Inventors:
Barry A. Peterson - San Francisco CA
Armand H. Peterson - Cave City KY
Assignee:
Phillips Petroleum Company - Bartlesville OK
International Classification:
F24D 1000
Abstract:
A geothermal community loop field which serves as a shared means of heat exchange for a plurality of thermal loads. Heat is exchanged between the ground and a circulating heat exchange fluid in at least one subterranean heat exchanger. Heat is exchanged between each thermal load and the circulating heat exchange fluid by contacting the external heat exchanger of each thermal load with the circulating heat exchange fluid. Flow of the circulating heat exchange fluid between the geothermal community loop field and each thermal load is controlled by a plurality of flow control centers, each servicing one thermal load. The flow control centers provide means for installing additional thermal loads or maintaining existing loads without affecting the operation of the rest of the system. In addition, the flow control centers provide a means for setting the flow rate of heat exchange fluid to each thermal load.