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Forums > Green Building Technologies > Geothermal Heat Pumps > Subject: Geothermal Pond Based System In Tidal Creek

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Scott HarbinsonUser is Offline
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Posts:16
09/23/2009 10:27 AM  
Hi. I'm wondering if anyone has an opinion of using a tidal creek as the heat source for a geothermal heat pump. Many thanks!
engineerUser is Offline
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Posts:1157
09/23/2009 8:56 PM  
No reason it couldn't be made to work. Tidal means excellent water movement twice a day - great for heat transfer. Tides also imply depth changes, salt water corrosion and bio-fouling issues. Design and install will need to accommodate those factors.

Freshwater biofouling consists mostly of algae and slime, not a big deal. Salt water biofouling involves thick encrustations of barnacles and shellfish...maybe you could farm raise mussels on the system's tubes, but you'd better make sure the heat will transfer through the fouling.
Without data, you only have an opinion.
Scott HarbinsonUser is Offline
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Posts:16
09/23/2009 9:07 PM  
Excellent points, thank you. The issue of shellfish infestation is one I hadn't considered, and definitely a problem. I'll look into the difficulty of laying tubing below the subaqueous bottom and whether that would prevent the sort of problem you describe.
jonrUser is Offline
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Posts:335
09/23/2009 10:37 PM  
I would look at using copper or copper alloy pipes for a closed loop heat exchanger.  Also a water storage tank if the creek flow is insufficient at low tide.
engineerUser is Offline
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Posts:1157
09/24/2009 6:44 AM  
Check into Slim Jim heat exchangers - those folks have probably dealt with this issue before - don't reinvent the wheel
Without data, you only have an opinion.
joe.amiUser is Offline
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Posts:1418
09/24/2009 11:10 PM  
Depth matters particularly in heating dominated climate as does body of government responsible for the water.
State DNR (or equiv.) may permit loops where Corps of Engineers may not.
Good luck,
Joe
Just a Mechanic;
Geothermal; Savings Underfoot
Alex_in_FLUser is Offline
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Posts:80
09/30/2009 9:20 PM  
Jonr - are you refering to the internal coil or are you saying put copper pipes in the tidal pool?
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10/01/2009 9:36 AM  
Copper and alloys have the advantage of resisting fouling (in the tidal pool), but I said "look at" because there could be other issues. The Slim Jim (titanium or aluminum) suggestion sounds like the best advice.
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Forums > Green Building Technologies > Geothermal Heat Pumps > Geothermal Pond Based System In Tidal Creek


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