Closed Loop Systems

Aquifer Energy can review the site location and determine the anticipated thermal conductivity of the ground to provide intial estimates as to the size and cost of the array required.

​Optimal sizing of a borehole array keeps capital costs to a minimum and ensures that the operating costs are kept to a minimum, whilst ensuring the system continues to work for the lifetime of the project. Aquifer Energy utilise several model codes including EED and GLHEPRO to ensure that the correct size of loop is installed.

For larger projects, it is advisable to drill an initial borehole to the design specification, to prove the borehole can be cost effectively drilled at the site location. Aquifer Energy can work with your drillers or advise on trusted drillers to provide an initial test borehole.

Aquifer Energy can provide soil probe surveys to derming the shallow thermal conductivity of the soil if a trenched system is considered.

Once a borehole has been drilled, and a loop installed, a thermal response test can be conducted by Aquifer Energy to measure the change in temperature over time when a constant heat load is applied whilst circulating around the loop. The data can be analysed to provide an average thermal conductivity of the ground immediately surrounding the loop, the average ground temperature over the length of the loop and the borehole thermal resistance. These values are required for modelling the borehole array. For more information visit the Thermal Response Test Page

Getting the thermal transfer fluid from the plant room to the borehole array requires the design of the headerworks to ensure that any manifolds are positioned optimally and the size of the header pipework does not restrict flow (resulting in higher pumping costs) but is not too large (resulting in higher capital costs).

Aquifer Energy can provide onsite support during the drilling of open loop boreholes to verify the depth the loops are installed to, ensure that grouting is conducted correctly with the correct mix, independent flow and pressure test of the boreholes and further thermal response testing if required

Closed loop technology can be placed in static and flowing water for heat transfer. Aquifer Energy can provide design and install support for such schemes.