Ground-to-air heat pump system

Abstract

A ground to air heat pump unit operable to receive a first working fluid and transfer heat between the first working fluid and a second working fluid. The ground to air heat pump unit is operable to return the first working fluid to a channel and further operable to return the second working fluid to a living space.

1 . A climate control system for a building, comprising:
 a closed loop fluid flow channel containing a first gaseous working fluid in geothermal communication with ground proximate the building; at least a portion of the channel disposed beneath the ground and proximate an outer wall of the building foundation; and   a heat exchange unit operable to receive the first gaseous working fluid from the channel and transfer heat between the first working fluid and a second working fluid, the unit operable to return the first working fluid to the channel and the second working fluid to a living space for conditioning the air in the living space.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the unit is a heat pump. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the channel is formed between an inner wall and the outer wall, said outer wall disposed in a conductive heat transfer relationship with the ground, and wherein the first working fluid in a convective heat transfer relationship with said outer wall. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said outer wall defines at least a portion of the perimeter of a basement. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the channel is located within the basement of the building. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said the inner wall includes one of an insulated wall, a drywall sheathed structure and a fiberglass board. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the inner wall and the outer wall are separated by approximately one to six inches. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second working fluids are air. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the heat pump is operable to heat and/or cool the second working fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a hot water tank. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the hot water tank is in fluid communication with the unit and the unit transfers heat to water within the hot water tank. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a hot water heat pump operable to receive the first working fluid from the channel, transfer heat to the first working fluid, and return the first working fluid to the channel; and   the hot water heat pump operable to transfer heat to the water within the hot water tank.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the unit is a heat pump having a heating mode and a cooling mode;
 wherein the channel is formed between an inner wall and the outer wall and located within the basement of the building, said outer wall disposed in a conductive heat transfer relationship with the ground;   wherein the first and second working fluids are air; and   wherein said heat pump is located within the basement of the building.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the channel defines a hermetically sealed fluid flow path. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , which further includes an access for selectively purging a quantity of the first working fluid from the channel. 
     
     
         16 . A ground to air heat pump apparatus, comprising:
 a heat pump including an inlet port, an outlet port and a blower for moving air between the inlet port and the outlet port;   the inlet port is structured to be coupled to a closed-loop, air-flow channel disposed in geothermal communication with a ground; and   the outlet port is structured to be coupled to the air-flow channel.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a hot water tank, wherein a heat exchanger in the hot water tank is in fluid communication with the heat pump and the heat pump transfers heat to the heat exchanger to heat water within the hot water tank. 
     
     
         18 . A method, comprising:
 flowing air within a closed-loop, air-flow channel that is in geothermal communication with ground proximate a building;   transferring energy between the air and the ground;   flowing air from the channel to a heat pump;   operating the heat pump to transfer energy between the air and a working fluid utilized to condition a living space within the building;   returning the air to the air-flow channel; and   returning the working fluid to the living space to condition the environment within the living space.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said flowing occurring between a concrete basement wall and an inner wall; and
 wherein said transferring includes convective heat transfer between the basement wall and the air and conductive heat transfer between the basement wall and the ground.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said operating includes the capability to cool and/or heat the working fluid. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising placing the heat pump in fluid communications with a hot water tank;
 further operating the heat pump to transfer energy via a heat exchanger within the hot water tank to water within the hot water tank.   
     
     
         22 . An apparatus, comprising:
 channel means for retaining channel air and transferring heat between the channel air and ground adjacent a portion of a foundation of a building; and   environmental conditioning means for receiving the channel air and transferring heat between the channel air and a living space air within the building, and returning the channel air to the channel means.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the channel means and environmental conditioning means are all substantially underground. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 means for transferring heat to water inside a hot water tank, wherein the means is in fluid communication with the heating means.