TEAM GEOMELT
The Team Jacob Speelman (ME) Caleb Rottman (EE) RICO Ledy (ME) Eric Geerlings (CE)
Outline Project Overview Major Design Decisions Design Snowmelt Geothermal Site Development Model Conclusions Questions
Project Overview Problems with the Burton St. Entrance to Calvin Why not use Geothermal energy? OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Overview - Goals Primary Goal: Design a geothermal snowmelt system at Calvin’s Burton Street Entrance Secondary Goal: Design a small scale model OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Overview - Design Norms Stewardship Save on energy and reduce fossil fuel use Caring Increase safety for pedestrians and vehicles Transparency Honest recommendation OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Major Design Decisions Snowmelt What surfaces to melt Is a heat pump required? Geothermal Horizontal vs. Vertical Site Design Pumphouse location Piping and manifold layout Model Component selection OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Snowmelt Design - Overview 4,000 ft 2 to melt at 150 BTU/hr- ft 2 60 tons – About 20 times that of a house Manifolds are used to distribute heat to the snowmelt area OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Snowmelt Design – Pipe Layout 1” PEX pipe 500’ length loops 9” on center pipe spacing 3” from concrete surface OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Condenser Evaporator From Geothermal Loops To Snowmelt Loops Q Q Compressor
Snowmelt Design – Heat Pump Entering temperature of 105 °F Exiting temperature of 90 °F OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Geothermal Design First Major Step in the Geothermal Design: Pipe layout: Horizontal or Vertical Advantage/Disadvantage Analysis Design Choice: Vertical Loop Cooling ground over time? OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Geothermal Design Calculated the total bore length required: 9375 ft Limit Bore Depth to 390 ft Pipe diameter – 1 ¼” OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Geothermal Design 24 Well Locations Adequate spacing 2” HDPE pipe to pump house 3 rectangular manifolds Design avoids tree removal! Pumphouse hidden from view OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Site Design - Pumphouse OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions Plan View Isometric View
Model Design Concrete with installed piping and moisture sensor Insulation Sand Sub-base Soil with installed vertical geothermal loop OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Model Control System OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Conclusions - Cost Analysis Payback Period: 55 years Our recommendation: Don’t do it! Geothermal SystemNatural Gas System Initial Cost$420,000$180,000 Operating Cost $6,600 $10,900 OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Conclusions Why is this not economically feasible? We had three false assumptions: Snow can be melted with ground temperature water The entrance being isolated is a problem for traditional snowmelt systems The ground can be an unending heat source OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
Acknowledgements Trent DeBoer, GMB Engineering Steve Schultz, GMB Engineering Scott Post, Prein&Newhof Charles Huizinga, Calvin College Physical Plant Marc Huizinga, Calvin College Physical Plant Professor Nielsen, Team Advisor Ren Tubergen, Gumbo Product Development, Inc. Gary Slykhouse, City of GR Engineering Dept. Bob Bruggink, Moore & Bruggink, Inc. OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions
OverviewDecisionsSnowmeltGeothermalSite DesignModelConclusionsQuestions