A multi-mode, bi-directional cascade heat pump system, according to some examples, includes at least two chillers each being part of a unidirectional refrigerant circuit. The system includes heat exchangers each of which are dedicated to operate as just a condenser or as just an evaporator, regardless of the system's operating mode. In some modes, a secondary fluid transfers heat between the condenser of one chiller and the evaporator of another chiller before the fluid returns to a secondary fluid source such as, for example, a geothermal borefield or a conventional water source. In some embodiments, fluid is withdrawn from a borefield by way of a pump having a speed that varies to maintain a desired fluid temperature and/or a desired heat transfer rate at the borefield. The heat pump system includes means for minimizing flow through the borefield and for minimizing unnecessary mixing of relatively high and low temperature fluid.

A climate-control system may include a working-fluid circuit and a cooling-fluid circuit. The working-fluid circuit may include a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, and an indoor heat exchanger. The compressor compresses a working fluid. The outdoor heat exchanger may receive compressed working fluid from the compressor. The expansion device may be disposed downstream of the outdoor heat exchanger. The indoor heat exchanger may be disposed downstream of the expansion device and upstream of the compressor. The cooling-fluid circuit may contain a cooling fluid in a heat transfer relationship with working fluid in the working-fluid circuit. The cooling-fluid circuit may include an underground heat exchanger conduit embedded in earth below an earth ground surface. The underground heat exchanger may selectively receive the cooling fluid such that heat from the cooling fluid is transferred to the earth.

A thermal energy system adapted to be coupled to a building energy system which selectively provides heating and/or cooling to a building, the thermal energy system comprising a heat pump system having an output for a working fluid connected to a heating output of the thermal energy system, a first geothermal system in which a working fluid is, in use, circulated, a first switch assembly selectively connecting the first geothermal system to at least one of the heating output of the thermal energy system and an input for a working fluid of the heat pump system, a second geothermal system in which a working fluid is, in use, circulated, and a second switch assembly selectively connecting the second geothermal system to at least one of a cooling output of the thermal energy system and the input of the heat pump system.

An air conditioning system including a condenser system and a closed-loop air-to-water system. The condenser system includes a compressor which pressurizes refrigerant and distributes the pressurized refrigerant to at least one condenser coil, which climatizes water; and a fan which exhausts heat from the pressurized refrigerant. The closed-loop air-to-water system includes a climatized liquid tank, which receives climatized water from the at least one condenser coil; and an air handler disposed within a building, the air handler having a climatized liquid coil. The air handler is disposed to receive air from inside the building; transfer thermal energy from the climatized liquid coil to ambient air, creating climatized air; and distribute the climatized air to at least a portion of the building. The climatized water may be distributed to a recycled liquid tank, which may redistribute the climatized water to the climatized liquid tank, forming a closed-loop air-to-water system.

A thermal-energy exchange and storage system has a borefield with a core zone and at least one capacity expansion zone. Each of the core zone and the at least one capacity expansion zone have a plurality of boreholes. The at least one capacity expansion zone is positioned outwards from and encircling the core zone and each additional capacity expansion zone is positioned outwards from and encircling the previous capacity expansion zone. A heat source is provided in fluid communication with a heat exchanger. An injection system circulates an operating fluid. The injection system has at least one U-tube installed within the plurality of boreholes and operating fluid is circulated between the at least one U-tube and the heat exchanger for transferring heat from the heat source. An extraction system is provided for extracting heat stored in the system for use in an infrastructure.

An induced groundwater flow closed loop geothermal system provides safety associated with closed loop geothermal systems (e.g., no mixing of surface water, closed system fluid, and groundwater) and efficiency associated with open loop geothermal systems (e.g., increased heat transfer provided by groundwater flow). A heat exchanger connected to an external system is located in a hole in a geological formation. The hole has a depth below where groundwater is located. A fluid from the external system is routed through the heat exchanger. A pump is utilized to induce groundwater flow from the geological formation, across the heat exchanger and back to the geological formation to enable thermal transfer between the fluid and the groundwater and the groundwater and the geological formation. A casing may be located in the hole to provide structural support and grouting materials may be used to fill space around the casing enabling a groundwater flow path.

Systems, methods and devices for utilizing an energy chassis device designed to sense, collect, store and distribute energy from where it is available using devices that harvest or convert energy to locations requiring energy such as but not limited to HVAC (heating, ventilation and cooling) systems. The systems, methods and devices can also be used with a next generation geothermal heat exchanger that achieves higher energy harvesting efficiency and provides greater functionality than current geothermal exchangers.

Thermal energy system, coupled to a building energy system, which selectively provides heating and/or cooling to a building. The thermal energy system includes a heat pump system, first and second geothermal systems, and first and second switch assemblies, and the first and second switch assemblies are selectively switchable to thermally interconnect the first and second geothermal systems to each other on a primary input side of the heat pump system or on a second output side of the heat pump system, and: a) the first and second switch assemblies are adapted to be switchable to provide a first operation mode which thermally connects the first geothermal system to the heating output and the second geothermal system to the cooling output, and the heat pump system being thermally unconnected to the first and second geothermal systems; or b) the first and second switch assemblies are adapted to be switchable to provide a first operation mode which thermally connects together the first and second geothermal systems via the heat pump system, and the heating output and cooling output being thermally unconnected to the first and second geothermal systems.

Thermal Moisture Enhanced Gradient Strata (TMEGS) for Heat Exchangers optimizes the performance of energy flows for building heating, cooling, hot water, and industrial processes. TMEGS are temperature and moisture control layers which reduce the cost of closed loop ground heat exchangers and increase heat exchanger performance by improving energy transfer between solar, geothermal, process heat and renewable energy exchangers. Circuit optimized thermally active building structures (COTABS) configure heat exchangers and thermal energy strata for application specific requirements. TMEGS integrated with COTABS is a scalable and interoperable carbon-free, planet friendly architecture for net zero energy buildings. Embodiments include the use of recycled materials, waste tire derived aggregate, nanofluids, phase change materials, cathodic protection, and integrated microprocessor and client-server controls.

The present disclosure proposes a method for when the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) is called for by a thermostat, the GeoFlo HVAC System first exhausts a heat sink in the basement, before calling for an evaporator to be activated. When the heat sink in the basement is cooling the conditioned space, by geothermally dispersing heat into the earth, the GeoFlo HVAC turns off the evaporator. Alternatively, the system acts as a substitute for an AC evaporator. Variations of the GeoFlo HVAC system and a control box designed to move heat from one area of a building to another using the existing HVAC system are also disclosed.