Geothermal heating
Geothermal energy can come in different shapes; deep or shallow, high or lower temperature and be used for electricity or heat generation - but have always in common that it is available 24/7. Because it comes from the earth’s crust it is a renewable source that is not dependent on weather or season. Apart from heating, an aquifer storage system can also be used to deliver free cooling to a building.
Choose the right Geothermal Energy partner
- At Alfa Laval, we see the great potential in geothermal energy being an important sustainable heating resource for the future.
- Our goal is to supply energy efficient and reliable solutions that facilitate the highest possible yield at the lowest cost to the environment.
- With nearly 100 years of heat transfer experience and service centers all over the world, We have experience and local presence in all the markets.
- We know which heat exchanger will best optimize your production with the lowest possible payback time.
- With AHRI third party performance certification, you can rest easy that the thermal performance of our products is as good as we say it is.
Trends in geothermal heating industry
Focus on geothermal energy as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels is on the rise in the heating sector. Especially where it can replace fuels in district heating networks and reach a large number of customers from one single set of wells. There is also a growing experience for use of shallow geothermal with lower available temperature and aquifer thermal storage systems together with heat pumps to form a affordable and energy efficient options on the renewable energy market.
However, this industry doesn’t come without challenges. As the water can contain high levels of chloride and other impurities, scaling and fouling can build up and reduce the performance of process equipment. That is where we come in. Alfa Laval’s high-quality equipment and experience in the field of service are proven to keep your processes at optimum capacity with minimal downtime.
The Geothermal temperature gradient depends on the depth of the well together with the location. Some locations can have higher temperatures close to surface level, for example, Iceland. However, most locations have a temperature range illustrated by the graph.
Geothermal heating works by extracting the heat from an underground water source. The further underground the water is extracted, the hotter it usually is. In the Netherlands, geothermal heat plants pump warm water from depths of at least 500 meters. When heat has been drawn from the geothermal water it is returned to the ground in the injection well.
The Netherlands is the world’s second-largest food exporter by value, and the country’s 9000 hectares of greenhouses are a big reason why. But keeping those greenhouses at the right temperature requires lots of energy, so developing alternative energy sources is a top priority in the country’s efforts to meet its ambitious climate targets.
Heat exchangers play a key role in harnessing the benefits to geothermal energy, ensuring efficient heat transfer between the warm water coming up from the ground and the cooler water that has been used to heat greenhouses or other buildings.
Difference between shallow, aquifer and deep geothermal
Every well is unique with depths changing depending on location and conditions. When this industry talks about shallow or deep wells it is really to identify the main characteristics of a project. Shallow geothermal heat is generated from subsurface water using either an open loop where water is pumped from the well or a closed loop system with brine in a collector loop which is pumped up and down in the well.
Shallow wells and aquifers (<=500m)
Shallow geothermal heating, and ATES (aquifer thermal energy storage) is a renewable energy technology that uses the relatively constant temperature of the upper layers of the earth's crust to heat and/or cool buildings.
Unlike deep geothermal systems, shallow geothermal systems typically operate at depths of up to 100 meters.
Shallow geothermal wells generate a temperature level that cannot be used directly as it is – hence the absorbed heat in a shallow geothermal project is used together with heat pumps, which increases the temperature to a more useful temperature level for heating purposes. A shallow geothermal system can also be used in reverse where the water below ground is used as a free cooling source to cool buildings during hot weather.
Shallow geothermal systems are a popular choice for residential and small commercial buildings, as they can be installed in a relatively small space and require less drilling and excavation than deep geothermal systems.
Deep wells (2000 - 5000m)
Deep geothermal heating, is a renewable energy source that uses the heat which comes from the core of the earth.
The hot water and potentially even steam are brought to the surface and used to generate heat by running it through a heat exchanger where energy is transferred to the second level where it is distributed to the point where it is being used. From deed geothermal wells the temperature can be high enough to be used directly as it is. But at some locations and depths, there can still be a need for increasing the temperature level with heat pumps. It is quite common that deep geothermal sources are connected to a district heating system.
The depth at which deep geothermal systems operate can vary depending on several factors, including the geological characteristics of the area, the type of system being used, and the heat requirements of the buildings in which the heat is being used.
In general, deep geothermal systems operate at depths ranging from about five hundred meters to several kilometers below the surface. The most common depths for deep geothermal systems used for delivering heating to buildings and greenhouses are between 1,500 and 3,000 meters.
Консултант? Системен интегратор?
Вие консултант ли сте? Вижте тук! С експертния си опит, придобит в резултат от десетилетия работа в областта на топлообмена, Alfa Laval предлага квалифицираните си ресурси за днешните предизвикателства в областта на отоплението и охлаждането. Открийте отговорите на сложните въпроси за всичко, което ви интересува – от енергийната ефективност до естествените хладилни агенти, заедно с полезните инструменти, които ви улесняват да намерите подходящата технология за вашето приложение.
Сертифицирани от AHRI топлообменници за надеждна топлинна ефективност
Сертифицирането от Института за климатизация, отопление и охлаждане (AHRI) е единствената глобална независима проверка на топлинната ефективност, която дава гаранция от независима страна за това, че пластинчатият топлообменник ще работи съгласно публикуваните номинални данни от производителя. Alfa Laval предлага сертифицирани от AHRI пластинчати топлообменници с уплътнения, споени пластинчати топлообменници и дифузно-споени пластинчати топлообменници.
Products
Уплътнени пластинчати топлообменници в рамка
- Гъвкави решения, които могат да се адаптират към работния режим, като гарантират най-висока топлинна ефективност
- Компактните конструкции спестяват място и са лесни за обслужване и поддръжка
- Решения за намаляване на замърсяването, напреженията и корозията за максимален период на безотказна работа
Запоени пластинчати топлообменници
- Олекотена конструкция с медно запояване с компактни габарити
- По-голяма топлинна ефективност от сравнимите тръбни многопластови топлообменници
- Гъвкави опции, подходящи за редица приложения с най-различни видове среди/флуиди
- Идеални за естествени хладилни агенти и такива с нисък потенциал за глобалното затопляне
Дифузионно споени топлообменници AlfaNova
- Конструкция от истинска 100% неръждаема стомана
- Силна устойчивост на корозия в агресивна среда
- Не позволява замърсяване с метали в питейна вода и други хигиенни приложения
- Висока топлинна ефективност и компактни габарити
Case story
When it comes to equipment, we simply have to pick the best. The supplier must be able to prove a powerful capacity for after sales services and emergency preparedness. We are happy to say, that Alfa Laval fulfils these uncompromising criteria with a very safe margin.
Ali Ichedef, General Manager of Izmir Jeotermal
Осигуряване на ефективност за десетилетия
Лошо функциониращият топлообменник може да повлияе върху безопасността, качеството на продукта и разходите за енергия. Неизправността може да доведе до скъпо струващ престой и големи загуби в производството. Чрез редовно и профилактично техническо обслужване се запазва производителността, а работата на оборудването се поддържа безпроблемна и предсказуема.
Имаме експертния опит, за да ви помогнем, независимо дали имате проблем днес, искате да предотвратите бъдещи проблеми, или искате сами да разрешите проблема с нашия онлайн инструмент за отстраняване на неизправности.