geothermal chiller
- Thread starter Frankie1
- Start date
Randall_James
Premium Member
Dont forget to call before you dig/trench 
WarDaddy
New member
Is it possible to string a Geo Thermal loop to multiple tanks?
I am dreaming of a day where I have a fish room. The room i dram of would have 3 independent systems running in it. Would it be possible to drive a solution like this for 3 systems?
I am thinking that it would be connected to an Aqua Controller 3 with 2 expansion modules. That would allow me to monitor 3 different temperatures. I envision it like this:
IF tempa > 80 then COL ON
IF tempb > 80 then COL ON
IF tempc > 80 then COL ON
That would turn the GeoTherm Closed loop pump on if any system is running hot.
Then I would have another series of commands that would open normally closed water solenoids for the hot tank, and close a normally open solenoid, to force the water into the heat exchanger in the hot sump. I also think that I should only have one tank open at a time.
I am thinking Titanium heat exchangers in each tank, and the a lot of copper buried it groud, covered in sand, then the soil back on top, and maybe something to add water to the sand on occasion to help keep it wet and cooler?
Would that work?
Sure it is not cheap to build, but it is cheaper than chillers.
Is an AC system in the fish room better? Can AC battle the Hilide Lights, seems the GeoThermal is the best method.
What you think?
I am dreaming of a day where I have a fish room. The room i dram of would have 3 independent systems running in it. Would it be possible to drive a solution like this for 3 systems?
I am thinking that it would be connected to an Aqua Controller 3 with 2 expansion modules. That would allow me to monitor 3 different temperatures. I envision it like this:
IF tempa > 80 then COL ON
IF tempb > 80 then COL ON
IF tempc > 80 then COL ON
That would turn the GeoTherm Closed loop pump on if any system is running hot.
Then I would have another series of commands that would open normally closed water solenoids for the hot tank, and close a normally open solenoid, to force the water into the heat exchanger in the hot sump. I also think that I should only have one tank open at a time.
I am thinking Titanium heat exchangers in each tank, and the a lot of copper buried it groud, covered in sand, then the soil back on top, and maybe something to add water to the sand on occasion to help keep it wet and cooler?
Would that work?
Sure it is not cheap to build, but it is cheaper than chillers.
Is an AC system in the fish room better? Can AC battle the Hilide Lights, seems the GeoThermal is the best method.
What you think?
salty joe
Active member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8167265#post8167265 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randall_James
Dont forget to call before you dig/trench
No worries there. Ive got inspectors watching me like a hawk. It's pretty cool too, they help me get everything just right.
douggiestyle
New member
read the thread war daddy. im sure that you wouldnt need copper. it would save even more money. and im sticking with the stainless heat exchanger for this type of design. again saving even more money.
douggiestyle
New member
size matters.
WarDaddy
New member
Size he says...
In my dream setup,
700 Gallon Prop System (baby farm)
500 Gallon reef, mostly FO with corals that may not get picked on
300 Gallon Prop System.
One day I hope to raise some stuff, in my Gerogia Basement, Low light stuff, softies mostly.
But I am dreaming... But for a dream to come true I have to have plans, and so here I am planning for my dream.
Most of the lights will be T-8 Florescents. Ther will be some MH over the 360 gallon reef, but it will not be intense, 3x150 watt is my thinking now.
I just need a system that will help me keep the hot summer heat out of my water.
In my dream setup,
700 Gallon Prop System (baby farm)
500 Gallon reef, mostly FO with corals that may not get picked on
300 Gallon Prop System.
One day I hope to raise some stuff, in my Gerogia Basement, Low light stuff, softies mostly.
But I am dreaming... But for a dream to come true I have to have plans, and so here I am planning for my dream.
Most of the lights will be T-8 Florescents. Ther will be some MH over the 360 gallon reef, but it will not be intense, 3x150 watt is my thinking now.
I just need a system that will help me keep the hot summer heat out of my water.
Randall_James
Premium Member
may sound kind of silly but where I am we have a number of contractors that do geothermal cooling/heating all the time. Seems that a local business in your area would have solid designs already setup and verified to work just fine as well as the cost of supplies and/or labor (then you can tell us all)
WarDaddy
New member
The size of the heat sink needs to be quite larger, sure. But the plumbing and and control should be quite simple. Using a AquaController 3, I have quite a bit of flexability. Using 2 normally closed solenoids the water will not go to the heat exchanger, the Normally open solenoid will aloow the water to bypass the exchanger loop and continue on. When a tank needs cooling, the AC3 turns on the plug in the DC8 for that heatexchanger. the voltage will cause all 3 solenoids to reverse thier state. The water will be fored to travel through the heat exchanger, by passing the other 2 systems (system will cool 1 tank at a time) and send the warm water to the heat sink portion of the loop, cool water will return and the first system will begin to cool.
it is all really simple. To control the entire system I need 4 controlled plugs and my AC3 with some expantion modules so I can monitor the tempatures of the different systems. The real costs here are the titanium and the 9 solenoids. the normally closed could be sprinkler vlavles at Lowes, $20 each. The normally open, I wil lhave to look at a bit more.
It seems real easy, there has to be a catch. I am guessing the catch is how big the trench needs to be.
Of course the other question is this: Is it cheaper to just use an AC unit in the fish room and regulate tempature by regulating the Air temp in the room?
it is all really simple. To control the entire system I need 4 controlled plugs and my AC3 with some expantion modules so I can monitor the tempatures of the different systems. The real costs here are the titanium and the 9 solenoids. the normally closed could be sprinkler vlavles at Lowes, $20 each. The normally open, I wil lhave to look at a bit more.
It seems real easy, there has to be a catch. I am guessing the catch is how big the trench needs to be.
Of course the other question is this: Is it cheaper to just use an AC unit in the fish room and regulate tempature by regulating the Air temp in the room?
WarDaddy, it looks like you understand the issues well. I didn't mean to sound condescending if you took it that way. There are some on this thread that look at the geo cooling thing as a simple system and I guess it is if you understand all the issues.
The biggest if in my book is the temperature of the earth at the burial depth. We take it for granted that at 4 feet the temp is in the 50's but that is not the case everywhere. Our high daytime temps in the summer are 115+ and it would take a depth of over 15 feet to achieve the cooling needed here.
Anyways, best of luck.
The biggest if in my book is the temperature of the earth at the burial depth. We take it for granted that at 4 feet the temp is in the 50's but that is not the case everywhere. Our high daytime temps in the summer are 115+ and it would take a depth of over 15 feet to achieve the cooling needed here.
Anyways, best of luck.
douggiestyle
New member
keep it simple and cheap. no need for a ti heat eaxchanger. stainless will work fine. also no need for valves. a simple manifold will work. would still need a temp controller for each tank.
douggiestyle
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8371153#post8371153 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randall_James
a picture of a hole in the ground?
Randall_James
Premium Member
yup
douggiestyle
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8371880#post8371880 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randall_James
yup
heres a pic of me and some friends after a long day of digging.
Randall_James
Premium Member
aye, you got the troops working away :lol:
