The purpose of our team's project is to build a working, small-scale geothermal heat pump that utilizes the resources of the earth. Due to the stability of the temperature being a constant 55 degrees Fahrenheit all year round, our model system will pump water through tubes in a manner that will replicate being buried in the earth to a depth of five feet. The cooled water is then passed via a heat exchanger/radiator with household air flowing through the fins; the heated inside air then transfers its heat to the liquid, which is then returned to the underground system to be chilled once more. The brains of the entire system will be an Arduino Uno microcontroller. The upper level of the model will house the temperature sensors, and their readings will be averaged to reflect the temperature of the entire house. The heat exchanger unit will also have a power control device attached to it, with the voltage being managed by Arduino code. This enables the user to investigate the impact that varying airflow rates have on the indoor temperature, successfully constructing a geothermal heat pump & HVAC system.
Subject: Renewable energy
