Trench-conformable geothermal heat exchange reservoirs and related methods and systems
First Claim
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1. A geothermal heat exchanger for a ground trench, comprising:
- a substantially rectangular reservoir body having external flexible walls and is configured to selectively heat or cool liquid therein, depending on flow direction therethrough, the reservoir body having width, height, and length dimensions, wherein the width dimension is between 1-12 inches and the length dimension is between 10-100 feet, wherein the reservoir body has at least one inlet port on an upper end portion and at least one exit port on an opposing lower end portion that is longitudinally spaced apart from the at least one inlet port on the upper end portion in the length dimension, and wherein the reservoir body is sufficiently flexible to be rolled and/or folded for shipment; and
a jig comprising an upper rigid rectangular frame with downwardly extending sidewalls enclosing an upper portion of the reservoir body and releasably attached to an upper surface of the reservoir body to suspend a major portion of the reservoir body below the rectangular frame of the jig, wherein the jig terminates at the rectangular frame and leaves the bottom of the reservoir body exposed and free.
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Abstract
The disclosure describes trench-confirmable geothermal reservoirs that can snugly abut trench walls (that may be of virgin, compacted earth) for facilitating heat exchange and flow liquid from one lower end to an opposing top end, and vice versa, depending on desired heat exchange. The direction can be reversed for summer and winter heat/cooling configurations. A series of the reservoirs may be used for appropriate heat transfer. The water volume of the reservoirs is relatively large and slow moving for good earth heat conduction.
43 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A geothermal heat exchanger for a ground trench, comprising:
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a substantially rectangular reservoir body having external flexible walls and is configured to selectively heat or cool liquid therein, depending on flow direction therethrough, the reservoir body having width, height, and length dimensions, wherein the width dimension is between 1-12 inches and the length dimension is between 10-100 feet, wherein the reservoir body has at least one inlet port on an upper end portion and at least one exit port on an opposing lower end portion that is longitudinally spaced apart from the at least one inlet port on the upper end portion in the length dimension, and wherein the reservoir body is sufficiently flexible to be rolled and/or folded for shipment; and a jig comprising an upper rigid rectangular frame with downwardly extending sidewalls enclosing an upper portion of the reservoir body and releasably attached to an upper surface of the reservoir body to suspend a major portion of the reservoir body below the rectangular frame of the jig, wherein the jig terminates at the rectangular frame and leaves the bottom of the reservoir body exposed and free. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A geothermal closed loop heat exchange system, comprising:
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at least one geothermal heat exchange reservoir having at least one inlet port and at least one exit port, residing in a horizontal trench a distance below ground surface, wherein the heat exchange reservoir has front and rear primary external flexible walls with a shape that changes from a pre-installation shape to have an expanded liquid-filled shape in the horizontal trench such that at least the front and rear primary external flexible walls expand outward to conform to respective adjacent trench walls; a heat pump or water condenser in communication with the geothermal heat exchange reservoir; and a closed loop flow path having a flow direction connecting the inlet port and the exit port of the reservoir to the heat pump or water condenser to define a closed loop geothermal heat exchange system, wherein the closed loop flow path is configured to operate in a first direction where liquid enters the inlet port and leaves through the exit port to geothermally heat liquid flowing therethrough and operate in an opposing second direction where liquid enters the exit port and leaves through the inlet port to geothermally cool liquid flowing therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 31)
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22. A method of installing a geothermal heat transfer system, comprising:
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placing a geothermal heat exchange reservoir with flexible or semi-flexible external walls and at least one inlet port and at least one spaced apart outlet port in a horizontal trench having a floor and upwardly extending trench walls, wherein the reservoir is sufficiently flexible to be rolled and/or folded; filling the heat exchange reservoir with liquid causing the reservoir external walls to expand outward to contact and conform to the trench walls; placing a second geothermal heat exchange reservoir with flexible or semi-flexible external walls and at least one inlet port and at least one spaced apart outlet port in a different horizontal trench having a floor and upwardly extending trench walls, wherein the second reservoir is sufficiently flexible to be rolled and/or folded prior to the placing step; filling the second heat exchange reservoir with liquid causing the reservoir external walls to expand outwardly to contact and conform to the trench walls; and connecting a closed loop flow path from the reservoirs to a heat pump or water cooled condenser. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of installing a geothermal heat transfer system, comprising:
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placing a geothermal heat exchange reservoir with flexible or semi-flexible external walls and at least one inlet port and at least one spaced apart outlet port in a horizontal trench having a floor and upwardly extending trench walls, wherein the reservoir is sufficiently flexible to be rolled and/or folded; filling the heat exchange reservoir with liquid causing the reservoir external walls to expand outward to contact and conform to the trench walls; and releasably attaching a jig comprising an upper rigid rectangular frame with downwardly extending sidewalls to an upper portion of the reservoir so that the upper portion of the reservoir is enclosed in the jig before the filling step, wherein the rectangular frame is only attached to an upper portion of the reservoir, suspending the lower portion of the reservoir so that a bottom of the reservoir is free and contacts virgin compacted soil of the floor of the trench during the placing step, then removing the jig from the reservoir after the filling step while leaving the filled reservoir in the trench.
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28. A method of geothermal heat transfer, comprising:
flowing water from a pump associated with a heat exchanger or water-cooled condenser in a closed geothermal loop in a first direction during summer and in an opposing second direction during winter so that the water flows through at least one flexible or semi-flexible geothermal heat exchanger reservoir in both the first and second directions, the reservoir having a width dimension that is between about 1-12 inches, a height dimension that is between 1-4 feet and a length dimension that is between about 10-100 feet, wherein the height dimension is greater than the width dimension and a length dimension is greater than the height dimension, wherein the reservoir resides in a horizontal compacted soil trench a distance below ground surface with primary rear and front walls that snugly contact and conform to a trench wall shape thereat, and wherein the flexible or semi-flexible reservoir is sufficiently flexible so as to be unable to hold its operative shape outside the trench without structural support. - View Dependent Claims (29, 32, 34)
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30. A geothermal heat exchanger for a ground trench, comprising:
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a substantially rectangular reservoir body having external flexible walls and is configured to selectively heat or cool liquid therein, depending on flow direction therethrough, the reservoir body having width, height, and length dimensions, wherein the width dimension is between 1-12 inches and the length dimension is between 10-100 feet, wherein the reservoir body has at least one inlet port on an upper end portion and at least one exit port on an opposing lower end portion that is longitudinally spaced apart from the at least one inlet port on the upper end portion in the length dimension, and wherein the reservoir body is sufficiently flexible to be rolled and/or folded for shipment; and a length of pipe or conduit that extends a distance inward into the reservoir body from the inlet and exit ports, each with open free ends sized and configured to be under liquid level during operation to facilitate cross flow, wherein the pipe or conduit with the open free end at the inlet port extends straight down inside the reservoir body and the pipe or conduit with the open free end at the exit port extends straight up inside the reservoir body.
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33. A method of geothermal heat transfer, comprising:
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flowing water from a pump associated with a heat exchanger or water-cooled condenser in a closed geothermal loop in a first direction during summer and in an opposing direction during winter so that the water flows through at least one flexible or semi-flexible reservoir with a width dimension that is between about 1-12 inches, a height dimension that is between 1-4 feet and a length dimension that is between about 10-100 feet, wherein the height dimension is greater than the width dimension and a length dimension is greater than the height dimension, wherein the reservoir resides in a horizontal compacted soil trench a distance below ground surface with primary rear and front walls that snugly contact and conform to a trench wall shape thereat, wherein the flexible or semi-flexible reservoir is sufficiently flexible so as to be unable to hold its operative shape outside the trench without structural support, wherein the reservoir resides inside a thin, flexible external cover that abuts the reservoir when in the horizontal trench, and wherein, pre-installation, the external cover and the reservoir are sufficiently flexible to be rolled or folded, and wherein the external cover is permeable and/or biodegradeable.
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35. A geothermal closed loop heat exchange system, comprising:
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at least one geothermal heat exchange reservoir residing in a horizontal trench a distance below ground surface, wherein the reservoir has an external flexible bottom and an external flexible top attached to four external flexible planar upwardly extending sidewalls therebetween, wherein the sidewalls include (i) opposing first and second long walls defining a length dimension in a range of about 10-100 feet and (ii) opposing first and second short end walls defining a width dimension in a range of about 3-9 inches, wherein the reservoir comprises at least one inlet port and at least one exit port, and wherein the at least one reservoir is sufficiently flexible to be able to be rolled or folded prior to installation; a heat pump or water condenser in fluid communication with the at least one reservoir; and a closed loop flow path having reversible flow directions and connecting the inlet port and the exit port of the at least one reservoir to the heat pump or water condenser to define a closed loop geothermal heat exchange system, wherein the reversible flow directions include a heating flow direction and a cooling flow direction.
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Specification