There is disclosed a foundation system for providing support to a structural load thereon and geothermal heat exchange using a fluid. In an embodiment, the foundation system includes at least one vertical pile member configured to install into a ground surface. A central insulated tube extends in a longitudinal direction within the vertical pile member. The central insulated tube is configured to transmit a geothermal heat exchange fluid therein. An input pipe and an output pipe are configured to transmit the geothermal heat exchange fluid through the vertical pile member and extend through the sidewall of the vertical pile member. A closed end, provided at the end of the pile member is configured to provide densified soil to increase heat transfer capability and efficiency in combination with the heat exchange limited by the central insulated tube. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

A method of generating electricity from geothermal energy utilizing an in situ closed loop heat exchanger deep within the earth using a recirculating heat transfer fluid to power an in situ modular turbine and generator system within a vertical, large bore, deep, tunnel shaft. The shaft length and diameter are dependent on the shaft temperature and sustaining heat flux. The method further includes methods of deep shaft boring and excavating, liner placement and sealing, shaft transport systems, shaft Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning, and operations and maintenance provisions. The method has few global location restrictions, maximizes thermal efficiency as to make power generation practical, has a small site surface footprint, does not interact with the environment, is sustainable, uses renewable energy, and is a zero release carbon and hazardous substance emitter.

Thermal energy is extracted from geological formations using a heat harvester. In some embodiments, the heat harvester is a once-through, closed loop, underground heat harvester created by directionally drilling through hot rock. The extracted thermal energy can be converted or transformed to other forms of energy.

Method for installing a geothermal system, comprising: arranging a drilling equipment, including a support structure and a terminal module, mounted on the support structure; by means of the drilling equipment, drilling the soil in succession along a substantially vertical first tract, a substantially horizontal second tract and a substantially vertical third tract, the first, second and third tracts forming a substantially U-shaped well, the first tract having a surface inlet, where the drilling is started, the third tract having a surface outlet, where the drilling is finished, the well crossing a geothermal zone; arranging a casing in the well, so that the casing extends between the inlet of the first tract and the outlet of the third tract; arranging a heat utilization system, associated with an axial end of the casing; arranging a hydraulic system configured to cause a heat transfer fluid to circulate in the casing, so that the heat transfer fluid will absorb heat from the geothermal formation and will release it at the heat utilization system.

A geothermal heat exchange apparatus is disclosed that includes a central conduit, a plurality of pipes, at least one fitting, at least one joint, a sleeve, and a weight. The geothermal heat exchange apparatus is preassembled for insertion into a bore hole and for connection to a supply primary pipe and a return primary pipe that are in fluid communication with a heat pump. The geothermal heat exchange apparatus includes the plurality of pipes in a helical arrangement around the central conduit for geothermal heat exchange. The weight can be included in the preassembled geothermal heat exchange apparatus or added after preassembly.

A geothermal system including a multitube vertically-sealed underground heat-exchanger includes: a geothermal well formed by vertically excavating a foundation; a heat pump which is arranged in the foundation, and which includes a circulating pump; and a connection tube, an auxiliary facility, and a multitube vertically-sealed underground heat-exchanger which are buried and installed in the geothermal well, and which are connected to the heat pump such that a thermal fluid thermally restored in the geothermal well is supplied to the heat pump through the circulating pump, and the thermal fluid that has undergone heat exchange in the heat pump is recovered back to the geothermal well and thermally restored therein.

Thermal energy is extracted from geological formations using a heat harvester. In some embodiments, the heat harvester is a once-through, closed loop, underground heat harvester created by directionally drilling through hot rock. The extracted thermal energy can be converted or transformed to other forms of energy.

Systems and methods for harvesting geothermal energy use temperature-based flow control to optimize the extraction of thermal energy from a geothermal reservoir. In one example, a thermal transport fluid is flowed into a wellbore traversing a thermal reservoir of a formation. Flow of the thermal transport fluid into and out of the thermal reservoir is dynamically controlled at each of a plurality of injection and/or return locations in response to a downhole parameter such as temperature. For example, flow may be controlled so that the flow into the thermal reservoir is greater at the injection locations where the temperature is hotter and that the flow out of the thermal reservoir is greater at the return locations where the temperature is hotter. The thermal transport fluid produced from the return locations is then conveyed to surface to extra the thermal energy.

Trench-confirmable geothermal reservoirs with flexible reservoir bodies 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. The reservoirs include first and second ports, one of which has an elongate internal tube that has a bottom that resides adjacent a bottom of the reservoir body and a series of apertures on only a lower portion of the internal tube to intake or output liquid depending on flow direction.

A geothermal system includes an outer vessel having a sidewall that is in contact with surrounding ground material. A geothermal pile is disposed within an interior volume of the outer vessel, wherein a first heat conducting liquid at least partially fills a space between an inner surface of the sidewall of the outer vessel and an outer surface of the geothermal pile when in an installed condition. A conduit disposed within an interior space of the geothermal pile conducts a second heat conducting liquid along a flow path within the geothermal pile toward a bottom end thereof and then back to an outlet at a top end thereof. During operation, heat is transferred from the surrounding ground to the second heat conducting liquid via the first heat conducting liquid within the space between the inner surface of the sidewall of the outer vessel and the outer surface of the geothermal pile.