Connecticut Wells Inc. has our own Thermal Conductivity Testing trailer that allows us to respond quickly to our customers demands and return results quickly.

 Thermal Conductivity Testing
Thermal conductivity is the physical property of a material that determines how easily heat can pass through it.  The average thermal conductivity of a formation that a geothermal ground-loop heat exchanger is installed into is important in order to develop a properly sized heat exchanger for a particular application.  The information that is obtained from a formation thermal conductivity  test can be input directly into most of the popular design software programs.

Why is this information important?
The thermal conductivity of a formation is a prerequisite for a properly designed geothermal ground-loop heat exchanger.  The thermal conductivity of the formation determines how easily heat can be conducted to and from the circulating fluid in the heat exchanger piping. For example, in a formation with high thermal conductivity, the loop temperature required to reject a given amount of heat to the ground would be less than the loop temperature for a formation with a lower thermal conductivity. Higher loop temperatures for cooling translate into reduced heat pump performance and higher operating costs.

Why Consider Conductivity Testing?

  • Proper testing enables ground loops to be sized to match the existing formation conditions.
  • The obtained information provides for a better estimate of installation cost.
  • Precision designs save money on drilling, grouting and pipe costs.
  • Proper designs allow the system to run more economically.
  • Multiple tests can be conducted which would allow the comparison of different grouts.
  • Test parameters can be set up to simulate loop response under cooling design conditions.

Connecticut Wells works closely with and follows industry standards set forth by GRTI

 
 
 
 
 


Geothermal Heating and Cooling
Geothermal
Afraid of the rising cost to heat your home?  
Geothermal Heating and Cooling could be your
answer.  
Geothermal Heating and Cooling systems use the earth as a
heat source and heat sink.  A series of pipes, commonly called
a “loop”, carry a fluid used to connect the Geothermal system’s
heat pump to the earth.  Most commonly, the loops contain only
water or a water and antifreeze mixture.  The technical term for
this part of the system is “ground heat exchanger”.
Heating Mode
In heating mode, heat is extracted from
the fluid in the earth connection by the
geothermal heat pump and distributed to
the home or building-typically through a
system of air ducts.  Cooler air from the
building is returned to the geothermal
heat pump, where it cools the fluid flowing
to the earth connection.  The fluid is then
re-warmed as it flows through the earth
connection.
Cooling Mode
In cooling mode, the process is reversed.  The  relatively
cool fluid from the earth connection absorbs heat from the
building and transfers it to the ground.  
Our Geothermal division provides vertical and horizontal
drilling, looping and grouting services for the Geothermal
industry.
Why Geothermal?

Geothermal is an efficient, green, reliable, and low maintenance heating
and cooling solution. The rate of adoption is increasing, and winning
marketshare among new and retrofit municipal buildings, school
buildings, churches, single family and multi-family residences, commercial
buildings, and so on.


Geothermal is a solution that works for commercial and residential
applications throughout North America. The technology has actually
been around for decades, but only in the last 10 years has it really
started to take off. Thousands of geothermal heat pumps are now in
operation, here in the US and abroad, and the rate of adoption has been
increasing as energy costs have risen, dependence on foreign energy
sources has increased, and as mitigation of global warming has become
recognized as an important factor on which we all must share
responsibility.

Efficient:
Heating and cooling with geothermal heat pumps can easily cut energy
bills by over 50%. The only energy used in a heat pump system is for
the system to run itself. The heating and cooling itself is done by moving
heat energy from or to the earth, depending on the season. And the
earth's energy is of course free.