Geothermal heating

Geothermal energy can come in different shapes; deep or shallow, high or lower temperature and be used for electricity or heat generation - but have always in common that it is available 24/7. Because it comes from the earth’s crust it is a renewable source that is not dependent on weather or season. Apart from heating, an aquifer storage system can also be used to deliver free cooling to a building.

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Choose the right Geothermal Energy partner

  • At Alfa Laval, we see the great potential in geothermal energy being an important sustainable heating resource for the future.
  • Our goal is to supply energy efficient and reliable solutions that facilitate the highest possible yield at the lowest cost to the environment.
  • With nearly 100 years of heat transfer experience and service centers all over the world, We have experience and local presence in all the markets.
  • We know which heat exchanger will best optimize your production with the lowest possible payback time.
  • With AHRI third party performance certification, you can rest easy that the thermal performance of our products is as good as we say it is.

Trends in geothermal heating industry

Focus on geothermal energy as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels is on the rise in the heating sector. Especially where it can replace fuels in district heating networks and reach a large number of customers from one single set of wells. There is also a growing experience for use of shallow geothermal with lower available temperature and aquifer thermal storage systems together with heat pumps to form a affordable and energy efficient options on the renewable energy market.

However, this industry doesn’t come without challenges. As the water can contain high levels of chloride and other impurities, scaling and fouling can build up and reduce the performance of process equipment. That is where we come in. Alfa Laval’s high-quality equipment and experience in the field of service are proven to keep your processes at optimum capacity with minimal downtime.

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geothermal heating principle illustration

The Netherlands is the world’s second-largest food exporter by value, and the country’s 9000 hectares of greenhouses are a big reason why. But keeping those greenhouses at the right temperature requires lots of energy, so developing alternative energy sources is a top priority in the country’s efforts to meet its ambitious climate targets. 

In many cases, geothermal plants that pump water from depths of at least 500 meters are the answer. Once drawn and used, this water can then be returned to the earth in an injection well. 

Find out more about the important role of the heat exchanger in this revolutionary process.  

Read more about Dutch greenhouse

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Difference between shallow, aquifer and deep geothermal

Every well is unique with depths changing depending on location and conditions. When this industry talks about shallow or deep wells it is really to identify the main characteristics of a project. Shallow geothermal heat is generated from subsurface water using either an open loop where water is pumped from the well or a closed loop system with brine in a collector loop which is pumped up and down in the well.

Shallow wells and aquifers (≤500m)

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Shallow geothermal heating using ATES (aquifer thermal energy storage) typically operates at depths of up to 100 meters where a heat pump is needed to achieve the right temperatures for heating purposes.  

For cooling, shallow wells are an excellent source for free cooling, as water can be used at an ambient temperature to cool buildings during hot weather. 

Shallow geothermal systems are most popular in residential and small commercial buildings, as they can be installed in a relatively small space and require less drilling and excavation than deep geothermal systems.

Deep wells (2000 - 5000m)

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Deep geothermal heating typically operates at depths ranging from about five hundred meters to several kilometers below the surface where hot water or steam are used to generate via a heat exchanger.  

The temperature of deep geothermal wells is often high enough to be used directly as it is, but at some locations and depths, there is still a need for heat pumps.  

The most common depths for deep geothermal systems used for delivering heating to buildings and greenhouses are between 1,500 and 3,000 meters. It is often then connected directly to district heating systems.

Konsultant? Integrator sistema?

Da li ste konsultant? Pogledajte ovde! Uz stručnost iz decenijskog iskustva u razmeni toplote, Alfa Laval nudi znalačke resurse za današnje izazove grejanja i hlađenja. Otkrijte odgovore na složena pitanja o svemu, od energetske efikasnosti do prirodnih rashladnih sredstava, zajedno sa korisnim alatima koji olakšavaju pronalaženje prave tehnologije za vašu primenu.

A group of product from Alfa Laval including Brazed heat exchangers and Gasketed plate heat exchangers

AHRI izmenjivači toplote sa sertifikatom o performansama za pouzdane termalne performanse

Sertifikacija Instituta za klimatizaciju, grejanje i hlađenje (AHRI) je jedina globalna verifikacija termalnih performansi treće strane, koja vam daje nezavisnu garanciju da će vaš pločasti izmenjivač toplote raditi u skladu sa objavljenim ocenama proizvođača. Alfa Laval nudi AHRI sertifikovane pločaste izmenjivače toplote sa zaptivačima, lemljene pločaste izmenjivače toplote i pločaste izmenjivače toplote vezane fuzijom.

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Products

Pločasti izmenjivači toplote sa zaptivkom

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  • Fleksibilna rešenja koja se mogu prilagoditi zadatku obezbeđujući najveću toplotnu efikasnost
  • Kompaktni dizajni štede prostor i laki su za servisiranje i održavanje
  • Rešenja za smanjenje prljanja, naprezanja i korozije za maksimalno vreme rada

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Lemljeni pločasti izmenjivači toplote

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  • Lagana bakarno lemljena konstrukcija sa kompaktnim dimenzijama
  • Veća toplotna efikasnost od uporedivih školjki i cevi
  • Fleksibilne opcije za uklapanje u različite aplikacije sa svim različitim vrstama medija/tečnosti
  • Idealan za prirodna rashladna sredstva sa niskim GWP

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AlfaNova izmenjivači toplote spojeni fuzijom

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  • Prava konstrukcija od 100% nerđajućeg čelika
  • Jaka otpornost na koroziju sa agresivnim medijima
  • Sprečava kontaminaciju metala u vodi za piće i drugim higijenskim aplikacijama
  • Visoka termička efikasnost i kompaktne dimenzije

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Case story

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hot spring
When it comes to equipment, we simply have to pick the best. The supplier must be able to prove a powerful capacity for after sales services and emergency preparedness. We are happy to say, that Alfa Laval fulfils these uncompromising criteria with a very safe margin.

Ali Ichedef, General Manager of Izmir Jeotermal

 

Read more

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Efficiency that lasts for decades 

The condition of your heat exchanger affects safety, product quality, and energy costs. Failures lead to downtime and production losses. But, with regular and proactive maintenanceperformance is preserved and operations are kept trouble-free and predictable.

We have the expertise to help you, whether you experience a problem today, wish to prevent future issues, or want to solve the problem yourself with our online troubleshooter. 

See our complete service solution

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