Geo Cooling Loop at home

I'm looking to build a geo-cooling loop at home.

The output device will be an atmospheric water generator exhaust which comes out at 110-120 degrees outside of the house, into 50-75 piping, 10ft underground where the ground temp is a stable 50-55 degrees.

The goal of this project is to recover the energy from the exhaust from the water generator which is dry air, like 10-20% humidity. Use the ground to cool that air, and reintroduce it into the house. So it's a complete energy recovery turning the hot dry exhaust to cool dry air at 50-55 degrees, just like an A/C but without using energy to cool that air.

I plan on backing up this system as well with a separate off-grid energy source.

Anyone have any other suggestions, or how much piping underground I will need to cool that air from 120F to 50-55F

Just gonna go ahead and pop this here

there's probably a subreddit for that, OP. i'll be shocked if you can find real help on kmc

What does this have to do with liberals?

Originally posted by Bashar Teg
there's probably a subreddit for that, OP. i'll be shocked if you can find real help on kmc

There isnt really, I came up with this myself, but as smart as everyone here thinks they are, I would be astounded if no one had any actual imput or knowledge. I am pretty sure my math is correct anyways.

there is no sub-reddit where you could find help with it? are you willing to put money on that? 🙂

I already put it in a subreddit there, which one are you thinking?

Originally posted by BrolyBlack
I already put it in a subreddit there.

maybe it wasn't an appropriate subreddit? look for other's there's a shitton of subreddits

WHat sub reddit where you thinking of to put it in?

for example if you posted it in some generalized green energy reddit, it might not have crossed the eyes of many people who could help. look for something related to DIY green/geo/etc home projects, maybe? i don't know the details here so that's just general advice

I posted it in the renewable energy sub, ill do those others.

Ask DMB the mechanical engineer so he can put his money where his mouth is. Otherwise, cool idea (pun intended)

Cooling air from a hot 120f down to 55f with piping is certainly possible, but it depends a lot on the piping. PVC plastic piping is cheaper than sat copper, but doesn't have the same heat-transfer/loss properties as copper, so you'll need a considerable amount more of piping using plastic.

Piping should ideally be laid in a grid with several inches of space between the piping, the more space the better heat transference/loss you'll achieve but this in turn can require more piping, if laid too close you'll lesson the effectiveness as you'll just start to heat the ground/dirt in time as the ground can't keep up with the heat soaking, basically you want as much cool earth around and between the grid as possible and within reason.

If I was doing this, I'd be happy with a target goal of incoming air being around 65-73, still cool enough to make the house comfortable and this will require less piping.

Originally posted by Robtard
Cooling air from a hot 120f down to 55f with piping is certainly possible, but it depends a lot on the piping. PVC plastic piping is cheaper than sat copper, but doesn't have the same heat-transfer/loss properties as copper, so you'll need a considerable amount more of piping using plastic.

Piping should ideally be laid in a grid with several inches of space between the piping, the more space the better heat transference/loss you'll achieve but this in turn can require more piping, if laid too close you'll lesson the effectiveness as you'll just start to heat the ground/dirt in time as the ground can't keep up with the heat soaking, basically you want as much cool earth around and between the grid as possible and within reason.

If I was doing this, I'd be happy with a target goal of incoming air being around 65-73, still cool enough to make the house comfortable and this will require less piping.

The amount of CFM's coming out of the exhaust is like 90-100CFM. So if it was copper piping it would have to be 6" ID. That would be expensive. But it would be better than plastic PVC because of its thermal conductive properties, PVC will retain the heat a lot more.

For a 6"x20" cost almost $1500.

https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/rough-plumbing/pipe-tubing-hoses-fittings-accessories/copper-pipe-tubing/type-l-copper-straight-pipe/6873433/p-1444426322824.htm

So just for copper piping alone would be $7500 and more because of fitting etc.

The only other cheaper solution would be dryer vent hose which is made from aluminum.
https://tinyurl.com/yyr7va7u

They key to this system is having the ground cool the piping as quick as possible, and alumimum doesnt hold any heat at all for very long, as you can bake foil in 400F oven and pull it out and touch it almost right after.

Also this system will not cool the whole house, but it would provide a supplemental cool dry air through energy recovery via thermal change.

Thought of a better idea while driving (though I’m sure this can be found elsewhere) using a smaller grid and secondary irrigation grid as evaporation is a great way to remove heat.

Create a smaller air grid as described above (run your entrance and exiting piping to the surface point), cover it with about 12-18 inches of dirt and then create and place on top of it another closed grid with small holes drilled throughout the piping and run a capped outlet to the surface where you can open it up, stick in a garden hose for 15-20 mins to run water down and drip-moisten the ground above and around your air cooling grid. This should make your cooling of the air two to three times more efficient.

You're gonna need a shit ton of piping if you wanna cool 120 F down to 50-55 F if the ground temperature is also only 50-55 F. You usually will want a decent temperature difference between the ground and final discharge temperature. Anyway, I've never seen anyone use an exclusively geo-cooling system so I can't say much more then that.

I’m trying to cool air not water. Cooling air is easier than water.

Originally posted by Robtard
Thought of a better idea while driving (though I’m sure this can be found elsewhere) using a smaller grid and secondary irrigation grid as evaporation is a great way to remove heat.

Create a smaller air grid as described above (run your entrance and exiting piping to the surface point), cover it with about 12-18 inches of dirt and then create and place on top of it another closed grid with small holes drilled throughout the piping and run a capped outlet to the surface where you can open it up, stick in a garden hose for 15-20 mins to run water down and drip-moisten the ground above and around your air cooling grid. This should make your cooling of the air two to three times more efficient.

Thx I’ll read when I get home

I’m trying to cool air not water. Cooling air is easier than water.

Of course. But it still takes quite a lot if you want the air to match the nearby conditions. Admittedly, when I posted I didn’t realize you were planning to cool only 100 CFM. But if that’s the case, I’m left to wonder what’s the point? It’s gonna be a costly and fairly complex system for such a minor amount of air.

It might be more. I need to measure it.