BTU

Acronym for British Thermal Units. A standard heating term used to qualify a heat loss number for a structure. For example, a 3,000 sqft. home may have a heat loss of 60,000 btu.

Essential Innovations

Leading edge Geothermal Heat Pump System, the “EI Elemental Series”. Essential Innovations system takes advantage of the proprietary “AICD (Artificial Intelligence Controls Diagnostics)”, which gives the equipment the most sophisticated controls package available on the market today. The EI Elemental products are high efficiency, eco-friendly comfort systems, providing heating, cooling, dehumidification as well as domestic hot water production for residential, commercial and industrial applications. The EI Elemental family of Geoexchange systems ranges in size from 1.5 to 10 ton water-to-air systems, and 1.5 to 30 ton for water-to-water applications. Furthermore, all models are flexible and can be constructed vertically or horizontally to meet space requirements for retrofit or new construction. www.eitechcorp.com

Field Loop

The pipe loop in the ground or body of water that absorbs heat and transfers it to the ground source heat pump. Field loops come in many combinations. Options for field loops follow and are based upon the best suited field for an individual job.
- Open or closed loops.
- Earth or water body loops.
- Vertical or horizontal loops.

Forced Air

Heat distribution system that blows warm or cool air through a structure using a series of ducts.

Fusion Joint

Used to fit geothermal loop field pipes together. The chance that a mechanical fitting will break down is far too great when dealing with buried pipe. Therefore, any and all joints made in a loop field are done so using thermal fusion. Both the pipe and the fitting are heated to 550 F and then pushed together. After the joint cures it is actually stronger than the pipe itself. This method (in combination with a pressure test) ensure that your field will NOT leak.

G.S.H.P

Acronym for Ground Source Heat Pump.

Ground Source Heatpump

Actual unit that extracts heat from a liquid solution and, using a refrigeration process, distributes that heat throughout a structure. At MJD Mechanical Inc. we use both Hydron Module and Econar GSHP's.

 

Polyethalene

A type of plastic pipe that is specifically made for geothermal field loops. This pipe has been rated using stress tests to last anywhere between 100 and 200 years with no leaks.

Pressure Test

After a loop field is installed and before backfilling occurs, a pressure test is completed on the field to ensure that there is no leakage. The test medium is either air or water at 60 psi for 15 minutes.

Pump Pack

The unit that circulates geothermal fluid through the geothermal loop field. Used on closed loop systems.

Radiant Heat

Heat distribution system for a structure. The most common form of radiant heat in geothermal applications is radiant in-floor heating.

Ton

Standard heating term used to qualify the capability of a G.S.H.P. 1 ton = ~12,000 btu.

 

Common terms used when referring to geothermal energy and geothermal installations in BC and North America.