maalämpökeräimet

Maalämpökeräimet, also known as ground source heat collectors or geothermal loops, are a critical component of geothermal heating and cooling systems. They are a network of pipes installed underground, either horizontally or vertically, that circulate a fluid. This fluid, typically a mixture of water and antifreeze, absorbs heat from the earth during the winter and transfers heat to the earth during the summer. The earth maintains a relatively stable temperature year-round, typically between 7-13 degrees Celsius at a depth of a few meters, making it a consistent source of thermal energy.

There are two primary types of maalämpökeräimet. Horizontal collectors are installed in trenches dug shallowly into the ground. This method is more common when sufficient land area is available. Vertical collectors, on the other hand, involve drilling boreholes deep into the ground and inserting U-shaped pipes. This method is ideal for properties with limited space. The design and installation of the collectors are crucial for the efficiency of the entire geothermal system, as they are responsible for the initial capture and release of thermal energy.

The fluid circulating through the maalämpökeräimet then travels to a geothermal heat pump. The heat pump uses a refrigeration cycle to concentrate the heat absorbed from the ground, making it hot enough to warm a building in winter. In the summer, the process is reversed, and the heat pump extracts heat from the building and transfers it to the fluid in the collectors, which then dissipates the heat into the cooler earth. This cyclical process makes geothermal systems highly energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.