A friend asked me to take a look at his condo in Fort Lauderdale for possible energy savings in the open loop geothermal system. They currently have a 15 hp centrifugal well pump that runs 24/7 pumping brackish water thru a plate type heat exchanger. There are two ten hp circulator pumps that were running 24/7 to circulate water to the individual geothermal units in each condo. Delta tees are approx. 4 degrees. Domestic booster pumps were recently changed to variable speed and resulting electric savings were approx. $300/ month. They are considering upgrades and I suggested they may want to do variable speed on the geo pumps controlled with temp. Probes. They recently turned off one of the ten hp circulator pumps with no noticeable change in temps. Any and all comments welcome and appreciated.

This is such a familiar story Doug. I just got back from Pompano by the way. It has been my experiance that these systems that are bigger than small commercial, but smaller than a full on design project are a proving ground for charlie foxtrots.

I have worked on many such as this that were design built by someone not qualified to do big residential. The net result is there is plenty of room for variable speed equipment, changing out oversized units, and conserving energy by removing all the SWAGS.

Eric

Eric, Hope you had fun in Pompano. Am I correct to apply our normal rule of thumb of 10 degrees toward delta tee for this system. What do you mean by Charlie Foxtrot?

!0 degrees would be optimal in a lab, field results allways vary on the water side. Charlie foxtrot is internet for another prase that starts with cluster and ends with the mother of all bad words according o the little kid in "the christmas story" on his quest for a red rider BB gun.
Eric

Charlie Foxtrot greatly predates the internet...at least back to the 60s

Posted By engineer on 29 Feb 2012 07:16 AM
Charlie Foxtrot greatly predates the internet...at least back to the 60s

Thanx for helping out with " low self esteem Wednesday" now I feel old.
Eric

Not old...

Mature and worldly!

Posted By waterpirate on 29 Feb 2012 04:31 PM

 

......" now I feel old.
Eric

I don't know very many young drillers

Dewayne, I have not forgot our conversation about the mud cleaning system. I am battling to catch up, but it is on a list of things I need to do.
Eric

No Problem

Charlie Foxtrot has been around since the modern military phonetic alphabet....kinda like whiskey, tango, foxtrot.

I understand Fruita Colorado has started a brilliant or ill advised "WTF" (welcome to Fruita) campaign.