Advanced in-ground/in-water heat exchange unit
First Claim
1. A geothermal heat exchange unit comprising a hollow sleeve having inner and outer walls about central axis, a helical winding of thermally conductive tubing around the outer wall and a return length of said thermally conductive tubing along the central axis of the sleeve separated from the inner wall of the sleeve by thermally insulating material.
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Abstract
A geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in ground or in water, having a hollow sleeve about which a helical winding of thermally conductive tubing is wound and a return length of thermally conductive tubing along the central axis of the sleeve separated from the inner wall of the sleeve by thermal insulating material. The heat exchange unit may be housed within a thermally conductive case with a thermally conductive material filling the gap between the inner wall of the case and the thermally conductive tubing surrounding the sleeve of the heat exchange unit. The thermally conductive case may have at least one set of helical fins which act as threads for ground insertion assistance. The heat exchange units may be combined to form greater lengths and be combined in series or parallel connection for greater efficiency.
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Citations
30 Claims
- 1. A geothermal heat exchange unit comprising a hollow sleeve having inner and outer walls about central axis, a helical winding of thermally conductive tubing around the outer wall and a return length of said thermally conductive tubing along the central axis of the sleeve separated from the inner wall of the sleeve by thermally insulating material.
Specification