SBIR Phase II: Ground-Loop Heat Exchanger Solution for Low Cost Ground-Source Heat Pumps

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is that it will significantly lower the initial cost of residential and commercial ground-source heat pump (GSHP) systems used in space heating and cooling applications. GSHPs are inherently more energy efficient than most heating and cooling technologies. This technology will accelerate electrification of the US economy, lessen the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels, reduce peak electricity demand, and lower emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO2. GSHPs operate quietly and reliably, provide humidity control, and can provide both heating and cooling, greatly increasing the comfort of building environments and quality of life. GSHPs can also reduce and levelize utility bills in low-income housing and enhance the ability to provide energy assistance programs to those in need.This SBIR Phase II project proposes to further develop a novel technology that will overcome barriers in the applicability, desirability and cost-competitiveness of GSHP systems. The project’s chief technical objectives are to improve tools and knowhow relating to the application of the proposed novel in-ground heat exchanger technology and to demonstrate the feasibility and performance of this technology in real-world applications in targeted geographical markets. Specifically, the project will further refine the computational modeling tools used to size heat exchanger systems; and develop and integrate sophisticated geospatial data sets that these models will use/ This will result in more accurate and more rapid heat exchanger sizing on a site-specific basis. Next, the project will validate these tools through extended testing and data collection on a prototype system installed on a home system. Finally, this project will apply these tools during the deployment of three commercial systems in targeted geographic markets and collect additional data regarding their performance over time.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.