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 heat pump system provides at least six modes of heating, cooling, and/or domestic water heating operation, where domestic water heating may occur concurrently with heating or cooling a space in a structure. The heat pump system comprises a desuperheater positioned downstream of the compressor and operable as a desuperheater, a condenser or an evaporator, a source heat exchanger operable as either a condenser or an evaporator, a load heat exchanger operable as either a condenser or an evaporator, a reversing valve positioned downstream of the desuperheater heat exchanger and configured to alternately direct refrigerant flow from the desuperheater heat exchanger to one of the load heat exchanger and the source heat exchanger and to alternately return refrigerant flow from the other of the load heat exchanger and the source heat exchanger to the compressor, and an expansion valve positioned between the load heat exchanger and the source heat exchanger.

An exemplary heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a building includes a primary heat pump system having a primary heat pump system size, a secondary heat pump system having a secondary heat pump system size less than the primary heat pump system size, a thermal energy storage system, and a control system operable to control operation of the primary heat pump system and the secondary heat pump system. The control system may limit operation of the secondary heat pump system to a first time period, and operates the primary heat pump system according to demand of the building.

A heat pump system provides at least six modes of heating, cooling, and/or domestic water heating operation, where domestic water heating may occur concurrently with heating or cooling a space in a structure. The heat pump system comprises a desuperheater positioned downstream of the compressor and operable as a desuperheater, a condenser or an evaporator, a source heat exchanger operable as either a condenser or an evaporator, a load heat exchanger operable as either a condenser or an evaporator, a reversing valve positioned downstream of the desuperheater heat exchanger and configured to alternately direct refrigerant flow from the desuperheater heat exchanger to one of the load heat exchanger and the source heat exchanger and to alternately return refrigerant flow from the other of the load heat exchanger and the source heat exchanger to the compressor, and an expansion valve positioned between the load heat exchanger and the source heat exchanger.

A heat transfer medium liquid circulation flow channel having a first heat exchange unit exchanging heat to a second heat exchange unit is provided, and a fixed amount of first heat transfer medium liquid circulates therein. A feed pipe couples heat source holding second heat transfer medium liquid having temperature difference from the first medium liquid to the heat transfer medium liquid circulation flow channel. The feed pipe is coupled to an inlet end side of the first heat exchange unit and a discharge pipe is coupled to an outlet end side thereof. A necessary amount of second medium liquid is supplied to the inlet end side via the feed pipe so that a detected temperature of the first medium liquid in the outlet end maintains required set temperature. The same amount of the first medium liquid as the supplied second medium liquid is discharged out of the discharge pipe.

A heating and cooling system powered by renewable energy and assisted with geothermal energy includes a solar cycling unit, a supercritical carbon dioxide (S—CO.sub.2) unit, and a refrigerant cycling unit. Solar energy obtained at the solar cycling unit may be used to power the S—CO.sub.2 cycling unit. To do so, the solar cycling unit utilizes a solar collector, a thermal energy storage, and a heat exchanger along with a first working fluid which is preferably molten salt or Therminol. Next, the energy generated at the S—CO.sub.2 cycling unit, which preferably circulates S—CO.sub.2 as a second working fluid, may be used to operate the refrigerant cycling unit. In the refrigerant cycling unit, Tetrafluroethene is preferably used as the third working fluid to produce required cooling effects. Additionally, geothermal heat exchangers may be integrated into the system for use during varying weather conditions.

A new system for and a method of deploying a heat exchanger pipe. A bore hole is drilled from an access ditch location to a terminal ditch location using a piloted drill head powered via an umbilical attached to the piloted drill head. A casing is attached to the piloted drill head and disposed about the umbilical into the bore hole from the access ditch location to the terminal ditch location. At the terminal ditch location, the piloted drill head is removed from the casing and the umbilical and a heat exchanger pipe is attached to the umbilical. The umbilical is withdrawn from within the casing deployed in the bore hole to pull the heat exchanger pipe into the casing. The casing is then withdrawn from the bore hole leaving the heat exchanger pipe in the bore hole.

Disclosed is a two-stage heating geothermal system using geothermal energy. The two-stage heating geothermal system includes a geothermal heat exchanger, a geothermal heat pump, a booster heat pump, a bypass line, and a bypass line opening and closing valve. The operating efficiency of the two-stage heating geothermal system using geothermal energy is significantly improved. Hot water supply, auxiliary heating, and the like are controlled to be completely independent of main heating.

An air handling system that includes at least one earth-coupled heat exchanger assembly that further includes a first pipe section having an inner diameter and an outer diameter; a second pipe section concentrically surrounding a portion of the first pipe section, wherein the second pipe section includes an inner diameter and an outer diameter, wherein the outer diameter of the first pipe section and the inner diameter of the second pipe section define a space therebetween, and wherein the space between the first pipe section and the second pipe section is evacuated to form an insulating vacuum therein; and a third pipe section concentrically surrounding a portion of the second pipe section, wherein the third pipe section includes an inner diameter and an outer diameter, and wherein the outer diameter of the second pipe and the inner diameter of the third pipe section define a passageway therebetween.

A device for heating by absorbing latent heat of solidification of water, including a compressor (1), a condenser (2) and multiple evaporators (E1, E2) connected in parallel, each evaporator (E1, E2) has an electronic expansion valve (D1, D2) at its inlet, a solenoid valve (V1, V2) at its outlet; after the evaporators (E1, E2) are connected in parallel, outlets of the evaporators (E1, E2) are connected to an inlet of the compressor (1) and inlets of the evaporators (E1, E2) are connected to an outlet of the condenser (2); an outlet of the compressor (1) is connected to an inlet of the condenser (2); the compressor (1), the condenser (2) and the multiple parallel evaporators (E1, E2) form a closed loop system through pipelines; there are circulating refrigerants in the closed loop system, and heating and deicing processes are realized through a circulation of refrigerants; the solenoid valves (V1, V2) at the outlets of the evaporators (E1, E2) are switched between opening or closing to realize switching between evaporating and deicing functions of the evaporators (E1, E2).