Feasibility of all year dual mode comfort conditioning using distributed ground source heat pumps connected in a thermal loop

Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) are a type of renewable energy that is becoming more popular. They are not weather dependent so they can be efficient in any climate. GSHPs use the ground as an energy source, require minimum maintenance, and have no emissions. The ground is used as a source of heat in the winter and as a sink to remove heat from a building in the summer. GSHPs can also be used to heat your hot water supply. Air source, ground source, and distributed ground source heat pump systems were studied to determine the amount of energy that can be saved if heat pumps are distributed throughout a building. Distribution of heat pumps allows simultaneous heating and cooling throughout the building which improves individuals' comfort and saves energy. To test the efficiency of the system in different weather climates, the three systems were studied for two different weather climate locations, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota and Tucson, Arizona. A building model was chosen and the heating and cooling loads for each location were determined. Air source, ground source, and distributed ground source heat pumps were sized to the building model for each location and the amount of energy needed for each system in each location was compared. The system that was determined to be the most efficient, that is save the most energy, was then designed for Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota.