阅读说明：本技术 与建筑物相连的方法和布置 (Method and arrangement in connection with a building ) 是由 R·尼米 于 2019-08-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及用于对建筑物(50)的建筑物空间(51)调温的方法和布置。方法包括通过热泵(30)的初级热交换连接部(103)将热能从建筑物空间(50)提取至热泵工作流体,以及通过热泵(30)的次级热交换连接部(104)将热能从热泵工作流体释放至地热换热器的地热工作流体。方法还包括在深度至少为300米的地孔(2)的下部部分处将热能从地热工作流体释放至地下,通过设置至建筑物(50)的太阳能设备(110、120)产生太阳能,以及将太阳能供应至热泵(30)或供应至地热换热器。(The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for tempering a building space (51) of a building (50). The method includes extracting thermal energy from the building space (50) to a heat pump working fluid through a primary heat exchange connection (103) of the heat pump (30), and releasing thermal energy from the heat pump working fluid to a geothermal working fluid of a geothermal heat exchanger through a secondary heat exchange connection (104) of the heat pump (30). The method further comprises releasing thermal energy from the geothermal working fluid to the ground at a lower portion of a ground hole (2) having a depth of at least 300 meters, generating solar energy by a solar device (110, 120) provided to the building (50), and supplying the solar energy to the heat pump (30) or to the geothermal heat exchanger.)

1. A method in connection with a building (50) for tempering a building space (51) of the building (50), the method comprising the steps of:

a) performing a first heat exchange step in which thermal energy is extracted by a heat pump (30) from a primary working fluid of the building space (51) to a geothermal working fluid for cooling the building space (51) and for heating the geothermal working fluid,

characterized in that the method further comprises the steps of:

b) circulating the heated geothermal working fluid in a riser (3, 10, 11) in a geothermal heat exchanger (55) into a ground hole (2), the riser (3, 10, 11) being provided with a first thermal insulation (25) along at least a part of the length of the riser (3, 10, 11);

c) performing a second heat exchange step in which thermal energy is released from the heated geothermal working fluid in the geothermal heat exchanger (55) to the ground in the ground hole (2) and the geothermal working fluid cools down;

d) -generating solar energy by means of a solar energy device (110, 120) arranged in connection with the building (50); and

e) supplying the solar energy generated in step d) to the heat pump (30) or to the geothermal heat exchanger (55) or to both the heat pump (30) and the geothermal heat exchanger (55).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the solar power plant (110) is a solar power plant, and:

-said step d) comprises generating electric power by said solar power plant (110); and

-said step e) comprises supplying the electricity generated by the solar power plant (110) to the building grid (112, 114, 115) of the building (50) or directly to the heat pump (30) or to the geothermal heat exchanger (55) or to the heat pump (30) and the geothermal heat exchanger (55).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein step e) comprises:

-supplying the electricity generated by the solar power plant (110) to the heat pump (30) to operate the heat pump (30) in a cooling mode in which thermal energy is extracted from the primary working fluid of the building space (50); or

-supplying the electricity generated by the solar power plant (110) to the heat pump (30) to operate the heat pump (30) in a cooling mode in which thermal energy is extracted from the primary working fluid of the building space (50) to a heat pump working fluid through a primary heat exchange connection (103) of the heat pump (30) and released from the heat pump working fluid through a secondary heat exchange connection (104) of the heat pump (30); or

-supplying the electricity generated by the solar power plant (110) to the geothermal heat exchanger (55) to operate the geothermal heat exchanger in a charging mode in which thermal energy is released from the geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger into the ground in the ground hole (2); or

-supplying the power generated by the solar power plant (110) to a heating device (116, 118) arranged in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger (55) to operate the heating device (116, 118) and to heat the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) to the ground hole (2) by means of the heating device (116, 118).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the solar device is a solar heating device (120) and step d) comprises heating a solar working fluid of the solar heating device (120).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein step e) comprises:

-performing a fourth heat exchange step in which the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser (3, 10, 11) into the ground hole (2) is heated by the solar working fluid of the solar heating device (120); or

-performing a fourth heat exchange step by means of a solar heat exchanger (126), in which the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) into the ground hole (2) is heated by the solar working fluid of the solar heating device (120) by means of the solar heat exchanger (126); or

-the solar power plant comprises the solar power plant (110) and the solar heating plant (120), and the step e) comprises supplying the power generated by the solar power plant (110) directly to the solar heating plant (120) or to the building electrical grid (112, 114, 115) of the building (50) to run the solar heating plant (120).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of:

f) performing a fifth heat transfer step in which waste thermal energy generated in the building (50) is transferred to the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser (3, 10, 11) into the ground hole (2); or

f) Performing a fifth heat transfer step by utilizing a waste heat exchanger (126), the waste heat exchanger (126) for transferring waste thermal energy generated in the building (50) to the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser (3, 10, 11) into the ground hole (2).

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein performing the steps b) and c) comprises:

-circulating the geothermal working fluid in the geothermal heat exchanger (55), the geothermal heat exchanger (55) comprising a piping arrangement (10, 11, 20, 21), the piping arrangement (10, 11, 20, 21) having the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) arranged into the ground hole (2) and a discharge pipe (5, 20, 21) arranged in the ground hole (2), the riser pipe (10, 11) and the discharge pipe (20, 21) being arranged in fluid communication with each other for circulating the geothermal working fluid in the ground hole (2) for performing the second heat exchanging step, the ground hole (2) extending from the ground (1) into the ground and having a lower end (4); and

-operating the geothermal heat exchanger in a charging mode by circulating the geothermal working fluid in a downward direction in the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) and in an upward direction in the discharge pipe (5, 20, 21) to convey the heated geothermal working fluid in the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) provided with the first thermal insulation (25) towards the lower end (4) of the ground hole (2) so that the geothermal working fluid heated in the second heat exchange step releases thermal energy into the ground; or

-circulating the geothermal working fluid in the geothermal heat exchanger (55), the geothermal heat exchanger (55) comprising a piping arrangement (10, 11, 20, 21), the piping arrangement (10, 11, 20, 21) having the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) arranged into the ground hole (2) and a discharge pipe (5, 20, 21) arranged in the ground hole (2), the riser pipe (10, 11) being arranged inside the discharge pipe (20, 21) and being in fluid communication with the discharge pipe (20, 21) for circulating the geothermal working fluid in the ground hole (2) for performing the second heat exchanging step, the ground hole (2) extending from ground (1) into the ground and having a lower end (4); and

-operating the geothermal heat exchanger in a charging mode by circulating the geothermal working fluid in a downward direction in the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) and in an upward direction in the discharge pipe (5, 20, 21) to convey the heated geothermal working fluid in the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) provided with the first thermal insulation (25) towards the lower end (4) of the ground hole (2) such that the geothermal working fluid heated in the second heat exchange step releases thermal energy into the ground.

8. An arrangement in connection with a building (50) for tempering a building space (51) of the building (50), the arrangement comprising:

-a ground hole (2), the ground hole (2) being provided into the ground and extending from the ground (1) into the ground and having a lower end (4);

-a geothermal heating plant having a geothermal heat exchanger (55) and a heat pump (30), the geothermal heat exchanger (55) being arranged in heat exchange connection with the ground, the heat pump (30) being arranged in heat exchange connection with the geothermal heat exchanger (55) and in heat exchange connection with a primary working fluid of the building space (51) of the building (50);

-the geothermal heat exchanger (55) of the geothermal heating apparatus comprises a pipe system arrangement (10, 11, 20, 21), the pipe system arrangement (10, 11, 20, 21) comprising a riser pipe (3, 10, 11) and a discharge pipe (5, 20, 21), the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) having a lower end (17) and being arranged into the ground hole (2), the discharge pipe (5, 20, 21) having a lower end (13, 4), the lower end (17) of the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) and the lower end of the discharge pipe (5, 20, 21) being arranged in fluid communication with each other for circulating the geothermal working fluid in the ground hole (2) along the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) and the discharge pipe (5, 20, 21); and

-a solar energy installation (110, 120), which solar energy installation (110, 120) is arranged in connection with the building (50) and connected to the geothermal heat exchanger (55) or to the heat pump (30) or to the geothermal heat exchanger (55) and to the heat pump (30) for supplying solar energy to the geothermal heating installation,

the method is characterized in that:

-the riser tube (3, 10, 11) of the piping arrangement (3, 5, 10, 11, 20, 21) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) is arranged inside the discharge tube (5, 20, 21) and is provided with a first insulation (25), which first insulation (25) surrounds the riser tube (3, 10, 11) and extends along at least a part of the length of the riser tube (3, 10, 11); and

-the geothermal heat exchanger (55) of the geothermal heating apparatus further comprises a first pump (8), the first pump (8) being connected to the piping arrangement (3, 5, 10, 11, 20, 21) and being arranged to circulate the geothermal working fluid in the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) and in the discharge pipe (5, 20, 21), the first pump (8) being arranged to circulate the geothermal working fluid in the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) provided with the first thermal insulation (25) in a direction towards the lower end (4) of the ground hole (2) and in the discharge pipe (5, 20, 21) in a direction towards the ground (1) to supply solar energy generated by the solar energy apparatus (110, 120) to the geothermal heating apparatus.

9. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein:

-the riser (3, 10, 11) of the piping arrangement (3, 5, 10, 11, 20, 21) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) is provided with the first insulation (25), which first insulation (25) surrounds the riser (3, 10, 11) and extends from the ground (1) along at least a part of the length of the riser (3, 10, 11); or

-the riser tube (3, 10, 11) of the piping arrangement (3, 5, 10, 11, 20, 21) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) is a vacuum tube comprising a vacuum layer surrounding the flow channel of the riser tube (3, 10, 11), the vacuum layer being arranged to form the first insulating portion (25) surrounding the riser tube (3, 10, 11) and extending along at least a part of the length of the riser tube (3, 10, 11); or

-the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) of the piping arrangement (3, 5, 10, 11, 20, 21) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) comprises a layer of insulation material on the outer surface of the riser pipe (3, 10, 11), which layer of insulation material is arranged to form the first insulating portion (25) surrounding the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) and extending along at least a part of the length of the riser pipe (3, 10, 11); or

-the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) of the piping arrangement (3, 5, 10, 11, 20, 21) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) comprises a layer of insulation material on the inner surface of the riser pipe (3, 10, 11), which layer of insulation material is arranged to form the first insulating portion (25) surrounding the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) and extending along at least a part of the length of the riser pipe (3, 10, 11);

-the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) of the piping arrangement (3, 5, 10, 11, 20, 21) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) comprises an inner pipe wall, an outer pipe wall and a layer of insulation material provided between the inner pipe wall and the outer pipe wall of the riser pipe (3, 10, 11), the layer of insulation material being arranged to form the first thermal insulation (25) surrounding the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) and extending along at least a part of the length of the riser pipe (3, 10, 11).

10. An arrangement according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that:

-said ground hole (2) forms at least a part of said discharge duct (21); or

-said ground hole (2) forming at least a part of said discharge pipe (21), said riser pipe (10, 11) being arranged inside said ground hole (2) and being provided with an open lower end (17).

11. An arrangement according to any of claims 8-10, characterized in that the solar device (110) is a solar power device, and that:

-the solar power plant (110) is connected to a building electrical grid (112, 114, 115) of the building (50) and the heat pump (30) or the geothermal heat exchanger (55) or the heat pump (30) and the geothermal heat exchanger (55) are connected to the building electrical grid (112, 114, 115) of the building (50); or

-the solar power plant (110) is connected to the heat pump (30) of the geothermal heating plant directly or via a building electrical grid (112, 114, 115) of the building (50) and arranged to run the heat pump (30); or

-the solar power plant (110) is connected directly to the geothermal heat exchanger (55) of the geothermal heating plant or via a building electrical grid (112, 114, 115) of the building (50) and arranged to operate the geothermal heat exchanger (55); or

-the solar power plant (110) is connected directly or via a building grid (112, 114, 115) of the building (50) to the first pump (8) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) of the geothermal heating plant and is arranged to circulate the geothermal working fluid in the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) in a direction towards the lower end (4) of the ground hole (2) and in the discharge pipe (5, 20, 21) in a direction towards the ground (1);

-the solar power plant (110) is connected directly or via a building grid (112, 114, 115) of the building (50) to an electric heating device (116, 118), the electric heating device (116, 118) being arranged in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger (55), the electric heating device (116, 118) being arranged to heat the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser (3, 10, 11) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55); or

-the solar power plant (110) is connected directly or via a building grid (112, 114, 115) of the building (50) to an electric heating device (116, 118), the electric heating device (116, 118) being provided to the riser (3, 10, 11) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) or being provided in connection with the riser (3, 10, 11) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55), the electric heating device (116, 118) being arranged to heat the geothermal working fluid in the riser (3, 10, 11) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55).

12. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein:

-the solar power plant (110) is an integral part of the building (50); or

-the solar power plant (110) is an integral part of the building (50) and is connected to the building grid (112, 114, 115) of the building (50); or

-the solar power plant (110) comprises one or more solar panels or solar cells arranged to generate electric power and arranged to the structure of the building (50); or

-the solar power plant (110) comprises a solar roof, a solar window or a solar wall forming at least a part of the structure of the building (50) and arranged to generate electricity.

13. An arrangement according to any of claims 8-12, characterized in that the solar device is a solar heating device (120) arranged to heat a solar working fluid, and that:

-the solar heating device (120) is arranged in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger (55) and arranged to transfer thermal energy from the solar heating device (120) to the geothermal heat exchanger (55) or to the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser pipe (3, 10, 11) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55); or

-the solar heating device (120) is connected to the geothermal heat exchanger (55) by a solar heat exchange connection (126), the solar heat exchange connection (126) being arranged to transfer thermal energy from the solar heating device (120) to the geothermal heat exchanger (55) or to the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser (3, 10, 11) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55); or

-the solar heating device (120) is connected to the geothermal heat exchanger (55) by a solar heat exchange connection (126), the solar heat exchange connection (126) being arranged to transfer thermal energy from the solar working fluid of the solar heating device (120) to the geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) or to the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser (3, 10, 11) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55).

14. An arrangement according to any of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that the building space tempering arrangement comprises a waste heat exchanger (126), said waste heat exchanger (126) being connected to a waste heat source (120) in the building (50), and:

-the waste heat exchanger (126) is arranged in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger (55) and arranged to transfer waste heat energy to the geothermal heat exchanger (55); or

-the waste heat exchanger (126) is arranged in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger (55) and arranged to transfer thermal energy from a waste heat fluid to the geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) or to the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser (3, 10, 11) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55); or

-the waste heat exchanger (126) is arranged to the riser (3, 10, 11) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) or to be connected with the riser (3, 10, 11) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) and arranged to transfer thermal energy from waste heat fluid to the geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger (55) or to the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser (3, 10, 11) of the geothermal heat exchanger (55).

15. An arrangement according to any of claims 11-14, characterized in that the building space tempering arrangement comprises the solar power device (110) and the solar heating device (120), and:

-the solar power plant (110) is directly connected to the solar heating plant (120) or to the building electrical grid (112, 114, 115) of the building (50) and arranged to run the solar heating plant (120); or

-the solar power device (110) is directly connected to a second pump (125) of the solar heating device (120), the second pump (125) being arranged to circulate a solar working fluid.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method in connection with a building, and more particularly to a method as disclosed in the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to an arrangement in connection with a building, and more particularly to a device as disclosed in the preamble of claim 9.

Background

Geothermal heating is commonly used to heat buildings and building spaces. The temperature of the subsurface increases with increasing depth from the ground. Geothermal heating is based on the following steps: heat is extracted from the ground at a depth by using ground holes extending into the ground and released in a heat pump for use in a building or building space. Geothermal heating is typically carried out using geothermal heat exchangers having a piping arrangement arranged into the earth's bore. The working fluid is circulated in the piping arrangement such that the working fluid flows into the earth bore where it receives thermal energy from the earth. The working fluid further flows back to the surface, carrying thermal energy. The working fluid then releases thermal energy in the heat pump to the heat pump working fluid and flows again into the earth's bore to extract heat. The heat pump further releases thermal energy to the building or building space for heating.

As described above, when the geothermal heating process is utilized in the heating mode, the geothermal heating apparatus enables the building or the building space to be heated using the heat existing in the ground. However, geothermal heat exchangers also consume energy for circulating working fluid and operating geothermal heat exchangers. Furthermore, the heat pump also consumes energy for circulating the working fluid of the heat pump and operating the heat pump. These energy consumptions reduce the overall efficiency of the geothermal heating apparatus. Typically, electricity is used to run heat pumps, geothermal heat exchangers and pumps. Additionally, the local temperature of the subsurface surrounding the earth hole, particularly at the lower portion of the earth hole, decreases over time as heat is extracted from the subsurface. This further reduces the overall efficiency of the geothermal heating and geothermal heating apparatus.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and arrangement for solving or at least alleviating the disadvantages of the prior art. The object of the invention is achieved by a method in connection with a building for tempering a building space of the building, which method is characterized by what is stated in the independent claim 1. The object of the invention is further achieved by an arrangement in connection with a building for tempering a building space of the building, which arrangement is characterized by what is stated in the independent claim 9.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the idea of a method in connection with a building for tempering the building space of the building. The method comprises the following steps:

a) a first heat exchange step is performed in which thermal energy is extracted from a primary working fluid of the building space to a geothermal working fluid by a heat pump for cooling the building space and for heating the geothermal working fluid.

The method further comprises the step b) circulating the heated geothermal working fluid in a riser in the geothermal heat exchanger to the ground hole, the riser being provided with a first insulation along at least a part of the length of the riser.

Thus, the geothermal heating process is in a cooling mode when extracting thermodynamic energy from the building space. In the cooling mode, the net energy consumption may be considered negative since operating the heat pump in the cooling mode consumes energy.

The method further comprises the following steps:

c) performing a second heat exchange step in which thermal energy is released from the heated geothermal working fluid in the geothermal heat exchanger to the ground in the earth hole and the geothermal working fluid is cooled;

d) generating solar energy by a solar power plant arranged in connection with a building; and

e) supplying the solar energy generated in step d) to a heat pump or to a geothermal heat exchanger or to both.

According to the above, the geothermal heat exchanger operates in a charged mode and thermodynamic energy is released underground in the earth's borehole. The first insulation of the riser makes it possible to prevent heat transfer or release along the riser and the thermodynamic energy can be released underground in the lower part of the ground hole without the thermodynamic energy escaping along the riser. The generated solar energy is used for operating a heat pump and/or a geothermal heat exchanger or a pump of a geothermal heat exchanger or for heating a geothermal working fluid flowing in a riser into the ground hole. Thus, the overall efficiency of the geothermal heating apparatus can be increased, and the solar energy can be utilized to release heat into the earth's bore. In this way, it is contemplated that solar or solar thermal energy may be supplied to the ground and to the earth's pores. This enables to increase the temperature of the subsurface surrounding the earth hole, in particular in the lower part of the earth hole, and preferably at a depth of at least 300 meters, or at least 600 meters or more preferably at least 1000 meters.

The solar power plant may be a solar power plant and step d) may comprise generating power by the solar power plant. Thus, the electricity generated by the solar power plant can be utilized when operating the heat pump and/or when operating the geothermal heat exchanger or the pump of the geothermal heat exchanger. Furthermore, step e) may comprise supplying the electricity generated by the solar power plant to the building grid of the building or directly to a heat pump or to a geothermal heat exchanger or to both a heat pump and a geothermal heat exchanger.

Thus, step e) may thus comprise supplying electricity generated by the solar power plant to the heat pump to operate the heat pump in a cooling mode in which thermal energy is extracted from the primary working fluid of the building space.

Alternatively, step e) may comprise supplying power generated by the solar power plant to the heat pump to operate the heat pump in a cooling mode in which thermal energy is extracted from the primary working fluid of the building space to the heat pump working fluid through the primary heat exchange connection of the heat pump and thermal energy is released from the heat pump working fluid through the secondary heat exchange connection of the heat pump. Thus, the electricity generated by the solar power plant may be used in the heat pump to achieve any operation requiring electricity, such as controlling the operation of the heat pump or the pump of the heat pump to circulate a heat pump working fluid or using a fan or the like to draw air from a building space to the heat pump, for example.

Further alternatively, step e) may comprise supplying power generated by the solar power plant to the geothermal heat exchanger to operate the geothermal heat exchanger in a charging mode in which thermal energy is released from the geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger into the ground in the ground hole. Thus, the power generated by the solar power plant may be used in the geothermal heat exchanger to achieve any operation requiring power, such as controlling the operation of the geothermal heat exchanger or the pump of the geothermal heat exchanger to circulate a geothermal working fluid.

Further, step e) may comprise supplying the power generated by the solar power plant to a heating device provided in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger, to operate the heating device and to heat the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser tube to the ground hole by the heating device. Thus, the electricity generated by the solar power plant can be utilized in a heating device arranged to heat a geothermal working fluid flowing in a riser to the ground hole in a geothermal heat exchanger.

It should be noted that the above alternatives of utilizing electricity generated by solar power plants may be combined such that electricity is supplied to two or more of the building grid heat pump, geothermal heat exchanger and heating means.

Further, it should be noted that the building grid is the building's grid and not the national or local regional grid. The building grid is connected to national or local regions through building hubs. The building hubs define the boundary points between the building grid and the national or local grid.

The solar device may be a solar heating device and step d) may comprise heating a solar working fluid of the solar heating device. Thus, the thermodynamic energy of solar energy or solar radiation is utilized in a solar heating device to heat a solar working fluid. Thus, the solar heating apparatus may generate heat or a heated solar working fluid to be used in a geothermal heating apparatus.

Thus, step e) may comprise performing a fourth heat exchange step in which the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser into the ground hole is heated by the solar working fluid of the solar heating apparatus. Thus, when the heat pump is operating in the cooling mode and the geothermal heat exchanger is operating in the charging mode, the temperature of the geothermal working fluid is increased by heating the geothermal working fluid flowing into the earth bore.

Alternatively, step e) may comprise performing a fourth heat exchange step by means of a solar heat exchanger, in which the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser tube into the earth hole is heated by means of a solar working fluid of a solar heating device by means of the solar heat exchanger. Thus, the solar heat exchanger may be arranged in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger or in heat transfer connection with the geothermal working fluid, such that when the heat pump is operated in cooling mode and the geothermal heat exchanger is operated in charging mode, the heated solar working fluid of the solar heating apparatus may release thermodynamic energy to the geothermal working fluid downstream of the heat pump or flowing in the riser to the ground hole.

Further, the solar power plant comprises a solar power plant and a solar heating plant, and step e) comprises supplying the power generated by the solar power plant directly to the solar heating plant or to the building grid of the building to operate the solar heating plant, such as circulating a solar working fluid. It should be noted that the power generated by the solar power plant may be used in other ways than the ways and purposes described above.

The method of the present invention may further comprise the step of f) performing a fifth heat transfer step in which waste heat energy generated in the building is transferred to the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser into the earth hole. Thus, when the heat pump is operating in the cooling mode and the geothermal heat exchanger is operating in the charging mode, the waste heat can be used to heat the geothermal working fluid flowing into the earth bore. The waste heat may be, for example, waste heat of a ventilation system of a building or waste heat generated by a device in a building.

Alternatively, step f) may comprise performing the fifth heat transfer step by using a waste heat exchanger for transferring waste heat energy generated in the building to the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser into the earth bore. Thus, the waste heat exchanger may be arranged in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger or in heat transfer connection with the geothermal working fluid, such that when the heat pump is operated in cooling mode and the geothermal heat exchanger is operated in charging mode, waste heat energy may be released by the heat pump to the geothermal working fluid flowing into the earth bore.

Performing steps b) and c) may comprise:

-circulating a geothermal working fluid in a geothermal heat exchanger, the geothermal heat exchanger comprising a piping arrangement having a riser pipe arranged into the earth bore and a discharge pipe arranged in the earth bore, the riser pipe and the discharge pipe being arranged in fluid communication with each other for circulating the geothermal working fluid in the earth bore for performing the second heat exchanging step, the earth bore extending from the ground into the ground and having a lower end; and

-operating the geothermal heat exchanger in a charging mode by circulating geothermal working fluid in a downward direction in the riser pipe and in an upward direction in the discharge pipe to convey heated geothermal working fluid towards the lower end of the ground hole, such that the geothermal working fluid heated in the second heat exchanging step receives thermodynamic energy from the heat pump working fluid and releases thermal energy into the ground in the second heat exchanging step.

According to the above, thermodynamic energy is transported into the earth's bore by geothermal working fluid by circulating geothermal working, and further, thermal energy is released into the earth's ground in the earth's bore, in particular in a lower portion of the earth's bore.

Circulating the geothermal working fluid in the geothermal heat exchanger may comprise circulating the geothermal working fluid in a geothermal heat exchanger in which the riser is provided with a first thermal insulation surrounding the riser along at least a portion of its length. The first insulating portion of the riser tube prevents heat from being transferred from the geothermal working fluid along the riser tube in which the first insulating portion is disposed. Preferably, the first insulation extends from the ground surface along the riser and at least a portion of the length of the riser toward the lower end of the riser and the lower end of the ground opening. Thus, in the third heat transfer step c), the geothermal working fluid may release thermal energy to the ground at the lower part of the ground hole

The invention also relates to an arrangement in connection with a building for tempering a building space of the building. The arrangement includes a ground bore disposed into the ground and extending from the ground into the ground and having a lower end. The arrangement further comprises a geothermal heating apparatus having a geothermal heat exchanger arranged in heat exchange connection with the ground and a heat pump arranged in heat exchange connection with the geothermal heat exchanger and in heat exchange connection with a primary working fluid of a building space of the building.

A geothermal heat exchanger of a geothermal heating apparatus comprises a piping arrangement comprising a riser pipe having a lower end and arranged into a ground hole, and a discharge pipe having a lower end, the lower end of the riser pipe and the lower end of the discharge pipe being arranged in fluid communication with each other for circulating a geothermal working fluid in the ground hole along the riser pipe and the discharge pipe.

The arrangement further comprises a solar power plant arranged in connection with the building and connected to the geothermal heat exchanger or to the heat pump and to the geothermal heat exchanger for supplying solar power to the geothermal heating plant. Thus, solar energy is utilized to operate a heat pump or geothermal heat exchanger. In this way, the external energy consumption of the heat pump or geothermal heat exchanger can be minimized or even eliminated. This enables the use of a combination of geothermal heat and solar energy to condition a building space.

The riser of the piping arrangement of the geothermal heat exchanger is arranged inside the discharge pipe and is provided with a first insulation, which surrounds the riser and extends along at least a part of the length of the riser.

The geothermal heat exchanger of the geothermal heating apparatus further comprises a first pump connected to the piping arrangement and arranged to circulate geothermal working fluid in the riser pipe and in the discharge pipe. The first pump is arranged to circulate the geothermal working fluid in a riser provided with a first insulation in a direction towards the lower end of the ground hole and in the discharge pipe in a direction towards the ground. Thus, the geothermal heat exchanger is arranged into a deeper earth hole having a higher temperature at the lower part of the earth hole. The geothermal working fluid transports heat along the riser towards the lower end of the riser and the lower portion of the ground hole.

The arrangement may include a ground hole disposed into the ground and extending from the ground into the ground and having a lower end. The depth of the earth's bore is at least 300 meters, or at least 600 meters, or at least 1000 meters.

The riser of the piping arrangement of the geothermal heat exchanger may be provided with a first insulation portion surrounding the riser and extending along at least a part of the length of the riser. Furthermore, the riser of the piping arrangement of the geothermal heat exchanger may be provided with a first insulation portion surrounding the riser and extending from the ground along at least a part of the length of the riser. The first insulation prevents heat transfer of the geothermal working fluid in the riser.

Alternatively, the riser of the piping arrangement of the geothermal heat exchanger may be a vacuum pipe comprising a vacuum layer surrounding the flow channel of the riser, the vacuum layer being arranged to form a first insulation surrounding the riser and extending from the ground along at least a part of the length of the riser. The vacuum layer prevents heat transfer of the geothermal working fluid in the riser.

The riser of the piping arrangement of a geothermal heat exchanger comprises a layer of insulating material on the outer surface of the riser. The layer of insulation material is arranged to form a first insulation portion that surrounds the riser and extends from the ground along at least a portion of the length of the riser. Alternatively, the riser of the piping arrangement of the geothermal heat exchanger comprises a layer of insulation material on the inner surface of the riser, the layer of insulation material being arranged to form a first insulating portion surrounding the riser and extending from the ground along at least a part of the length of the riser.

Further alternatively, the riser of the piping arrangement of the geothermal heat exchanger may comprise an inner pipe wall, an outer pipe wall and a layer of insulation material arranged between the inner pipe wall and the outer pipe wall of the riser, the layer of insulation material being arranged to form a first thermal insulation surrounding the riser and extending along at least a part of the length of the riser.

The solar power device may be a solar power device. The solar power plant may be connected to the building grid of the building and the heat pump or geothermal heat exchanger or heat pump and geothermal heat exchanger to the building grid of the building.

Alternatively, the solar power plant may be connected directly to or via the building grid to the heat pump of the geothermal heating plant and arranged to operate the heat pump. Thus, the electricity generated by the solar power plant may be used to operate the heat pump in a cooling mode in which thermal energy is extracted from the building space.

Alternatively, the solar power plant may be connected directly to, or via the building grid to, a geothermal heat exchanger of a geothermal heating plant and arranged to operate the geothermal heat exchanger. Thus, the power generated by the solar power plant may be used to operate the geothermal heat exchanger in a charging mode in which heat is released into the ground.

Alternatively, the solar power plant may be connected directly or via the building grid to the first pump of the geothermal heat exchanger of the geothermal heating plant and arranged to circulate geothermal working fluid in the riser pipe in a direction towards the lower end of the ground hole and in the discharge pipe in a direction towards the ground. Thus, the pump operates the geothermal heat exchanger in a charging mode in which heat is released into the ground by utilizing solar energy.

Further alternatively, the solar power plant may be connected directly or via the building grid to an electric heating device arranged in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger. The electrical heating device may be arranged to heat a geothermal working fluid flowing in a riser of the geothermal heat exchanger. Thus, the electricity generated by the solar power plant can be used directly to heat the geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger.

Furthermore, the solar power plant may be connected directly or via the building grid to an electric heating device provided to or in connection with the riser of the geothermal heat exchanger, the electric heating device being arranged to heat the geothermal working fluid in the riser of the geothermal heat exchanger.

The solar power plant may be an integral part of the building. Thus, the entire arrangement may be provided as part of a building structure to build the building as energetically autonomous as possible.

The solar power plant may be an integral part of the building and connected to the building grid of the building.

The solar power plant may comprise one or more solar panels or solar cells arranged to generate electricity and arranged to the structure of the building. Alternatively, the solar power plant may comprise a solar roof, a solar window or a solar wall. A solar roof, solar window or solar wall forms at least part of the structure of a building and is arranged to generate electricity. Thus, the building itself can generate electricity for the geothermal heating apparatus.

The solar device may also be a solar heating device arranged to heat a solar working fluid.

The solar heating apparatus may be arranged in connection with a geothermal heat exchanger and arranged to transfer thermal energy from the solar heating apparatus to the geothermal heat exchanger or to a geothermal working fluid flowing in a riser of the geothermal heat exchanger.

The solar heating apparatus may be connected to the geothermal heat exchanger by a solar heat exchange connection. The solar heat exchange connection may be arranged to transfer thermal energy from the solar heating apparatus to the geothermal heat exchanger or to a geothermal working fluid flowing in a riser of the geothermal heat exchanger. Alternatively, the solar heating apparatus is connected to the geothermal heat exchanger by a solar heat exchange connection. The solar heat exchange connection may be arranged to transfer thermal energy from a solar working fluid of the solar heating apparatus to a geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger. Thus, the thermal energy generated by the solar heating apparatus can be used to heat the geothermal working fluid.

Alternatively, the solar heating device may be connected to the geothermal heat exchanger by a solar heat exchange connection arranged in connection with a riser pipe of the geothermal heat exchanger. The solar heat exchange connection may be arranged to transfer thermal energy from a solar working fluid of the solar heating apparatus to a geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger or to a geothermal working fluid flowing in a riser of the geothermal heat exchanger. Thus, the thermal energy generated by the solar heating device can be used to heat the geothermal working fluid in the riser.

The building space temperature conditioning arrangement may include a waste heat exchanger connected to a source of waste heat in the building. Thus, waste energy generated in the building can be utilized to heat the geothermal working fluid.

The waste heat exchanger may be arranged in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger and arranged to transfer waste thermal energy to the geothermal heat exchanger.

The waste heat exchanger may be arranged in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger and arranged to transfer thermal energy from the waste heat source to the geothermal heat exchanger. Alternatively, a waste heat exchanger may be provided in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger and arranged to transfer thermal energy from the waste heat fluid to a geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger or to a geothermal working fluid flowing in a riser of the geothermal heat exchanger. Thus, waste energy generated in the building can be used to heat the geothermal working fluid through the waste heat exchanger.

The waste heat exchanger may be provided to or in connection with a riser of the geothermal heat exchanger and arranged to transfer thermal energy from the waste heat fluid to the geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger or to the geothermal working fluid flowing in the riser of the geothermal heat exchanger. Thus, the geothermal working fluid can be heated by the waste heat exchanger using waste heat fluid generated in the building.

A building space tempering arrangement includes a solar power device and a solar heating device. The solar power plant may be connected directly to the solar heating plant or to the building electrical grid and arranged to run the solar heating plant. Alternatively, the solar power plant may be directly connected to the second pump of the solar heating plant. The second pump is arranged to circulate the solar working fluid. Thus, the power and heat generated using the solar power plant may be used to operate the solar heating plant to increase efficiency.

In the present invention, solar energy generated by solar power plants of a building is utilized to operate or utilize geothermal heating plants. This increases the energy efficiency of the geothermal heating apparatus and the energy autonomy of the building, as the amount of external energy used to heat the building can be reduced. Furthermore, in the cooling mode of the heat pump and in the charging mode of the geothermal heat exchanger, in the at least partially isolated riser, thermodynamic energy is transported from the building space into the earth bore and released into the earth bore, which increases the local temperature of the ground surrounding the earth bore, in particular in the lower part of the earth bore. This increases the efficiency of the geothermal heat exchanger in its heat extraction mode, since the ground surrounding the earth hole can be provided at a higher temperature. This is achieved when the isolating riser allows the transport of geothermal working fluid at high temperature into the earth's hole or into its lower part. The heat flux towards the earth bore in the lower part of the earth bore also prevents the escape of heat released into the earth bore from the geothermal working fluid, and the temperature of the ground surrounding the earth bore can be recovered after extracting heat in the extraction mode of the geothermal heat exchanger. Thus, the ground hole may serve as a heat reservoir and may store solar energy to the ground hole.

Drawings

The invention is described in detail by means of specific embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

figure 1 schematically illustrates a geothermal heating arrangement in connection with a building;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a heat pump of a geothermal heating arrangement;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates one embodiment of an arrangement for tempering a building space of a building in accordance with the present invention;

fig. 4A and 4B schematically show further embodiments of an arrangement for tempering a building space of a building according to the present invention;

FIGS. 5A and 5B schematically illustrate additional embodiments of arrangements for tempering a building space of a building in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 6A and 6B schematically illustrate an alternative embodiment of an arrangement for tempering a building space of a building in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 7A and 7B schematically illustrate additional alternative embodiments of an arrangement for tempering a building space of a building in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 8A and 8B schematically illustrate other alternative embodiments of an arrangement for tempering a building space of a building in accordance with the present invention;

fig. 9 to 11 schematically show different embodiments of geothermal heating arrangements to be utilized in an arrangement for tempering a building space of a building according to the invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a conventional prior art geothermal heating apparatus connected to a building 50. The geothermal heating apparatus comprises a ground hole 2 or borehole, which ground hole 2 or borehole is arranged into the ground and extends from the ground surface 1 down into the ground. The earth hole 2 may be formed by drilling or some other excavation method.

In the context of the present application, the depth of the ground opening 2 from the ground 1 may be at least 300m, or at least 500m, or between 300m and 3000m, or between 500m and 2500 m. Alternatively or additionally, the earth's bore 2 extends into the earth to a depth of at least 15 ℃, or about 20 ℃, or at least 20 ℃.

The ground hole 2 may extend in the ground to a depth below the ground water level, i.e. through the ground water level. Alternatively, the ground hole 2 may extend in the ground to a depth above the ground water level.

It should be noted that in the drawings, similar structural parts and structures are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will not be repeated with respect to each drawing.

Furthermore, in the present application, the ground hole 2 may be any type of hole extending into the ground, and the ground hole 2 may be a vertical hole, a vertical straight hole, or other manner of straight hole extending into the ground at an angle with respect to the ground 1 or the vertical direction. Further, the earth boring 2 may have one or more bends and the direction of the earth boring may be changed one or more times along the length of the ground toward the lower end or bottom of the earth boring 2. Additionally, it should be noted that the shape or form of the risers and discharge pipes of the geothermal heat exchanger may preferably conform, at least substantially conform, to the shape or form of the ground hole 2, to fit the risers and discharge pipes properly into the ground hole 2. Preferably, the ground hole 2 extends to a depth as described above, but the ground hole 2 may be bent one or more times in a length direction or it may be straight.

The underground material at the lower end 4 of the earth hole is typically rock material. Thus, the subterranean or underground rock material may form the surface of a ground hole, or the inner surface of a riser or discharge pipe of a geothermal heat exchanger along at least a portion of its length.

The geothermal heat exchanger 55 is arranged in connection with the ground hole 2. The geothermal heat exchanger 55 comprises a piping arrangement in which a geothermal working fluid is circulated. The piping arrangement typically comprises a closed loop piping system arranged to provide a closed cycle of geothermal working fluid. Geothermal working fluids are typically liquids such as water or methanol or ethanol based working fluids. The pipe system arrangement comprises a riser 11 and a discharge pipe 21, the riser 11 and the discharge pipe 21 being arranged into the ground hole 2 such that the riser 11 and the discharge pipe 21 extend from the ground 1 towards the bottom 4 of the ground hole 2. The riser tube 11 and the discharge pipe 21 are in fluid communication with each other at the lower end portions of the riser tube 11 and the discharge pipe 21 to circulate the geothermal working fluid in the ground hole 2 between the riser tube 11 and the discharge pipe 21. There may be one or more risers 11 and discharge pipes 21 arranged into the same or different bores 2.

In a preferred embodiment, the ground hole 2 forms a discharge pipe 21. Alternatively, the ground hole 2 forms at least a part of the discharge pipe 21 and there is a separate upper discharge pipe (not shown) arranged into an upper part of the ground hole 2 and extending a predetermined distance from the ground 1 into the ground hole 2.

Thus, the riser pipe 11 is arranged inside the ground hole 2. The riser 11 is open at the lower end 17. Thus, the riser 11 and the discharge pipe 21 or the ground hole 2 are in fluid communication with each other via the open lower end 17 of the riser 11. The advantage of arranging the ground holes 2 as discharge pipes is that the geothermal working fluid is in direct contact with the ground providing efficient heat transfer. Further, when the ground hole 2 is deep, it may be difficult to install a separate discharge pipe.

The geothermal heat exchanger 55 further comprises a first pump 8, the first pump 8 being arranged to the pipe system arrangement 11, 21 to circulate geothermal working fluid in the pipe system arrangement. The first pump 8 may be any type of known pump capable of circulating geothermal working fluid.

The geothermal heat exchanger 55 is also connected to the heat pump 30, and in the heat pump 30, heat exchange is performed between the geothermal working fluid and the heat pump working fluid. Further, in the heat pump 30, heat exchange is performed between the heat pump working fluid and the primary working fluid of the building space 51 of the building 50.

In fig. 1, a geothermal heat exchanger 55 and a heat pump 30 are arranged in connection with a building 50. The geothermal heat exchanger 55 is used to heat or cool the primary working fluid of the building space 51. The primary working fluid of the building space 51 may be, for example, ventilation air of the building or building space or some other primary working fluid flowing in a heating and/or cooling system of the building 51 or building space 51.

The heat pump 30 and the geothermal heat exchanger 55 together form a geothermal heating device. The heat pump 30 and the riser 11 may be connected to each other through a first connection pipe 3, and the heat pump 30 and the discharge pipe 21 may be connected to each other through a second connection pipe 5. The first connection pipe 3 may form a part of the riser 11 and the second connection pipe 5 may form a part of the discharge pipe 5. The first pump 8 is provided to the riser 11 or the first connecting pipe 3. Alternatively, the first pipe may be provided to the discharge pipe 21 or the second connection pipe 5.

As shown in fig. 1-9 and 11, the geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger may be arranged to circulate in a heat pump 30. Thus, the riser tube 11 and the discharge tube 21 may be directly connected to the heat pump 30. Alternatively, as shown in fig. 10, an additional heat exchanger, i.e., the secondary heat exchanger 31, may be provided between the heat pump 30 and the ground heat exchanger 55. The geothermal heat exchanger 55 is connected to the secondary heat exchanger 31 such that the geothermal working fluid is arranged in heat transfer connection with the secondary working fluid flowing in the secondary pipe loop 32. The secondary pipe loop 32 is connected to the heat pump 30 and to the secondary heat exchanger 31 so that the secondary working fluid can transfer thermal energy to and from the heat pump 30 or the primary working fluid and to and from the secondary heat exchanger 31 or the geothermal working fluid. Hereinafter, all embodiments may be implemented as shown in fig. 1 or as shown in fig. 10. Therefore, the secondary working fluid is equivalent to a geothermal working fluid, and the secondary pipe loop is equivalent to the first and second connection pipes 3 and 5 and the riser 11 and the discharge pipe 21.

Thus, the first heat exchanger step of the method of the present invention may comprise performing a first heat exchange step in which thermal energy is extracted from the primary working fluid of the building space 51 by the heat pump 30 into the geothermal working fluid to cool the building space 51 and to heat the geothermal working fluid. Alternatively, the first heat exchange step may include further utilizing a secondary heat exchanger 31, a secondary conduit loop 32, and a secondary working fluid. Thus, the first heat exchange step may include extracting thermal energy from the primary working fluid to the secondary working fluid of the building space 51, and further extracting thermal energy from the secondary working fluid to the geothermal working fluid. This can be done by: heat energy is extracted from the primary working fluid of the building space 51 by the heat pump 30 to the secondary working fluid circulating in the secondary pipe loop 32 and further heat exchange from the secondary working fluid to the geothermal working fluid is performed by the secondary heat exchanger 31. Thus, in the present invention, the first heat exchange step comprises all possible intermediate heat exchange steps between the primary working fluid and the geothermal working fluid.

In the heating mode of the heat pump 30 and in the heat extraction mode of the geothermal heat exchanger, the geothermal working fluid receives or extracts thermodynamic energy from the ground in the earth bore 2, in particular in the lower part of the lower end 4 of the earth bore 2 or in the ground in the vicinity of the lower end 4, such that the temperature of the geothermal working fluid is increased and the geothermal working fluid is heated. The geothermal working fluid is then circulated or transported up the riser 11 and through the first connection pipe 3 to the heat pump 30.

Figure 2 schematically illustrates one embodiment of a heat pump 30 coupled to a building 50 and a geothermal heat exchanger.

In the heat pump 30, the geothermal working fluid releases thermodynamic energy to the heat pump working fluid in the heating mode of the heat pump 30 and in the heat extraction mode of geothermal heat exchange. The heat pump working fluid receives thermodynamic energy from the geothermal working fluid in the secondary heat exchange connection 104 of the heat pump 30. The heat pump working fluid may be any suitable fluid, such as a refrigerant. The heat pump 30 may include a pump 35, and the pump 35 is provided to the heat pump 30 to circulate the heat pump working fluid in the heat pump 30.

The secondary heat exchange connection 104 may be an evaporator, and the liquid heat pump working fluid receives or absorbs thermodynamic energy from the geothermal working fluid in the evaporator 104 and the heat pump working fluid is converted to or into a gas. The gaseous heat pump working fluid is then flowed or circulated into a compressor 101, which compressor 101 is arranged to increase the pressure and increase the temperature of the gaseous heat pump working fluid.

The gaseous heat pump working fluid then releases thermodynamic energy to the building space 51 or primary working fluid of the building 50 in the primary heat exchange connection 103 of the heat pump 30. The primary working fluid receives thermodynamic energy from the heat pump working fluid in the primary heat transfer connection.

The primary heat exchange connection 103 may be a condenser, and the gaseous heat pump working fluid may condense back to a liquid as it releases thermodynamic energy to the primary working fluid. The liquid heat pump working fluid then flows or circulates to the expansion device 102 where the pressure of the liquid heat pump working fluid is reduced and the temperature is reduced.

In the heating mode of the heat pump 30, a cold primary working fluid stream 52 is received into the heat pump 30 from the building 50 or building space 51 and the cold primary working fluid stream 52 receives thermodynamic energy in the primary heat exchange connection 103 such that the temperature of the primary working fluid is increased. The heated primary working fluid stream 54 is then supplied to the building 50 or building space 51.

The heat pump working fluid then flows or circulates back to the secondary heat transfer connection 104 and the cycle repeats.

The geothermal working fluid releases thermodynamic energy in the heat pump 30 or in the secondary heat transfer connection 104 of the heat pump 30. Thermodynamic energy is released and received into the heat pump working fluid. Thus, the temperature of the geothermal working fluid is reduced in the heat pump 30 or as the geothermal working fluid flows through the heat pump 30 or the secondary heat exchange connection 104. The cold geothermal working fluid circulates or flows from the heat pump 30 to the discharge pipe 21, via the second connecting pipe 5 to the discharge pipe 21, and downwards in the earth hole 2 towards the bottom 4 of the earth hole 2. In the earth bore 2, the geothermal working fluid again receives or extracts thermodynamic energy from the ground and a new cycle is started.

Fig. 2 shows the reverse mode of the above process. In the reverse mode, the heat pump 30 operates in a cooling mode such that the heat pump receives or absorbs thermal energy from the primary working fluid of the building 50 or building space 51. Furthermore, in the reverse mode, the geothermal heat exchanger releases thermodynamic energy into the ground in the earth hole 2. The reverse mode of operation is described. In the cooling mode of the heat pump 30, the heat pump working fluid flows in the direction of arrow 36. Further, in the cooling mode, the primary heat exchange connection 103 is arranged to transfer thermodynamic energy from the heat pump working fluid to the primary working fluid such that the temperature of the primary working fluid decreases and the temperature of the heat pump working fluid increases.

The liquid heat pump working fluid receives or absorbs thermodynamic energy from the primary working fluid of the building space 51 or building 50 in the primary heat exchange connection 103 of the heat pump 30. Thus, the warm or hot flow of the primary working fluid 52 releases thermodynamic energy to the liquid heat pump working fluid in the primary heat transfer connection 103. The primary working fluid cools down or the temperature of the primary working fluid decreases. The cooled primary working fluid stream 54 flows from the heat pump 30 back to the building 50 or building space 51.

The primary heat exchange connection 103 may now be an evaporator. The liquid heat pump working fluid receives or absorbs thermodynamic energy from the primary working fluid in the evaporator and evaporates to a gas, forming a gaseous heat pump working fluid.

The gaseous heat pump working fluid flows or circulates to the compressor 101. The compressor 101 is arranged to increase in pressure and increase in temperature of the gaseous working fluid. The gaseous heat pump working fluid flows or circulates from the compressor 101 to the secondary heat exchange connection 104. In the secondary heat exchange connection 104, the high temperature heat pump working fluid releases thermal energy to the geothermal working fluid in the secondary heat exchange connection 104. Therefore, the temperature of the heat pump working fluid is lowered and the heat pump working fluid returns to the liquid state.

The secondary heat exchange connection 104 may now be a condenser. The gaseous heat pump working fluid releases thermodynamic energy to the geothermal working fluid in the condenser and transforms into a liquid, forming a liquid heat pump working fluid.

When the heat pump 30 is operating in the cooling mode, the geothermal heat exchanger is operating in the charging mode. In the charging mode, the geothermal working fluid flows upwards in the discharge pipe 21 as indicated by the arrow 12 in fig. 1 and downwards in the riser pipe 11 as indicated by the arrow 22 in fig. 1. In the charging mode of the geothermal heat exchanger, the geothermal working fluid releases thermodynamic energy into the ground in the earth's bore 2, as indicated by arrow C in fig. 1. Thus, the temperature of the geothermal working fluid is reduced in the earth hole 2. The first pump 8 is thus arranged to circulate geothermal working fluid down the riser 11 towards the bottom 4 of the ground hole 2.

As shown in fig. 2, the cooled geothermal working fluid flows or circulates along the discharge pipe 21 to the heat pump 30, or along the discharge pipe 21 and to the heat pump 30 via the second connection pipe 5, as shown by the arrow 12 in fig. 1 and 2. In the heat pump 30, the geothermal working fluid receives or absorbs thermodynamic energy from the heat pump working fluid in the secondary heat exchange connection 104. The temperature of the geothermal working fluid increases in the secondary heat exchange connection 104. The heated geothermal working fluid then flows or circulates down the riser 11 into the ground hole 2 or down the riser 11 via the first connecting pipe 3 into the ground hole 2 as indicated by the arrows 22 in fig. 1 and 2. In the earth hole 2, the geothermal working fluid releases thermodynamic energy into the ground again and the temperature of the geothermal working fluid is lowered. The subsurface surrounding the earth hole 2 absorbs or receives thermodynamic energy from the geothermal working fluid and the temperature of the subsurface increases. A new cycle of geothermal working fluid is next started.

After the heat pump working fluid has released thermodynamic energy to the geothermal working fluid and returned to the liquid phase in the secondary heat exchange connection 104, the heat pump working fluid flows or circulates to the expansion device 102 where the pressure of the heat pump working fluid is reduced and the temperature of the heat pump working fluid is also reduced. The heat pump working fluid then flows or circulates again from the expansion device 102 to the primary heat exchange connection 103 and the heat pump working fluid cycle repeats and begins again.

It should be noted that in the context of the present invention, the heat pump 30 may comprise only a primary heat transfer connection 103 and a secondary heat transfer connection 104. Furthermore, the primary and secondary heat transfer connections 103, 104 may comprise any known type of heat exchanger. Thus, the present invention is not limited to any particular type of heat pump 30. The heat pump 30 may be a liquid-to-liquid heat pump, wherein the geothermal working fluid and the primary working fluid are both liquids; or a liquid-to-gas (or liquid-to-air) heat pump where the geothermal working fluid is a liquid and the primary working fluid is a gas, such as air.

Further, in some embodiments, the heat pump 30 may be replaced or the heat pump 30 may be a heat exchanger where thermodynamic energy is transferred directly between the geothermal working fluid and the primary working fluid of the building space 51 or building 50. Alternatively, the heat pump 30 may be replaced or the heat pump 30 may be any known type of heat exchange connection or geothermal heat exchanger disposed between a primary working fluid and a geothermal working fluid.

Additionally, it should be noted that the heat pump working fluid may also be omitted, and the primary or secondary working fluid or geothermal working fluid of fig. 10 may circulate in the heat pump 30 via the compressor 101, the expansion device 102, and the primary and secondary heat exchange connections 103 and 104.

The invention and its different embodiments are described in more detail in the following figures 3 to 8. The geothermal heat exchanger 55 and the heat pump 30 in fig. 3 to 8 correspond to the general representation of fig. 1 and 2. Therefore, the above repetitive description of the geothermal heat exchanger 55 and the heat pump 30 is omitted. In all embodiments of fig. 3 to 8, an arrangement for heating or cooling or tempering a building 50 or a building space 51 of a building 50 is provided, which arrangement comprises a ground hole 2, a geothermal heat exchanger 55 and a heat pump 30. Fig. 3 to 8 disclose different embodiments of solar plants connected to a geothermal heat exchanger 55 and a heat pump 30. In fig. 9 to 13, geothermal heat exchangers and different embodiments thereof are described in more detail. It should be noted that not all combinations of solar plants and geothermal heat exchangers are disclosed separately, and therefore different embodiments of solar plants and geothermal heat exchangers can be combined in all possible ways.

According to the invention, the solar energy device may be any known type of device arranged to generate electricity or heat by converting solar energy into electricity or heat, respectively. For example, the solar power plant may be a solar power plant arranged for generating electricity by solar energy or a solar heating plant arranged to generate thermal energy by solar energy.

The solar power plant may comprise one or more solar panels or solar cells arranged to generate electricity and arranged at the structure of the building. The solar cell or solar panel may be any known type of solar cell or solar panel and the invention is not limited to any particular type of solar cell or solar panel.

In some embodiments of the invention, the solar power device or solar cell or solar panel may be provided as part of the building 50 or structure of the building 50, or as an integral part of the building 50 or structure of the building 50. Thus, the solar power apparatus may be attached or mounted to the building 50 or a structure of the building, such as a roof of the building 50, for providing the solar power apparatus to the building 50. Alternatively, the building 50 itself or a portion of the structure or structure itself forms or is part of a solar power plant. Thus, a solar power plant may comprise a solar roof, a solar window or a solar wall. The solar roof or solar wall forms at least part of the structure of the building 50 and is arranged to generate electricity. This means that an integrated solar power plant or solar roof, solar window or solar wall is a conventional part of a building and is arranged to generate electricity.

The solar heating apparatus may comprise one or more solar collectors or collector tubes arranged to collect solar thermal energy and heat the solar working fluid in the solar heating apparatus. The solar heating apparatus may be arranged to the structure of a building. The solar heating apparatus may be any known type of solar heating apparatus and the invention is not limited to any particular type of solar heating apparatus.

In some embodiments of the invention, the solar heating apparatus or solar collector apparatus may be provided as an integral part of the building 50 or a part of the structure of the building 50, or as an integral part of the building 50 or a part of the structure of the building 50. Thus, the solar heating apparatus may be attached or mounted to the building 50 or a structure of the building, such as a roof of the building 50, for providing the solar heating apparatus to the building 50. Alternatively, the building 50 itself or a part of the structure or the structure itself forms or is part of the solar heating apparatus. Thus, the solar heating device may comprise, for example, a wall or roof element with an integrated or embedded solar heating device or solar collector or collector tube of a solar collector. The wall or roof elements form at least part of the structure of the building 50 and are arranged to generate heat or a heated solar working fluid. This means that the integrated solar heating apparatus is a conventional part of a building and is arranged to generate heat or a heated solar working fluid.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the arrangement comprises a solar device 110. The solar power plant 110 is a solar power plant 110 arranged to generate electrical power. A solar power plant 110 is arranged in connection with the building 50 or to the building 50, and the solar power plant 110 is connected to the heat pump 30 for supplying solar energy, generated solar power, to a geothermal heating plant, in particular to the heat pump 30. Thus, the solar power plant 110 is connected to the heat pump 30 of the geothermal heating plant and is arranged to operate the heat pump 30. The solar power device 110 is connected to the heat pump 30 via an electrical connection 112 or an electrical cable 112. Thus, the solar power plant 110 is arranged to supply electrical power to the heat pump 30 for operating the heat pump 30.

As shown in fig. 3, the solar power device 110 may be provided with a battery 111 or the solar power device 110 may include a battery 111 for storing power generated by the solar power device so that the power may be used when needed.

A battery 111 may be provided in any embodiment of the present invention in which electricity is generated by the solar power plant 110. For simplicity, the batteries are not shown separately in all embodiments, but may be provided in any embodiment.

The solar power plant 110 may be connected to the heat pump 30 such that the heat pump may apply power from the solar power plant to all operations and components of the heat pump 30. Alternatively, the solar power plant 110 may be connected to and operate one or more of the following components for operating the heat pump 30: a compressor 101, an expansion device 102, a control device (not shown), a primary heat exchange connection 103, a secondary heat exchange connection 104, or some other device of the pump 35 or heat pump 30. The control means may be any means arranged to control the operation of the heat pump 30. This is relevant for all embodiments of the invention connecting the solar power plant 110 to the heat pump 30.

In view of the above, fig. 3 illustrates an embodiment in which the electricity generated by the solar power plant 110 is used to operate the heat pump 30 in the cooling mode. Thus, thermodynamic energy is transferred from the building 50 or building space 51 to the geothermal working fluid via the heat pump 30 and further to the ground in the ground hole 2 when the geothermal heat exchanger 55 is operated in charging mode. Thus, solar energy is stored underground by the solar power plant 110, the heat pump 30 and the geothermal heat exchanger 55.

Fig. 4A shows an alternative embodiment in which the arrangement includes a solar device 110. The solar power plant 110 is a solar power plant 110 arranged to generate electrical power. The solar power plant 110 is arranged in connection with the building 50 or to the building 50 and the solar power plant 110 is connected to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 for supplying solar energy, generated solar power, to the geothermal heating plant, in particular to the geothermal heat exchanger 55. Thus, the solar power plant 110 is connected to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 of the geothermal heating plant and is arranged to operate the geothermal heat exchanger 55. The solar power device 110 is connected to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 by an electrical connection 112 or an electrical cable 112. Thus, the solar power plant 110 is arranged to supply power to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 for operating the geothermal heat exchanger 55. Solar power device 110 may also include a battery 111.

The solar power plant 110 may be connected to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 such that the geothermal heat exchanger 55 may apply power from the solar power plant to all operations and components of the geothermal heat exchanger 55. The solar power plant 110 may be connected to a control device (not shown) such as the first pump 8 or the geothermal heat exchanger 55. The first pump 8 is arranged to circulate geothermal working fluid in the geothermal heat exchanger 55. The control device may be any device arranged to control the operation of the geothermal heat exchanger 55. This is relevant for all embodiments of the invention connecting the solar power plant 110 to the heat pump 30.

In light of the above, fig. 4A illustrates an embodiment in which the power generated by the solar power plant 110 is used to operate the geothermal heat exchanger 55 in a charging mode. Thus, when the geothermal heat exchanger 55 is operated in charging mode and the heat pump 30 is operated in cooling mode, thermodynamic energy is transferred from the building 50 or building space 51 to the geothermal working fluid via the heat pump 30 and further to the ground in the ground hole 2. Thus, solar energy is stored underground by the solar power plant 110, the heat pump 30 and the geothermal heat exchanger 55.

Fig. 4B shows another embodiment of the invention, wherein the arrangement comprises a solar device 110. The solar power plant 110 is a solar power plant 110 arranged to generate electrical power. A solar power plant 110 is arranged in connection with the building 50 or to the building 50 and the solar power plant 110 is connected to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 and to the heat pump 30 for supplying solar energy, generated solar power, to the geothermal heating plant, in particular to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 and the heat pump 30. Thus, the solar power plant 110 is connected to and arranged to operate the geothermal heat exchanger 55 and the heat pump 30, respectively, of the geothermal heating plant. Thus, fig. 4B shows an embodiment that is a combination of the embodiments of fig. 3 and 4A described above.

In view of the above, fig. 4B shows an embodiment where the power generated by the solar power plant 110 is used to operate the geothermal heat exchanger 55 in the charging mode and the heat pump 30 in the cooling mode.

Fig. 5A and 5B show an alternative embodiment of the invention, wherein the arrangement comprises a solar device 110. The solar power plant 110 is a solar power plant 110 arranged to generate electrical power. The solar power plant 110 is arranged in connection with the building 50 or to the building 50. The geothermal heating apparatus or geothermal heat exchanger 55 also includes an electrical heating device 116 having a heating element 118. The electrical heating device 116 may be any known type of electrical heating device and the heating element 118 may be a heating resistor or the like. The solar power device 110 is connected to an electrical heating device 116 by an electrical connection 114 or an electrical cable 114. Thus, the solar power apparatus 110 is arranged to supply electrical power to the electrical heating device 116 for operating the electrical heating device 116 and/or generating thermal energy by the electrical heating device 116. The solar power plant 110 may also include a battery 111 to generate thermal energy via an electrical heating device 116 when desired.

The electric heating device 116 is arranged in connection with or arranged to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 or the pipe arrangement of the geothermal heat exchanger 55 or the riser 11 and/or the first connection pipe 3 or to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 or the pipe arrangement of the geothermal heat exchanger 55 or the riser 11 and/or the first connection pipe 3.

The electric heating device 116 is preferably arranged to the riser 10 or the first connection pipe 3 between the heat pump 30 and the lower end 17 of the riser 10 for heating the geothermal working fluid downstream of the heat pump 30 in the cooling mode and in the charging mode. Thus, the electrical heating device 116 may be arranged to heat a geothermal working fluid flowing or circulating from the heat pump 30 to the earth bore 2 for releasing thermodynamic energy into the ground in the earth bore 2. Thus, the electric heating device 116 and the solar power apparatus 110 together enable the transfer of solar energy to the geothermal working fluid and the storage of solar energy underground in the earth bore 2.

In the embodiment of fig. 5A, the solar power plant 110 is connected to both the heat pump 30 and the electric heating device 116, respectively, as described above. Thus, the solar power plant 110 is connected to the heat pump 30 through the electrical connection 112 to operate the heat pump 30 by the generated electricity. The solar power installation 110 is connected to an electric heating device 116 by means of an electrical connection 114 for operating the electric heating device and/or for generating thermodynamic energy by means of the electric heating device 116 using the generated electric power.

In the embodiment of fig. 5B, as described above, the solar power plant 110 is connected only to the electrical heating device 116. The solar power installation 110 is therefore connected to the electrical heating device 116 via the electrical connection 114 for operating the electrical heating device and/or for generating thermodynamic energy by means of the electrical heating device 116 using the generated electrical power.

In view of the above, fig. 5A and 5B illustrate an embodiment in which, when the geothermal heat exchanger 55 is operating in a charging mode and the heat pump 30 is operating in a cooling mode, the electricity generated by the solar power plant 110 is used to generate thermal energy and the generated thermal energy is charged to the ground through the geothermal heat exchanger 55.

In the context of the present application, the solar power device is connected to the building electrical grid 112, 114, 115. A building grid refers to a grid of a building that is independent of a national or local grid or is connected to a national or local grid via a building power hub. Therefore, the electric power generated by the solar power equipment provided to the building is supplied to the building grid or directly to the heat pump or the geothermal heat exchanger to be used for operating the geothermal heating equipment and for charging the thermodynamic energy to the ground hole 2.

Fig. 6A and 6B illustrate an embodiment of the invention in which the arrangement includes a solar device 120. The solar device 120 is a solar heating device 120 arranged to generate thermal energy. The solar heating apparatus 120 is arranged in connection with the building 50 or to the building 50 and the solar heating apparatus 120 is connected to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 for supplying thermal energy, the generated solar thermal energy, to the geothermal heating apparatus, in particular to the geothermal heat exchanger 55. Thus, the solar heating apparatus 120 is connected to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 of the geothermal heating apparatus and arranged to transfer heat to the geothermal working fluid 55. The solar heating apparatus 120 is connected to the ground heat exchanger 55 through a solar heat exchange connection 126. Thus, the solar heating apparatus 120 is arranged to supply thermal energy to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 and the geothermal working fluid.

The solar heating apparatus 120 may be a solar thermal collector in which a solar working fluid circulates. The solar heating apparatus 120 may have a collector element 120 and a solar heat exchanger 126 arranged in heat transfer connection with the geothermal heat exchanger 55. The solar heat exchanger 126 is arranged in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger 55 or the pipe system arrangement of the geothermal heat exchanger 55 or is arranged to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 or the pipe system arrangement of the geothermal heat exchanger 55 or to the riser 11 and/or the first connecting pipe 3.

The solar heat exchanger 126 is preferably arranged to the riser 10 or the first connection pipe 3 between the heat pump 30 and the lower end 17 of the riser 10 for heating the geothermal working fluid downstream of the heat pump 30 in the cooling mode and in the charging mode. Thus, the solar heat exchanger 126 may be arranged to heat a geothermal working fluid flowing or circulating from the heat pump 30 to the earth bore 2 for releasing thermodynamic energy into the ground in the earth bore 2. Thus, the solar heat exchanger 126 and the solar heating apparatus 120 together enable solar energy to be transferred to the geothermal working fluid and stored underground in the earth bore 2.

The solar heat exchanger 16 may be any known type of heat exchanger or heat exchange connection.

In a solar heating apparatus, a solar working fluid is heated in a solar collector element 120. The solar collector elements 120 are arranged to transfer solar thermal energy to the solar working fluid and to heat the solar working fluid. The solar heating apparatus 120 may further comprise a first collector conduit 122, the first collector conduit 122 being disposed between the collector element 120 and the solar heat exchanger 126 for circulating the heated solar working fluid from the solar collector element 120 to the solar heat exchanger 126. In the solar heat exchanger 126, the solar working fluid releases thermodynamic energy to the geothermal working fluid, and the geothermal working fluid receives thermodynamic energy from the solar working fluid. Thus, the temperature of the geothermal working fluid increases and the temperature of the solar working fluid decreases. The solar heating apparatus further comprises a second collector conduit 124, the second collector conduit 124 extending between the solar heat exchanger 126 and the solar collector element 120 for circulating cooled solar working fluid from the solar heat exchanger 126 back to the solar collector element 120, as shown in fig. 6A.

According to the above, the solar heating apparatus 120 is connected to the geothermal heat exchanger by a solar heat exchange connection 126, such that the solar heat exchange connection 126 is arranged to transfer thermal energy from the solar heating apparatus 120 to the geothermal heat exchanger, or from the solar working fluid of the solar heating apparatus 120 to the geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger. The geothermal heat exchanger 55 or its geothermal working fluid then transfers the thermal energy further into the ground in the ground hole 2.

Fig. 6B shows an alternative embodiment which is a combination of the embodiments of fig. 3 and 6A. In this embodiment, as in the embodiment of fig. 3, the solar power plant 110 is connected to the heat pump 30 of the geothermal heating plant and is arranged to operate the heat pump 30. Thus, the solar power plant 110 is arranged to supply electrical power to the heat pump 30 for operating the heat pump 30. Further, as in the embodiment of fig. 6A, this embodiment includes a solar heating apparatus 120, the solar heating apparatus 120 being disposed in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger 55 and arranged to transfer or release thermal energy to the geothermal working fluid. Thus, in this embodiment, both the electricity generated by the solar power plant and the thermal energy generated by the solar heating plant are used to store thermodynamic energy into the ground through the geothermal heat exchanger.

Fig. 7A shows a variation of the embodiment of fig. 6B and other embodiments.

As shown in fig. 7A, the solar heating apparatus 120 comprises a solar working fluid pump 125 arranged to circulate a solar working fluid. In fig. 7A, a solar working fluid pump 125 is provided to the second collector conduit 124. Alternatively, the solar working fluid pump 125 may be provided to the first collector conduit 122, the solar thermal collector 120, or to the solar heat exchanger 126.

The solar power device 110 may be connected to the solar heating device 120 for operating the solar heating device 120. In fig. 7A and 7B, solar power device 110 is connected to solar heating device 120 through electrical connection 115. The solar power plant 110 is connected to the solar heating plant 120 and is arranged to operate the solar working fluid pump 125 for circulating the solar working fluid. However, the solar power plant 110 may also be arranged to operate any other component of the solar heating plant 120, such as a control device (not shown) of the solar heating plant. Thus, solar energy and solar power generated by solar power plant 110 are used to operate solar heating plant 120.

In the embodiment of fig. 7A, the solar power device 110 is connected only to the solar heating device 120. In the embodiment of fig. 7B, the solar power plant 110 is connected to the solar heating plant 120 and the heat pump 30 for operating both.

Fig. 8A and 8B illustrate other embodiments of the present invention.

The embodiment of fig. 8A is a combination of fig. 5B and fig. 6A. In this embodiment, the solar power installation 110 is connected to an electrical heating device 116 by means of an electrical connection 114 for operating the electrical heating device and/or for generating thermodynamic energy by means of the electrical heating device 116 using the generated electrical power. Thus, the solar power plant 110 and the electric heating device 116 are utilized to heat the geothermal working fluid and store the thermodynamic energy underground. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a solar heating device 120 is arranged in connection with the building 50 or to the building 50, and the solar heating device 120 is connected to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 for supplying thermal energy, the generated solar thermal energy, to the geothermal heating device, in particular to the geothermal heat exchanger 55. Thus, the solar heating apparatus 120 is connected to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 of the geothermal heating apparatus and arranged to transfer heat to the geothermal working fluid 55. Thus, in this embodiment, solar energy is used to heat the geothermal working fluid in two ways.

The embodiment of fig. 8B corresponds to the embodiment of fig. 8A, but as in the embodiment of fig. 3, the solar power plant 110 is also connected to the heat pump 30 for operating the heat pump 30. However, the solar power device 110 may additionally or alternatively be connected to the solar heating device 120 for operating the solar heating device 120.

It should be noted that in the embodiments of fig. 6B, 7A, 7B, 8A and 8B utilizing solar power devices 110, the solar heating device 120 or its collector elements 120 may be replaced with a waste heat source 120. The waste heat source 120 may be provided with or connected to a waste heat exchanger 126, the waste heat exchanger 126 being provided in connection with a geothermal heat exchanger and being arranged to transfer thermal energy from the waste heat source 120 to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 or from the waste heat fluid to a geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger 55 or to a geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger 55.

The waste heat source 120 is provided to the building 50 or located in the building 50, and the waste heat source 120 may be ventilation waste heat or air conditioning waste heat, waste heat from a device such as a computer server or a cooling device or a freezing device, or other waste heat.

Fig. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a geothermal heat exchanger 55. In this embodiment, the first insulation 25 extends from the ground 1 to the lower end 17 of the riser 11. Thus, the first insulation 25 may extend along the entire length of the riser 11, at least inside the ground hole 2 or the discharge pipe 21. The first insulation 25 may also extend along the entire length of the riser 11. In this embodiment, the riser tube 11 is arranged inside the discharge tube 21. The riser tube 11 and the discharge tube 21 may be arranged coaxially and/or parallel to each other and one within the other.

In this embodiment, the riser 11 may be a vacuum tube comprising a vacuum layer surrounding the flow channel of the riser 11. Thus, the vacuum layer is arranged to form the first adiabatic part 25. The riser 11 may also be provided with any other insulating material.

The geothermal heat exchanger 55 of fig. 9 comprises a first pump 8 arranged to the pipe system arrangement for circulating geothermal working fluid in the pipe system arrangement in a charging mode in which geothermal working fluid is circulated in a direction towards the lower end 17 of the riser tube 11 or in a downward direction in the riser tube 11 and in an upward direction in the discharge tube 21, as indicated by arrows 22 and 12. The first pump 8 may be any type of known pump capable of circulating geothermal working fluid. The geothermal heat exchanger 55 further comprises a second pump 9, which second pump 9 is arranged to circulate geothermal working fluid in a downward direction in the discharge pipe 21 and in an upward direction in the riser pipe 11 when the geothermal heat exchanger and the geothermal heat arrangement are in heat extraction mode. The second pump 9 may be any type of known pump capable of circulating geothermal working fluid. Thus, the first pump 8 is arranged to operate in a thermal charging mode and the second pump 9 is arranged to operate in a thermal extraction mode. Thus, the first pump 8 is arranged to circulate the geothermal working fluid in the following manner: as a heated geothermal working fluid 22 circulates in a downward direction in the riser 11 and as a cooler geothermal flow circulates in an upward direction in the discharge pipe 20, since the geothermal working fluid releases thermodynamic energy C from the heated geothermal working fluid into the ground.

In fig. 9, a separate discharge pipe 21 is not provided, but the ground holes 2 are arranged to form the discharge pipe 21. This enables efficient heat transfer between the geothermal working fluid and the ground. In this embodiment, the underground may be formed of rock, so that the underground can be used as the discharge pipe 21.

Fig. 10 shows another embodiment in which the riser tube 11 is arranged inside the discharge pipe 21. In this embodiment, the riser tube 11 and the discharge tube 21 are arranged nested one within the other or the riser tube 11 and the discharge tube 21 may be coaxially arranged one within the other such that the riser tube 11 is located inside the discharge tube 21, as shown in FIG. 9. The heated geothermal flow 22 flows downwards in the riser 11 having the first insulation 25 and flows out of the riser 11 from the open lower end 17 of the riser 11 into the discharge pipe 21 surrounding the riser 11. The geothermal working fluid releases thermodynamic energy C to the ground at the lower end 13 of the discharge pipe 21 or at the lower end 4 of the earth hole 2, which then flows upwards along the discharge pipe 21 as a cooler geothermal flow 12. The first insulation 25 reduces or minimizes heat transfer between the riser 11 and the discharge pipe 21 and between the heated stream 22 and the cooler stream 12.

As shown in fig. 10, the insulation 25 extends to a distance from the lower end 17 of the riser 17.

In the embodiment of fig. 10, the discharge pipe 21 is a pipe having a closed lower end 13 and extending inside the ground hole 2 to the lower end 4 of the ground hole or to the vicinity of the lower end 4. Therefore, the riser 11 is completely located inside the discharge pipe 21 in the ground hole 2, and the geothermal working fluid does not directly contact the ground.

In this embodiment, only the first pump 8 is provided. The first pump 8 may be a reversible pump arranged to pump geothermal working fluid in a downward direction in the riser 10 and in an upward direction in the exhaust pipe 20, or alternatively in a downward direction in the exhaust pipe 20 and in an upward direction in the riser 10. The first mode is a charging mode in which thermodynamic energy is charged into the ground, and the second mode is a reverse mode, i.e., an extraction mode in which the charged thermodynamic energy is extracted from the ground.

In the embodiment of fig. 11, the riser pipe 10 and the discharge pipe 20 are arranged at a distance from each other and are connected to each other by a connection pipe portion 18 or a bent portion at the lower end portions of the riser pipe 10 and the discharge pipe 20. In other words, the riser 10 and the discharge pipe 20 form a U-shaped pipe structure. It should be noted, however, that the present invention is not limited to any particular piping configuration for the riser 10 and the discharge pipe 20, nor to any number of risers 10 and discharge pipes 20.

In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the first insulation extends along the riser 10 to a distance from the lower end or connecting tube portion 18 or bend of the riser 10.

In an embodiment, the riser 3, 10, 11 of the pipe system arrangement 3, 5, 10, 11, 20, 21 of the geothermal heat exchanger 55 may comprise an inner pipe wall, an outer pipe wall and a layer of insulation material arranged between the inner pipe wall and the outer pipe wall of the riser 3, 10, 11. The layer of insulating material may be arranged to form a first insulation 25, which first insulation 25 surrounds the riser 3, 10, 11 and extends along at least a part of the length of the riser 3, 10, 11.

The insulation layer may be formed of any suitable material that prevents or reduces heat exchange by the geothermal working fluid. Thermal insulation refers to a material that can insulate the transfer of heat, or a material with low thermal conductivity that protects a fluid from heat loss or ingress by radiation, convection, or conduction. Several different insulating materials or vacuum may be used.

The insulation 25, in the case of a first pump 8 provided in the riser 10, together with the heated geothermal flow 22, reduces or minimizes the heat transfer from the heated primary flow 22 in the riser 10, so that the geothermal working fluid can be transported to the lower end of the first pipe 10 and the lower end 4 of the ground hole 2 in heated form or at an elevated temperature. Thus, the geothermal working fluid releases thermodynamic energy C at elevated temperature at the lower end of the earth bore 2 into the ground surrounding the earth bore 2 and thus stores the thermodynamic energy into the ground for later use. This applies to all embodiments using the first insulating portion 25.

It should be noted that the discharge pipes 20, 21 may also be provided with a second insulation extending from the ground towards the lower end 4 of the ground hole 2 in a similar manner to the first insulation.

In view of the above, it should be noted that the present invention provides an arrangement that enables the storage of thermodynamic energy into the ground by means of a geothermal heat exchanger using solar energy. Thus, the first pump 8 is arranged to circulate geothermal working fluid down risers 10, 11, preferably isolated risers, into the ground hole 2 having a depth of at least 300 meters from the ground 1. At this depth, the temperature of the subsurface surrounding the earth hole 2 is high enough to prevent thermal energy from escaping from the surroundings of the earth hole 2.

In a preferred embodiment, the depth of the earth hole 2 is at least 600 meters, or at least 1000 meters, or most preferably between 1500 and 3000 meters, so that higher subsurface temperatures can be reached.

In the preferred embodiment of fig. 3, 4A and 4B, solar energy is used directly to operate the heat pump 30 and/or geothermal heat exchanger 55. Thus, the arrangement can be set to be as energy-autonomous as possible.

Further, in the present invention, the heat pump 30 and the solar devices 110, 120 are provided or mounted to the building 50. Further, the geothermal heat exchanger 55 is connected to the building 50 and the heat pump 30. This thus enables energy management of the building 50.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of connecting to a building 50 to condition a building space 51 of the building 50. It should be noted that all of the above with respect to fig. 1 to 11 also apply directly to the method of the present invention.

As described, the method includes operating the heat pump 30 in a cooling mode and operating the geothermal heat exchanger 55 in a heat storage mode.

Thus, the method may comprise the steps of: a first heat exchange step in which thermal energy is extracted from the primary working fluid of the building space 50 to the heat pump working fluid through the primary heat exchange connection 103 of the heat pump 30 for cooling the building space 50, and a third heat exchange step in which thermal energy is released from the heat pump working fluid through the secondary heat exchange connection 104 of the heat pump 30 to the geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger provided in the ground hole 2 are performed. This corresponds to operating the heat pump 30 in a cooling mode. When the heat pump 30 utilizes a single heat pump working fluid, the first heat exchanging step may include both the first heat exchanging step and the third heat exchanging step. When the primary working fluid, the secondary working fluid, or the geothermal working fluid is circulated in the heat pump 30, the third heat exchange step is omitted. In addition, the first heat exchange step may also include utilizing a secondary heat exchanger 31 and a secondary working fluid. Thus, in the first heat exchange step, thermal energy is transferred from the primary working fluid to the geothermal working fluid via the heat pump 30 and the secondary working fluid.

The method may further comprise performing a second heat exchange step in which thermal energy is released into the ground from the geothermal working fluid of the geothermal heat exchanger in the earth bore 2, or at a lower portion of the earth bore 2, the earth bore 2 having a depth of at least 300 meters. This together with the first heat exchange step corresponds to operating the geothermal heat exchanger 55 in heat extraction mode or the first and second heat exchange steps correspond to operating the geothermal heat exchanger 55 in heat extraction mode.

The invention also includes generating solar energy by solar power plants 110, 120 provided to the building 50 and supplying the generated solar energy to the heat pump 30 or to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 or to both the heat pump 30 and the geothermal heat exchanger 55.

The solar energy generated may be electricity. Thus, the method may comprise supplying power generated by the solar power plant 110 to the heat pump 30 for operating the heat pump 30 in a cooling mode, and/or to the geothermal heat exchanger 55 for operating the geothermal heat exchanger 55 in a charging mode, and/or to an electrical heating device 116 arranged in connection with the geothermal heat exchanger 55.

Alternatively or additionally, the solar energy generated may be thermal energy. Thus, the method may comprise performing a fourth heat exchange step in which thermal energy is released from the solar working fluid to the geothermal working fluid flowing from the heat pump 30 to the ground hole 2, or in which thermal energy is released from the solar working fluid to the geothermal working fluid flowing from the heat pump 30 to the ground hole 2.

The method may further comprise supplying the power generated by the solar power device 110 to the solar heating device 120 for operating the solar heating device 120.

The method may further comprise utilizing waste heat generated in the building 50 and performing a fifth heat transfer step in which waste heat energy generated in the building 50 is transferred to the geothermal working fluid flowing from the heat pump 30 to the ground hole 2 or to the geothermal working fluid flowing from the heat pump 30 to the ground hole 2.

Thus, the charging mode of the geothermal heat exchanger 55 comprises circulating the geothermal working fluid in a downward direction in the risers 3, 10, 11 and in an upward direction in the discharge pipes 5, 20, 21 to transport thermodynamic energy towards the lower end 4 of the earth hole 2, such that the geothermal working fluid receives thermodynamic energy from the heat pump working fluid in the second heat exchange step and releases thermal energy into the ground in the third heat exchange step in the charging mode. Further, circulating geothermal working fluid in the geothermal heat exchanger comprises circulating geothermal working fluid in the geothermal heat exchanger 55 along the riser tube 10, 11 having a first insulation 25, the first insulation 25 being provided along at least a portion of the length of the riser tube 3, 10, 11.

The invention has been described above with reference to the examples shown in the drawings. The invention is, however, in no way limited to the above examples, but may vary within the scope of the claims.