Geothermal International Ltd was established in 2001 to design and install ground source heat pumps. Since this date Geothermal International has been involved with the design and implementation of 100 such installations, ranging from small, single homes with a 6kw heating requirement to large scale commercial ventures requiring megawatts of heating and cooling.
A geothermal heat pump is a means of transferring heat from a higher temperature location to a lower temperature location or vice versa. Think of a refrigerator, this is a form of heat pump that takes existing heat from colder interior spaces to warmer exterior spaces for cooling purposes.
A geothermal heat pump works in a similar way except the heat source is the warmth of the earth. There are different kinds of geothermal heat pumps designed for specific applications. Many geothermal heat pumps, for example, are intended only for use only with higher temperature ground water encountered in open-loop systems.
Others will operate at entering water temperatures as low as 25˚F, which are possible in closed-loop systems. Most geothermal heat pumps provide summer air-conditioning, but a few brands are designed only for winter heating.
Geothermal International needed a failsafe ‘Y’ piece joint to link the two pipes at the end of the bore hole. The method in use at the time was prone to leaking and when a leak occurred it meant another bore hole and fresh pipes which was a costly and time consuming exercise. Rutland Plastics’ innovative electrofusion process together with the company’s extensive experience in pipe fitting design provided a reliable solution.
