Abstract: An in-ground geothermal heating and cooling system for a building is provided. The system can include a buried ground source heat pump, a heat exchanger, and a ground loop circuit buried to a depth below the regional frost line. The system can also include a buried ground source heat pump buried inside a building to be heated. The system can also include an in-building heat exchanger disposed in a building, and an evaporative loop running from the ground source heat pump to the in-building heat exchanger. A method for installing such an in-ground geothermal heating and cooling system is also provided.

Abstract: A heating/cooling system design enabling one to maintain a superheat level of more than 1 degree F. and up to 10 degrees F., incorporating a specially designed accumulator, optional special oil return means, a specially designed receiver, and, when utilized in a DX geothermal system application, a preferable sub-surface liquid refrigerant transport line insulation design, as well as a design enabling the utilization of at least two compressors to increase heat transfer temperature differentials together with special oil separators.

Abstract: A direct expansion geothermal heat exchange system including certain line set sizes, distances, designs, depths, and lengths, including a long trench system design, certain vapor line coverings and moisturizing means, certain refrigerant operational pressures and type, certain pin restrictor sizes and locations, certain liquid line insulation lengths, certain containment pipe composition, pipe sizing with polyethylene, pipe antifreeze fill percentage, and pipe top sealing, a certain oil return safeguard procedure, certain interior heat exchanger design tonnages with predominate heating loads and with predominate cooling loads, a certain receiver type and capacity, an optional means of placing sub-surface refrigerant transport tubing within respective protective containment pipes, certain trench system and well/borehole system combinations, and certain trench creation means.

Abstract: A new and unique apparatus for extracting water out of humid air is disclosed. There is also disclosed utilization of the apparatus and method in a specific and unique design so as to establish building blocks in building construction in order to cool indoor air in spaces in which the designated building blocks are combined.

Abstract: A method of forming and maintaining a low temperature zone around at least a portion of a subsurface treatment area is described. The method includes reducing a temperature of heat transfer fluid with a refrigeration system. The heat transfer fluid is circulated through freeze well canisters and placed in a formation around at least a portion of the subsurface treatment area. An initial temperature of the heat transfer fluid supplied to a first freeze well canister is in a range from about ?35 ° C. to about ?55 ° C. At least one of the well canisters includes carbon steel. The heat transfer fluid is returned to the refrigeration system.

Abstract: An R-410A DX heating/cooling system with: an electrical generating expansion device; with a protective means for refrigerant transport tubing containing dissimilar metals and/or in corrosive environments; with an automatic heating mode expansion device; with a TXV by-pass design; with retractable sub-surface tubing designs; with sub-surface line set sizing at varying depths and lengths; with reciprocal compressor sizing; with a DX Hydronic system design; with an improved oil separator float design; with a mobile DX system design; and with a resting module DX system design.

Abstract: A system for generating electric power by utilizing solar heat flux. The system comprises a heating sub system and a cooling loop. The cooling loop circulates a coolant through a heat exchanger with an expanded second refrigerant which has been heated by the heating sub system thereby heating the coolant. The cooling loop includes a pipe buried in the ground at depth, D. A soil surrounds the length, L, of the pipe and a wrapping material defines and maintains a radial soil annulus width, ?s, extending radially from the pipe to an outer periphery at a peripheral radius, r?, measured radially from its axis, A. The radial soil annulus width, ?s, can be maintained at k s h s - r o . The length, L, of the pipe can be equal to mc p 2 ? ? ? ? { 0.5469 k f + 1 k p ? ln ? ( r o r i ) + 1 k s ? [ 1 + ln ? ( r ? r o ) ] } wherein r ? = k s h s .

Abstract: A heating/cooling system has improved operating efficiencies due to low superheat provisions and a specially configured compressor oil return. For certain systems, such as direct exchange geothermal heating/cooling applications having sub-surface heat exchanges extending at least 100 feet below the surface and using R-410A refrigerant, a specific compressor oil may be used to further improve efficiency.

Abstract: A direct exchange geothermal heating/cooling system has a self-adjusting expansion valve and a bypass flow path to improve efficiency when the system operates in a heating mode. The expansion valve may operate based solely on pressure from the vapor refrigerant transport line. The system may alternatively include an accumulator, a compressor, and an oil separator, wherein an oil return line returns oil from the oil separator to the accumulator. Additionally, a direct exchange geothermal heating/cooling system may include a hot-gas bypass valve for diverting heated vapor refrigerant to the liquid refrigerant line. Finally, a direct exchange geothermal heating/cooling system having a sub-surface heat exchanger extending to a depth of at least 300 feet may use a refrigerant particularly suited for such an application.

Abstract: An atmosphere handling system for use in a confined atmosphere is disclosed having an oxygen generator for generating oxygen from a stored release agent, an air conditioning system for cooling and re-circulating the air atmosphere, a desiccant module for filtering and removing moisture from the atmosphere and a power and operations system for powering and controlling the system.

Abstract: A double-pipe geothermal water circulating apparatus including an outer pipe having a geothermal water supplying strainer for infiltrating geothermal water from an aquifer and a geothermal water returning strainer for returning used geothermal water to the aquifer, a thermal insulation inner pipe composed of a thermal insulator that forms a flow channel with the outer pipe, a pump for pumping the geothermal water from the thermal insulation inner pipe, a heat source supplying force feed pipe for force-feeding pumped geothermal water to an heat exchanger and a heat source reusing pipe connected to the flow channel for returning the used geothermal water to the aquifer. Also, the double-pipe geothermal water circulating apparatus is provided therein with the flow channel from the geothermal water returning strainer to the geothermal water supplying strainer that is not separated, whereby geothermal water can flow therethrough.

Abstract: A combined space-cooling and irrigation system and method of operation. The system is operated by an automated control unit specifically programmed to manage cooling and irrigation needs as follows. When irrigation water is needed, the system pumps cool water from a municipal water supply, a well, or a deep pond, through a heat exchanger on the way to a reservoir. The water pumped through the heat exchanger cools fluid in a separate closed circuit. The cooled fluid in the closed circuit is then used for cooling purposes, for example, to cool the air circulated through a house or building using a commercially available fan coil unit. The reservoir releases collected water for irrigation purposes at appropriate times.

Abstract: A geothermal heating and cooling system is thermally coupleable to a ground coil formed from a thermal superconductor material. The system includes a heat intensification circuit, a thermal superconductor heat exchange coil and a thermal switch coupling the intensifying heat exchanger to the superconductor heat exchanger, and a thermostat controller connected to the thermal switch and intensifying heat exchanger. The system employs a high thermal transfer superconductor to efficiently move heat to and from the earth source for the purpose of heating and cooling. The system operates in cooling and heating modes by controlling the thermal switches and activating the heat intensification circuit in response to the difference between a set point and a measured temperature. Heat can be transferred to and from the superconductor heat exchange coil through various air and liquid exchange subsystems including fans, direct and indirect liquid heat exchange.

Abstract: An coaxial-flow-flow heat exchanging structure having a proximal end and a distal end for exchanging heat between a source of fluid at a first temperature and the environment (e.g. ground, water, slurry) at a second temperature. The coaxial-flow-flow heat exchanging structure comprises a thermally-conductive flowguide tube having a hollow conduit extending from said proximal end to said distal end. A helically-finned tubing is disposed within the hollow conduit of said thermally-conductive flowguide tube, and has a central conduit for conducting a heat exchanging fluid, from said proximal end, along the central conduit towards the distal end, and returning back to the proximal end along a spiral annular flow channel formed between the thermally-conductive flowguide tube and the helically-finned tubing.

Abstract: A method of transferring heat energy between a heat exchanging subsystem installed above the surface of the Earth, and material beneath the surface of the Earth, by installing one or more coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures in the material beneath the surface of the Earth. Each coaxial-flow heat exchanging structure has inner and out flow channels along which aqueous-based heat transfer fluid is circulated. Turbulance is generated in the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid flowing along the outer flow channel, to increase the rate of heat energy transfer between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and material beneath the surface of the Earth along the length of the outer flow channel. This in turn increases the rate of heat energy transfer between the heat exchanging subsystem installed above the surface of the Earth and material beneath the surface of the Earth.

Abstract: A method of transferring heat energy between a heat exchanging subsystem installed above the surface of the Earth, and material beneath the surface of the Earth, by installing one or more coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures in the material beneath the surface of the Earth. Each coaxial-flow heat exchanging structure has inner and out flow channels along which aqueous-based heat transfer fluid is circulated. Turbulence is generated in the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid flowing along the outer flow channel, thereby improving the transfer of heat energy between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and material beneath the surface of the Earth along the length of the outer flow channel.

Abstract: A ground source heat exchange system includes an upstream manifold and a downstream manifold. More than one heat exchange flow circuit can be connected to the upstream and downstream manifolds for burial in the ground. A control valve associated with each heat exchange flow circuit is mounted on at least one of the manifolds. Each control valve controls flow of heat exchange fluid through a respective heat exchange flow circuit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a building heating system which includes an insulated foundation (9) beneath the lowermost (12) of the building. According to the invention, the system comprises at least one heat pump (1, 2) that includes a heat absorbing side (2) located in the foundation space (9). The system also includes means (23) for distributing air from the foundation space (9) to spaces situated above the floor (12). The system also includes means (7) for delivering external air to the foundation space (9). The invention also relates to a method of heating a building.

Abstract: A heat exchanging system facilitating the transfer of heat energy between (i) a heat energy exchanging subsystem employed in the system, and (ii) the ambient environment. One or more coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures are installed in the ambient environment, for facilitating the transfer of heat energy in a heat conducting stream between (i) the heat energy exchanging subsystem and (ii) the ambient environment. Each said coaxial-flow heat exchanging structure includes an inner tube section having an outer wall surface extending between the proximal and distal ends, and a thermally conductive outer tube section, disposed coaxially around the inner tube section, and having an inner wall surface extending between the proximal and distal ends. An outer flow channel is provided between the outer wall surface of the inner tube section and the inner wall surface of the outer tube section.

Abstract: The coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures installed in the Earth, for facilitating the transfer of heat energy in the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid, between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and material beneath the surface of the Earth. Each coaxial-flow heat exchanging structure includes an inner tube section, a thermally conductive outer tube section, and outer flow channel between the inner tube section and the outer tube section. A turbulence generating structure is disposed along a portion of the length of the outer flow channel so as to introduce turbulence into the flow of the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid flowing along the outer flow channel, while its cross-sectional characteristics produce fluid flows therealong having optimal vortex characteristics that optimize heat transfer with the Earth.

Abstract: A geothermal heat exchanging system including a heat exchanging subsystem installed above the surface of Earth, and one or more coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures installed in the Earth. The coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures installed in the Earth, facilitate the transfer of heat energy in the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid, between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and material beneath the surface of the Earth. Each coaxial-flow heat exchanging structure includes an inner tube section, a thermally conductive outer tube section, and outer flow channel between the inner tube section and the outer tube section. A turbulence generating structure is disposed along a portion of the length of the outer flow channel so as to introduce turbulence into the flow of the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid flowing along the outer flow channel, thereby improving the transfer of heat energy between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and the Earth along the length of the outer flow channel.

Abstract: A geothermal heat exchanging system including a heat exchanging subsystem installed above the surface of Earth, and one or more coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures installed in the Earth. The coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures installed in the Earth, facilitate the transfer of heat energy in the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid, between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and material beneath the surface of the Earth. Each coaxial-flow heat exchanging structure includes an inner tube section, a thermally conductive outer tube section, and outer flow channel between the inner tube section and the outer tube section. A turbulence generating structure is disposed along a portion of the length of the outer flow channel so as to introduce turbulence into the flow of the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid flowing along the outer flow channel, thereby improving the transfer of heat energy between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and the Earth along the length of the outer flow channel.

Abstract: An electromagnetic signal transmission/reception tower and accompanying base station housing sensitive electronic equipment within an environment that is thermally controlled by a system employing a plurality of coaxial-flow heat exchanging structures installed in a plurality of well bores, using thermally conductive material. Each coaxial-flow heat exchanging structure includes: a helically-extending turbulence generator arranged along the outer flow channel formed between its inner and outer tube sections, so as to create turbulence along the flow of heat exchanging fluid flowing along the outer flow channel, and thereby increasing the heat transfer through the walls of the outer tube section to the Earth.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided to accelerate the cooling of thermally sensitive components in a chamber of a downhole instrument assembly. In accordance with the invention, a passage is formed in the chamber and a fluid is conveyed through the passage to cool the components to the desired temperature. By using the method and apparatus of the present invention the amount of time to cool the components is dramatically less than the time required for cooling using conventional techniques.

Abstract: A coaxial-flow heat transfer system for installation in a geological environment and facilitating the transfer of heat energy between an external heat energy producing system and the geological environment. In the coaxial-flow heat transfer system, aqueous-based heat transfer fluid is pumped through the external heat energy exchanging system so as to transfer heat between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and the external heat energy exchanging system. The coaxial-flow heat transfer system comprises a coaxial-flow heat transfer structure for installation within the geological environment and having a proximal end and a distal end for exchanging heat between a source of fluid at a first temperature and a geological environment at a second temperature. The coaxial-flow heat transfer structure comprises a thermally conductive outer tube section, and an inner tube section having an inner flow channel and being coaxially arranged within the outer tube section.

Abstract: A coaxial-flow heat transfer system installed in a geological environment and facilitating the transfer of heat energy between an external heat energy exchanging system and the geological environment. The coaxial-flow heat transfer system includes aqueous-based heat transfer fluid that is pumped through the external heat energy exchanging system so as to transfer heat between the aqueous-based heat transfer fluid and the external heat energy exchanging system. A coaxial-flow heat transfer structure is installed within the geological environment and has a proximal end and a distal end for exchanging heat between the source of aqueous-based heat transfer fluid at a first temperature and a geological environment at a second temperature. The coaxial-flow heat transfer structure comprises a thermally conductive outer tube section, and an inner tube section having an inner flow channel and being coaxially arranged within the outer tube section.

Abstract: Provided is an air conditioning system using ground heat. The system includes one or more indoor units, at least one outdoor unit, a ground heat exchanger, and a plurality of auxiliary heat sources. The one or more indoor units condition indoor air. The at least one outdoor unit communicates with the indoor units via a plurality of pipes, and includes an outdoor heat exchanger where heat exchange occurs. The ground heat exchanger is connected with the outdoor heat exchanger of the outdoor unit, and laid under the ground to allow heat to be exchanged between ground heat and a circulating medium circulating through the ground heat exchanger. The plurality of auxiliary heat sources are installed on one side of the outdoor unit to assist heat exchange of the outdoor heat exchanger. Two or more auxiliary heat sources are simultaneously used, or one of them is selectively used.

Abstract: A temperature equalization system comprised of heat equalizer and fluid transmission duct disposed in a heat carrier existing in solid or liquid state in the nature where presents comparatively larger and more reliable heat carrying capacity; the fluid passes through the installation to regulate for temperature equalization, and flows back to the installation disposed in the natural carrier of heat for the installation providing good heat conduction with the natural heat carrier to provide the function of temperature equalization regulating on the backflow.

Abstract: A ground freezing method and apparatus compensates for geothermal gradients by supplying more refrigerant to deeper parts of the earth. One or more metal freeze pipes are installed in a bore and equipped with one or more feed pipes. The feed pipes extend to different depths with the longer feed pipes being larger to supply more refrigerant to greater depths and achieve uniform top to bottom ground freezing despite the effects of geothermal gradients.

Abstract: An in-ground geothermal heating and cooling system for a building is provided. The system can comprise a buried ground source heat pump, a heat exchanger, and a ground loop circuit buried to a depth below the regional frost line. The system can also comprise a buried ground source heat pump buried inside a building to be heated. The system can also comprise an in-building heat exchanger disposed in a building, and an evaporative loop running from the ground source heat pump to the in-building heat exchanger. A method for installing such an in-ground geothermal heating and cooling system is also provided.

Abstract: A lighting device for illuminating ice has a sheet of light-transmitting film located below an ice layer and coupled to a light source. The index of refraction of the light-transmitting film is greater than that of the adjoining ice or air so that the light within the film experiences substantial internal reflection. Light is emitted from the film (and the ice surface) at emission regions that disrupt internal reflection.

Abstract: A sealed well direct expansion geothermal heat exchange unit, whose sealed well can be placed in ground and/or in water, consisting of a conventional direct expansion, or other heat pump, system wherein the exterior refrigerant heat exchange lines are placed within an insulated and sealed container, which container is supplied with a circulating heat conductive liquid from and to a sub-surface sealed well encasement, which container liquid may be supplemented with heat from a solar heating system, and which unit's hot refrigerant vapor line may be supplementary cooled by means of condensate water evaporative cooling, as well as a means to provide any direct expansion, and any closed-loop water-source, geothermal heat pump system with an optional solar heating supplement in the heating mode, and with an optional water-cooled vapor line supplement in the cooling mode.

Abstract: A heat and cooling system having an indoor air coil subcircuit, an outdoor air coil subcircuit, a geothermal subcircuit, and a control system for selectively operating the system in air-to-air heating, air-to-air cooling, geothermal heating, air-to-air defrost (optionally) and geothermal defrost modes. The various subcircuits may be connected to one another in parallel. The heating and cooling system may include a control system that permits refrigerant to be selectively routed through any two of the heat exchangers to provide the various modes of operation. In one embodiment, the control system may generally include a circuit having a single reversing valve, a plurality of check valves, a plurality of solenoid valves and a plurality of expansion devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adding rigidity and weight to the piping used in geothermal wells for ground-source heat pumps enhances insertion of the piping into the wells. The weight used must be approved by appropriate organizations such as the DNR, NSF, and/or EPA, or similar, for contact with the ground water. Concrete and coated iron or steel are examples of such weights. A system for assembling the pipes, weight, and a tremie pipe for insertion is disclosed. The weighting system may also help maintain straightness in the geothermal piping for ease of inserting the piping into the vertical well.

Abstract: A sub-surface geothermal direct exchange sub-surface tubing installation means, comprising situating certain specified tubing sizes for certain specified horizontal distances and for certain specified depths within each of a horizontally oriented trench and a vertically oriented well/borehole, as well as comprising a tubing installation means to increase the efficiency of any direct expansion system by means of adding at least one additional liquid refrigerant transport line segment within at least one of a well/borehole and a trench, together with a certain amount of insulation at specified locations, as well as comprising a means of surrounding horizontally oriented sub-surface refrigerant transport heat exchange tubing with a protective solid grout, with the operative system refrigerant being comprised of a refrigerant with system operating pressures at least 10% greater than R-22.

Abstract: The invention includes systems and methods for using brackish ground water for air conditioning. In an embodiment, the present invention includes a method of using brackish water to provide cooling in an energy efficient and environmentally friendly manner. By way of example, the invention includes a method for providing cooling with brackish water including drawing brackish water from a supply well, transferring heat to the brackish water, and then returning the brackish water to the ground through a return well to a depth where the ground is already at a temperature similar to that of the now-heat brackish water that is being returned. In an embodiment, the present invention includes a cooling system that uses brackish water. By way of example, the invention includes a cooling system having a brackish water loop, a condenser water loop in thermal communication with the brackish water loop, and a chilled water loop in thermal communication with the condenser water loop.

Abstract: A cooling water intake system is configured to minimize entrainment, impingement and thermal plumes associated with the operation of onshore industrial facilities, such as a power plant, and includes a delivery system guiding ground waters from under the sand bottom of the water reservoir including oceans, seas, lakes and rivers to the industrial facilities.

Abstract: A geothermal accumulator and a air-conditioning system using the geothermal accumulator, said geothermal accumulator includes a well pipe and a heat-accumulating pipe inserted within the well pipe coaxially, the lower portion and the upper portion of the well pipe are provided with inlet holes and outlet holes for underground water respectively, said heat-accumulating pipe is provided with a water-collecting chamber, a diffluent chamber, a heat-exchanging chamber and a water-accumulating chamber from the bottom up in sequence, the heat-exchanging chamber is provided with a plurality of axially disposed heat-exchanging pipes communicating with the diffluent chamber and water-accumulating chamber respectively, and a plurality of baffles attached to the outside of the heat-exchanging pipes, gap exists between the baffles and the heat-exchanging pipes, the upper portion of the heat-exchanging chamber is connected with a returning pipe, and the lower portion is connected with a discharging pipe, water inlet holes

Abstract: A sub-surface direct expansion geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in sub-surface ground and/or water, consisting of at least one smaller interior diameter refrigerant liquid/fluid transport line with an optional vertically oriented U bend at the bottom, operatively connected to at least one larger interior diameter refrigerant liquid/fluid transport line, with at least one refrigerant flow metering device, designed to the system's compressor's BTU design capacity, which is optionally accessible, installed in the liquid/fluid line at one of an above-surface location and at the sub-surface point near to where the liquid/fluid line connects with the vapor/fluid line, for use when the system is operating in the heating mode, together with a refrigerant flow metering device by-pass means so as to enable additional refrigerant fluid flow at least one of around and past the refrigerant metering device when the system is operating in the cooling mode.

Abstract: A playground structure 201 is provided herein which comprises at least one component 31 having a playing surface 41 thereon, and a heat exchange system adapted to modify the temperature of the playing surface. The heat exchange system may comprise a flow channel 35 disposed in the structure adjacent to the playing surface for the efficient regulation of the surface temperature thereof, a coolant disposed in the flow channel, and a pump 233 or other means for circulating the coolant through the flow channel.

Abstract: Wellbore heat loop systems, fillers for bores in the systems, and methods of the use of such systems; the systems in certain aspects having a heat loop wellbore in the earth having heat loop pipe extending down to one side of a bottom member and up therefrom on another side thereof, the bottom member in certain aspects having a body with first and second bores therethrough, the second bore sized and configured for securement thereat of an end of coil tubing; and, in certain aspects, filler material around the heat loop in the wellbore with a gel material mixed with the water.

Abstract: A system including active heat balance device and fluid transmission pipelines provided inside a solid, liquid, or gaseous thermo carrier with comparatively reliable thermo reservation capacity in the nature to reclaim heat from the fluid flowing in opposite direction by releasing heat to the fluid of relatively lower temperature flowing through the pipelines, or to absorb the heat to cool the fluid of relatively higher temperature flowing through the pipelines in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A heating and cooling apparatus comprises a generally hollow heating and cooling tower body having a ceiling part for receiving solar heat and a columnar part for storing the solar heat received by the ceiling part. The columnar part has a lower portion adapted to be positioned in the ground for receiving a flow of cool air from the ground and a heat absorbing-and-radiating section for absorbing and radiating heat to heat the heating and cooling tower body using the stored solar heat and to cool the heating and cooling tower body using the flow cool air from the ground.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the heat insulation of at least one underwater pipe (1) intended to be laid on the sea bed at great depth, comprising an insulating coating surrounding the latter and a protective envelope (3), characterized in that said insulating coating comprises a virtually incompressible liquid/solid phase change material (4) with a melting temperature T0 higher than that T2 of the medium surrounding the pipe in operation and less than that T1 of the effluents circulating in the pipe, and said material (4) preferably being impregnated in an absorbent matrix (2) surrounding the pipe (1), preferably nearest its outer surface, which protective envelope (3) is resistant and deformable and ensures a containment against and about said insulating coating.

Abstract: An ice maker for creating a layer of ice on a cooled surface, is disclosed. The ice maker has a source of de-gassed water, which may be de-gassed by being heated. A pump to pressurize the de-gassed water is provided and the water is passed to a sprayer hydraulically connected to the pump. The sprayer has nozzles sized and shaped to convert the pressurized water into a fine de-gassing droplet spray directed at the cooled surface. The droplets are sized to substantially freeze on contact with the cooled surface. In one embodiment a microprocessor is provided to change the volume sprayed according to the speed of the ice maker to ensure an even coat of ice is layed down.

Abstract: A direct expansion geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in sub-surface ground and/or water, consisting of at least one insulated refrigerant liquid/fluid line, with a liquid trap at the bottom of the liquid/fluid line, with at least one un-insulated refrigerant vapor/fluid line operatively connected to the insulated liquid/fluid line at a point above the liquid trap, where the un-insulated vapor/fluid line is in thermal contact with its adjacent sub-surface surrounding elements by means of a heat conductive fill material inserted as necessary to fill any void space, in any borehole or excavated area, between the vapor/fluid line and its respective adjacent sub-surface surroundings.

Abstract: A direct expansion refrigerant-based heating and cooling system which includes a refrigerant pumping devise calibrated to ease or eliminate the pumping requirements placed upon the system's compressor unit when one or both of significant system height differentials between the compressor unit and the condensing unit are present and significant system refrigerant fluid transport line distances are present, or are desirable, such as in a deep well direct expansion system application.

Abstract: A well-water-type liquid cooling and heating resource system of the present invention, comprises a well, an energy lift device, a discharging pump and a suction pump sequentially connected by conduits. The well is separated into an upper portion and a lower portion by a baffle plate, and can supply constant temperature water at about 15° C. using as the low level cold and heat resources. The discharging tube and returning tube of the well is connected respectively with a liquid inlet tube and returning tube of the energy lift device. The suction pump is mounted at the lower portion of the well or on the baffle plate. The discharging tube of energy lift device, which is equipped with a discharge pump, is connected to a load such as an air conditioner. The load such as the air conditioner's returning tube is connected with the liquid inlet tube of a heat-exchanging pipeline coupling with the condenser of the energy lift device. The system costs lower and has no pollution.

Abstract: Bottom members for a heat loop for an earth energy transfer system with a moving energy transfer fluid and heat loops with such a bottom member; the bottom member in one aspect including a body with a top surface and a bottom surface, the body configured for connection at a lower end of the heat loop, the bottom surface shaped to facilitate passage of the heat loop through a borehole extending down into the earth.

Abstract: A conditioner for the air in a structure which includes a gravel body beneath a building slab. The gravel is in thermal contact with the earth beneath the slab. The earth is a cold-sink which exchanges heat with the gravel body and thereby with air which is forced through the gravel.