Vertical Tube Earth Heat Exchangers -- The Swiss Experience

Abstract

Recently in Switzerland, vertical tube earth heat exchangers in combination with heat pumps have become increasingly popular as an economically attractive domestic energy source. Knowledge of the typical performance characteristics of these systems needed for licensing decisions being acquired by a combination of theoretical and field studies. Based on results of this work to date, the long term performance characteristics and the perturbations of the natural temperature field are discussed. it is concluded that such systems offer an interesting alternative energy source especially when coupled with a simple solar recharge unit.