Quote:
Originally Posted by Otto
If it's a heat pump, I think to heat it absorbs heat from the air or whatever medium (i.e., ground water), and to cool it disperses heat to that medium. So, it heats or cools by running forwards or backwards, and if your unit is a window heat pump (as opposed to an air conditioner) you're good to go. On reflection, an AC should be essentially the same, cool outta one side and heat from the other.
|
The unit(s) that I own do not heat; I've never seen an operational unit that did have heat, What I'm wondering is if anyone knows if the window units with heat are heat pumps, or if they just put some resistive coils in the airflow and called it a heater.
If they are heat pumps I'd be happy to go out and buy a new one, if they just have resistive coils then I'll just stick with what I've got.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Otto
The underground container should be metal (preferably aluminum), which conducts heat vastly better than wood or plastic. Concrete is pretty good, too. The container and pipes are, in effect, extensions of the heat exchanger, so you'd want to insulate that portion carrying the heated or cooled product to the house.
|
Metal would definatley be better, but plastic barrels are free to me, and I think that 2 plastic would beat out 1 metal in my fairly low load situation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Otto
Your 68 degree ground water temp is excellent for heating, could be better for cooling.
|
I'm still trying to figure out if 30 deg ground temp would be best for cooling/ 100 deg ground temp for heat. Obviously if you had that situation you would skip the compressor, but as a mental exercise I'm trying to wrap my mind around the concept that colder/ hotter (to the max) is best, or is not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Otto
The Chinese have a tree that makes small berries which are excellent fuel, being mostly oil, that could be burned in winter in a wood pellet stove. Your county ag extension agent could help with particulars.
|
No fires allowed in bio-diesel production shed; Hundreds of gallons of Vegetable oil, 55 gallons of Methanol, various other flamable materials around.
Not a bad Idea; just not for this situation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Otto
Paint the building white, as white reflects sunlight and infared/ultraviolet energy much better than dark colors.
|
Already white walls; red roof. I like it that way. My house has a painted white roof though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Otto
A light-colored roof is a major advantage in the Sun Belt.
|
Definitely was a big difference in the house.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Otto
Home improvement stores also sell perforated reflective foil to put in attics or under shingles, which reflects energy away from the interior (or back into it). Cheap to install during original construction, but a pita after.
|
I'm not sold on the stuff just yet; but I may have to try it out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Otto
Best to keep the building from getting too hot in the first place, rather than then trying to expel heat from the building after the heat gets in.
|
Primary purpose of the system is actually to dry out my process water; the cooling is just a great by-product; my energy is going mostly in to leak sealing; but for a living space; absolutely.