ENHANCED DESIGN AND ENERGY ANALYSIS TOOL FOR GEOTHERMAL WATER LOOP HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
Because of the outstanding energy saving potential and flexible control capability, geothermal water loop heat pump system (GWLHP) has attracted more and more attention. In order to mostly realize the energy saving potential of the GWLHP system, proper system design is essential. In addition, to get the deserved energy efficiency incentives or LEED points for applying GWLHP system, it is usually required to compare the performance and energy consumption between GWLHP system and a standard HVAC system. It is thus highly desired to have a tool that is able to calculate the building heating and cooling loads, design ground heat exchanger, and predict the performance and energy consumption of the GWLHP system. For this purpose, an integrated building and HVAC system simulation tool has been enhanced recently to facilitate the design and energy analysis of the GWLHP systems. This paper gives an overview of the enhancements, verification of the new enhancements, and example applications of the enhanced design and simulation tool.