliary
heat

from
ground
source

P-GS

cond

V4

evap

Ground-source loop
providing cool water to the
chiller/heater condenser
V2

25

building
loads

Chiller/
Heater

Single Chiller-Heater CGS

2-pipe distribution / Constant Flow (3-way control valves)
Heating only mode
to
ground
source

V3

V1
P-DS
auxiliary
heat

from
ground
source

P-GS

cond

V4

building
loads

Chiller/
Heater
evap

Heating water distribution

will likely be constant flow
or primary/secondary

26

V2

Single Chiller-Heater CGS

2-pipe distribution / Constant Flow (3-way control valves)
Heating only mode
to
ground
source

Ground-source loop

V3 providing warm water to the

V1

chiller/heater evaporator
P-DS
auxiliary
heat

from
ground
source

P-GS

cond

V4

building
loads

Chiller/
Heater
evap

V2

27

Multi-Chiller/Heater Cascading
Central Geothermal Systems

Central Geothermal Systems

Multi-Chiller/Heater Cascading
from
ground
source

VAL-1 / VGSC

PB

to
ground
source
PH
M

M
heating
load

PLc

cond
A

VAL-2
/ VEC

On
Cool

cond
B

evap

On
Heat

evap
M
PLe

PC
cooling
load

29

M VAL-3
/ VCC

Multi-Chiller/Heater Cascading Review

Number of Chiller-Heaters
2-6 Units
Nominal 80-250 ton unit capacity
Actual 150-1500 ton plant size

Operating conditions
38 leaving chilled water
140 leaving condenser water (lower is better)
Not at the same time!

Cascading has the potential to increase plant efficiency

The energy transfer loops increase plant controllability

30

Multi-Chiller/Heater Cascading Introduction

from
ground
source

VAL-1 / VGSC

PB

to
ground
source
PH
M

M
heating
load

PLc

cond
A

VAL-2
/ VEC

On
Cool

cond
B

evap

On
Heat

evap
M
PLe

PC
cooling
load

31

M VAL-3
/ VCC

Multi-Chiller/Heater Cascading Introduction

from
ground
source

VAL-1 / VGSC

PB

to
ground
source
PH
M

M
heating
load

PLc

cond
A

Cooling system

VAL-2
/ VEC

On
Cool

cond
B

evap

evap
M

PC
cooling
load

32

On
Heat

M VAL-3
/ VCC

Standard Chilled Water

PLe
System
may be:
constant flow
primary/secondary or
variable primary flow

Multi-Chiller/Heater Cascading Introduction

from
ground
source

VAL-1 / VGSC

PB

to
ground
source
PH

Heating Water System will

PLcflow or
likely be constant
primary/secondary

cond
A

M
VAL-2
/ VEC

On
Cool

M
heating
load

cond
B

evap

Heating system
On
Heat

evap
M
PLe

PC
cooling
load

33

M VAL-3
/ VCC

Multi-Chiller/Heater Cascading Introduction

Ground-source loop
from
ground
source

VAL-1 / VGSC

PB

Ground-source loop
should be variable
flow for pumping
efficiency

to
ground
source
PH
M

M
heating
load

PLc

cond
A

VAL-2
/ VEC

On
Cool

cond
B

evap

On
Heat

evap
M
PLe

PC
cooling
load

34

M VAL-3
/ VCC

Multi-Chiller/Heater Cascading Introduction

Condenser Energy Transfer Loop
from
ground
source

VAL-1 / VGSC

PB

to
ground
source
PH
M

M
heating
load

PLc

cond
A

VAL-2
/ VEC

On
Cool

cond
B

evap

On
Heat

evap
M
PLe

PC

Condenser Energy Transfer

Loop brings coolingcooling
water to
load
condenser from ground-source
loop or heater evaporator

35

M VAL-3
/ VCC

Multi-Chiller/Heater Cascading Introduction

from
ground
source

VAL-1 / VGSC

PB

to
ground
source
PH
M

M
heating
load

PLc

cond
A

VAL-2
/ VEC

On
Cool

cond
B

evap

On
Heat

evap
M
PLe

PC

Evaporator Energy Transfer

coolingto
Loop brings warm water
load
evaporator from ground-source
loop or chiller condenser

36

M VAL-3
/ VCC

Evaporator Energy Transfer Loop

Multi-Chiller/Heater Cascading Introduction

Single Chiller-Heater Operation
from
ground
source

VAL-1 / VGSC

PB

to
ground
source
PH
M

M
heating
load

PLc

cond
A

VAL-2
/ VEC

On
Cool

cond
B

evap

On
Heat

evap
M
PLe

PC
cooling
load

37

M VAL-3
/ VCC

Multiple chiller-heater systems

can and will provide simultaneous
cooling and heating with one unit.

Central Geothermal Systems

Water To Water Heat Pump

38

WWHP Simple piping - dedicated pumps

Heating
load

PC

PH

Cooling
load

evap

Water-to-Water
Heat Pumps

From wellfield
PW

To wellfield

39

cond

evap
On
Cool

On
Cool

cond

cond

Off

evap

On
Heat

Key Design Issues

Geothermal vs Heat Recovery
Optimizing life cycle costs
Borefield sizing
Supplemental heating
Auxiliary heat rejection

Load shedding economizer

40

Application Comparison

Geothermal vs Heat Recovery

Geothermal
Separate heating and
cooling seasons
Relatively balanced
Real estate for ground
source system
Capital availability for
ground-source system
Energy savings driven

41

Heat Recovery
Significantly cooling
dominant
Relatively low peak or
average heating load
Right-sized heat
recovery unit
Energy and ROI driven

optimizing life cycle costs

Ground-Source Sizing

Must consider
Peak building demand
Annualized building energy balance

Optimization
Reduce peak demand cooling and heating
Balance annual heating and cooling loads
Consider a hybrid system design
Fluid cooler
Pond / lake system

42

Heating Dominate
Seasonal Load Profile
Building Load Profile
600000
Cooling

Energy

Heating

0
Jan Feb Mar

Apr May Jun

Jul
Month

43

Aug Sep Oct

Nov Dec Total

Cooling Dominate
Seasonal Load Profile
Total vs. monthly?
Building Load Profile
500000
Cooling

Energy

Heating

0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Jul Aug Sep Oct

Month

44

Nov Dec Total

Addressing Load Profile Imbalance

A cooling dominate building

Reduce solar loading and/or interior loads
Auxiliary energy rejection (e.g. fluid cooler)
Add heat load to system (e.g. domestic hot water)

A heating dominate building

Auxiliary heating system (e.g. condensing boiler)
Thermal solar heating

Optimize the building life cycle cost

Reducing borefield size
Increasing borefield utilization for energy efficiency
45

Multi-Chiller/Heater Cascading
from
ground
source

VAL-1 / VGSC

to
ground
source

PB

PH
M

M
heating
load

PLc

cond
A

VAL-2
/ VEC

On
Cool

cond
B

evap

On
Heat

evap
M
PLe

PC
cooling
load

46

M VAL-3
/ VCC

Packaged Central Geothermal Plants

47

A Few Lessons
Do not oversize the plant!
Do a computerized load analysis not rule of thumb
Size for block loading - not sum of the coil peaks

Apply optimization principles

Pump pressure optimization
Load based setpoint resets

Have auxiliary / backup heat in single unit systems

Watch the condenser minimum flow in heating
Fully and carefully document control
system sequence of operation
Do not leave the details to the controls field technician

48

Additional Resources
Applications Engineering Manual - SYS-APM009-EN
includes single and multiple chiller/heater configurations.

49

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