SE545503C2

SE545503C2 - System and method for a geothermal ground source heat pump system

Info

Publication number: SE545503C2
Application number: SE2150698A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Cynthia Jonströmer
Original assignee: MegaWatt Solutions Nordic AB
Priority date: 2021-06-01
Filing date: 2021-06-01
Publication date: 2023-10-03
Also published as: SE2150698A1

Abstract

A method for producing and/or designing a geothermal ground source heat pump system (100) is provided. The method comprises i) receiving a requirement relating to ground source heat pump system (100) performance, wherein said requirement comprises at least a heating capacity requirement for an associated building (10); ii) determining the number of ground source heat pump modules (200a) being required to fulfil the received requirement, wherein each ground source heat pump module (200a) is individually configurable between a minimum heating capacity and a maximum heating capacity; and iii) determining, for each ground source heat pump module (200a) being required, a configuration associated with a specific heating capacity of that ground source heat pump module (200a). The method further comprises iv) pre-manufacturing each ground source heat pump module (200a) according to the determined configuration, v) arranging said ground source heat pump module(s) (200a) remote from said associated building (10), and vi) connecting said ground source heat pump module(s) (200a) to the associated building (10) such that the ground source heat pump module(s) (200a) form a system (100) being adapted to fulfill said performance requirement.

Description

SYSTEM ANÜ METHOD FOR A GEOTHERMAL GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP SYSTEM Technical Field The present invention relates to a shallow geothermal ground source heat pump system. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for a high power geothermal ground source heat pump system that can be modularly designed for heating, cooling, and hot water applications.

Background Geothermal ground source heat pump systems became commercially popular around fifty years ago, relying on the heat pump concept invented already around 1850. Especially in cold regions like the Nordic countries, low power geothermal heat pumps are one of the most common heating system choice for detached houses.

Geothermal ground source heat pump systems are implemented using a ground heat exchanger which is in contact with the ground to extract heat. Used for the opposite purpose, the ground heat exchanger may also dissipate excessive heat to the ground.

The thermal efficiency of ground source heat pump systems is very good, generally due to the fact that a heat pump can move three to five times more heat energy than the electric energy it consumes. Still, modern ground source heat pump systems require high capital costs not only because of the expensive components involved, but also due to installation costs and system design. The latter is of particular importance, since careful calculations are a must in order to ensure the desired efficiency and performance.

Yet further, the majority of installations are low power system for single houses. One reason why the concept of ground source heat pump systems has not spread also to larger residential or commercial buildings, is the installation; the equipment requires a large space which is not always available, and the investment is significant.

In the growing market for ground source heat pump systems there is a huge variety in the demands posed by the customers that a manufacturer need to take into account. These demands often relate to the desired heating capacity, climate conditions, ground Characteristics, data management, automatic control, production cost, operating cost, etc. As the ground source heat pump systems grow larger, the span of the demands grow as well. In order to be attractive on the market, the ground source heat pump system manufacturers must be able to accommodate all demands and desires posed by the clients.

It is of course possible to produce a ground source heat pump system from scratch for each set of requirements to make sure that all the requirements are properly met. However, such a procedure is not very cost-efficient and the finished product is not likely to be competitive on a competitive market.

There is thus a need for a manner of producing ground source heat pump systems that is able to meet a Wide range of requirements While still being highly cost efficient.

Summary It is an object of the invention to at least partly overcome one or more of the above-identified limitations of the prior art. In particular, it is an object to provide a module-based ground source heat pump system Which allows great flexibility and robustness compared to prior art.

According to a first aspect, a method for producing and/or designing a geothermal ground source heat pump system is provided. The method comprises: receiving a requirement relating to ground source heat pump system performance, Wherein said requirement comprises at least a heating capacity requirement for an associated building; determining the number of ground source heat pump modules being required to fulfil the received requirement, Wherein each ground source heat pump module is individually configurable between a minimum heating capacity and a maximum heating capacity; and determining, for each ground source heat pump module being required, a configuration associated With a specific heating capacity ofthat ground source heat pump module. The method further comprises+ pre-manufacturing each ground source heat pump module according to the determined configuration;~. lšlacl: ground source foeat otxlnlﬁ module comprises a lieat oiunlp tufiit vlfliich ctämtßrises a oâuralityf of šndixfšcluallsf controllaätil lieat puingfss and a rnoalule controller. Easit: heat gouingv :zmriorises a hfzat puffar: controller cor1_fig1lr'e.d fo mor1š:t,<_>r and cotitrol. ï>l1fcssur'e ternmftfafistrf: anal *nova/ler consurnrﬁtion of the assocåattefl heat oump. and each heat oumo conlloääer coniprises a conïniimicatioii interface for data cornmuiiicatitän xnfith said iiiodule controller. The ground source heat pumgfs moçlul-a. fizrthcﬁi" :zoniorises a circulatitxn gﬁisrnp rnfztnaacd. by “the rnrululf: controller. .Earth beat pump is lleitnie.titrallwf sealed lëv rnearls of a casino and monitoffefl ezflnstanllgxf. lëv rnearls of the associatiefl heat nunm controller. for anv lﬁ-.al-:a-»e of refrlgerant. 'lllie iiiﬁ-.tlitäd further' comprises arranging said ground source heat pump module(s) remote from said associated building, and connecting said ground source heat pump module(s) to the ggrouiid by means of pißing in order 'to pitox-ftirle “tlieirnal eiiezfiﬂf. and to “the associated building such that the ground source heat pump module(s) form a system being adapted to fulfill said performance requirement.

Each ground source heat pump module may be individually configurable as one of: a loW heating capacity, a medium heating capacity, and a high heating capacity. Three levels of heating capacity for each heat pump module has proven to be i) efficient in terms of alloWing only a feW possible configurations, and ii) sufficient to allow for a Wide range of heating capabilities.

Each ground source heating module may comprise a heat pump unit formed by a plurality of hermetically sealed and identical heat pumps, each heat pump using R290 as refrigerant, Wherein each ground source heating module is individually configurable as including one of: four heat pumps, six heat pumps, or eight heat pumps.

The requirement relating to ground source heat pump system performance may further comprise a functionality requirement, and the method may further comprise adding at least one module associated With the functionality requirement.

The functionality requirement may comprise a cooling functionality, and the step of adding at least one module associated With the functionality requirement may be performed by pre-manufacturing a cooling module as a separate module, and connecting the cooling module to the ground source heat pump module(s) and/or to the associated building.

The functionality requirement may comprise a domestic hot Water functionality, and the step of adding at least one module associated With the functionality requirement may be performed by pre-manufacturing a hot Water module as a separate module, and connecting the hot Water module to the ground source heat pump module(s) and/or to the associated building.

The functionality requirement may comprise a backup heating functionality, and the step of adding at least one module associated With the functionality requirement may be performed by pre-manufacturing a backup module as a separate module, and connecting the backup module to the ground source heat pump module(s) and/or to the associated building.

The step of pre-manufacturing may be performed by providing each module as a stand-alone module having a housing, preferably in the form of a container, enclosing all components of the module.

The method may further comprise the step of pre-testing each module in a pre-manufacturing factory before connecting the modules to each other and/or to the associated building.

According to a second aspect, a geothermal ground source heat pump system is provided. The geothermal ground source heat pump system is produced by the method according to the first aspect mentioned above.

Brief Description of the Drawings The present inVention will hereinafter be further explained by means of non-limiting examples with reference to the appended schematic figures where; Fig. 1 is a schematic layout of a shallow geothermal ground source heat pump system being connected to a building; Fig. 2 is a schematic layout of a geothermal ground source heat pump system according to an embodiment; Fig. 3a is a cross-sectional View of a geothermal ground source heat pump module according to an embodiment; Fig. 3b is a rear View ofthe geothermal ground source heat pump module shown in Fig. 3a; Fig. 3c is a top View of the geothermal ground source heat pump module shown in Fig. 3a; Fig. 4a is a side View of a hot water module according to an embodiment; Fig. 4b is an isometric View of the hot water module shown in Fig. 4a; Fig. 5a is a side View of a backup module according to an embodiment; Fig. 5b is an isometric View of the backup module shown in Fig. 5a; Fig. 6a is a side View of a cooling module according to an embodiment; Fig. 6b is an isometric View of the cooling module shown in Fig. 6a; Fig. 7 is a schematic View of a method according to an embodiment; Fig. 8 is a schematic View of a geothermal ground source heat pump system according to an embodiment Fig. 9 is a schematic View of some interfaces of controllers according to an embodiment; Fig. 10 is a schematic View of a geothermal ground source heat pump module according to an embodiment; and Fig. 11 is a schematic View of a control platform according to an embodiment.

Detailed Description Starting in Fig. 1, a basic setup of a geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 is shown. A building 10, preferably in the form of a multi-apartment residential building, and office building, or similar is connected to the geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 by piping 12, 14 acting as a heat supply. The building 10 is substantially larger than a detached house, typically having a need for thermal energy above 100 kW, preferably above 500 kW, and even more preferably above 1 MW.

The geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 is provided as a separate building positioned remote from the building 10; this provides a number of advantages as will be further explained below. Connections between the building 10 in need for thermal energy supply or exchange and the geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 includes the supply piping 12 and the return piping 14. For example, when the geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 is configured to provide heat to the building 10, the supply piping 12 will provide a flow of hot fluid to the building 10 while the return piping 14 will provide a flow of cooled fluid back to the geothermal ground source heat pump system A main purpose of the geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 is to provide heat to a remote building 10. For this, an underground water loop 110 is arranged in a borehole. A water mixture, typically a mixture of water and alcohol, is pumped downhole through the water loop 110 thereby exchanging thermal energy with the ground before returning to ground level and exchanging the extracted thermal energy to a refrigerant of a heat pump unit. The heat pump is in turn connected to the piping 12, 14 to deliver the desired thermal heat exchange to the building The above described system is a shallow geothermal ground source heat pump system, meaning that the borehole does not exceed 500 meters in depth.

A schematic layout of the geothermal ground source heat pump system 100, according to one embodiment, is shown in Fig. 2. Although not shown, the geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 is preferably arranged inside a dedicated house, being located remote from associated building 10, and accessible by means of a door or similar (not shown). Inside the house one or more modules 200a-d are arranged. These modules 200a-d may be configured differently, but each one provide a specific functionality to the geothermal ground source heat pump system As will be further described a geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a is provided for general heating and cooling functionality. The module 200a may be connected, by means of suitable piping 16, to a hot water module 200b being configured to provide and accumulate domestic hot water. The hot water module 200b is preferably connected to the associated building 10 by means of suitable piping 17. A further backup module 200c is provided with all necessary components to fully function as a backup heating system for the associated building 10, including piping 18 to supply the hot water.

In the shown example the ground source heat pump module 200a is connected to the ground by means of piping 110, in order to provide thermal energy to the building 10 (heating mode) or to deliver cooling to the building 10 (cooling mode). In cases where cooling is a desired option, a cooling module 200d is added to the ground source heat pump system 100. In the shown example the ground source piping 110 is routed via the cooling module 200d, in turn connecting to the ground source heat pump module 200a.

A geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 may comprise one or more ofthe above-mentioned modules 200a-d. For example, in its most simple form the geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 comprises only a single geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a. In another embodiment, the geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 comprises two or more geothermal ground source heat pump modules 200a. The hot water module 200b and/or the backup module 200c can be added to the system 100 according to specific requirements so that a vast number of system specifications can be configured. This also applies for the cooling module 200d, which may or may not form part of the geothermal ground source heat pump system Within the content of this disclosure, a geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 comprises at least one geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a.

The geothermal ground source heat pump module Now turning to Figs. 3a-c more details on the geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a are given. On a general level, each geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a comprises the following functional blocks: i) a heat pump unit 210, ii) a module controller MC (not shown), iii) an electrical power system EPS (not shown), iv) a brine collector system 220, v) a heating distribution system 230, and vi) a cloud service 260 (not shown). These blocks are all enclosed in a module housing 202. The module housing 202 is preferably provided as a standard 20-foot container. Optionally the housing 202 may be equipped with internally insulated walls and ceiling, e.g. using 50 mm mineral wool, 15 mm plywood walls, painted in White, plastic carpet on the floor with folds up on the wall, etc.

The geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a is designed as a complete energy technology equipment and it is manufactured according to factory process management and modular production. Through factory industrialization, modular production and advance testing of equipment performance, it has been proven that the geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a can ensure superior quality and the performance of the various functions. Another advantage is that installation can make sure customer project budget will not be excessed, without risking any loss in performance or quality.

By arranging the module 200a, as well as the entire geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 remote from the associated building 10 as an outdoor energy station, service engineers do not require access to the main building. This provides both security benefits and facilitates access if there are any public health restrictions concerning the main building 10. It also saves space within the building 10 itself.

The heat Qumg unit With continued reference to Figs. 3a-c, the heat pump unit 210 comprises a plurality of individually controllable heat pumps 212. In a preferred embodiment the number of heat pumps 212 included in the heat pump unit 210 can be selected as either four, six, or eight. All heat pumps 212 are preferably identical, each one providing approximately 70 kW of heating capacity. For the preferred embodiments each geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a can thus be configured to provide 280 kW (using four heat pumps 212), 420 kW (using six heat pumps 212), or 560 kW (using eight heat pumps 212).

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 3a-c, the heat pump unit 210 comprises eight heat pumps 212. As a comparison, the schematic illustration of Fig. 2 shows a geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a having four heat pumps 212 of the heat pump unit The heat pumps 212 are arranged in a matrix structure along one side of the module housing 202 in two rows and four columns.

The heat pumps 212 are specially designed in order to fulfil the requirements of reliability, serviceability, cost efficiency, power density, sustainability and environmental friendly. Further, each heat pump 212 is built modular and made easily exchangeable to secure efficient maintenance and service settin life c cle cost and mean time to re air in focus. » Y In the preferred embodiment the heat pump unit 210 allows an incremental configuration in steps of 70l Each heat pump 212 uses R290 as the refrigerant; R290 is a sustainable and environmentally friendly choice and is associated with an environmental life cycle cost that is significantly lower than for common refrigerants such as R407C. The heat pump 212 further comprises a compressor of which the technology is chosen for long life and serviceability with replaceable components and a flat efficiency curve versus operating temperature range. One suitable compressor is manufactured by Bitzer, model no. 4FEO-35P-40P.

Each heat pump 212 has its own supervision and management electronic controller HPC being configured to monitor temperatures, pressure, and electric power consumption to ensure a secure and efficient operation.

The heat pump controller HPC communicates with the module controller MC with Modbus as well as direct with potential-free contacts for increased security.

Each heat pump 212 further comprises a built-in system for managing the flammable characteristics of R290. Each heat pump 212 is hermetically sealed by means of a casing 212a and monitored constantly, by means ofthe heat pump controller HPC, for any leakage of refrigerant. In the case of a leak, the heat pump 212 stops and evacuates the R290 via a ventilation system built into the geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a. At the same time, module controller MC is configured to transmit an alarm to maintenance staff that will follow the proper procedures to replace the faulty heat pump 212. Importantly, the other heat pumps 212 are unaffected and can continue to operate normally.

The dimensions of each hermetically sealed heat pump 212 is preferably 700 mm (height), 900 mm (width), and 780 mm (depth). Each heat pump 212 preferably operates at 28 kW peak power consumption, providing a heating/cooling capacity above 70 kW.

The module controller The module controller MC is configured to control, manage, and supervise energy production in the geothermal ground source heat pump modules 200a-d. Hence, it is possible to have a single module controller MC for an entire geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 comprising several, possibly different, modules 200a-d.

The module controller MC is preferably based on a software-driven open industry computer, such as a PLC systern that is designed for industrial environments and with functionality to securely manage power failures and other disruptive operational situations. Since all functions can be software-driven, upgrades and enhancements can be implemented during the life span of the geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a to ensure continuous maximum efficiency and adaption to new demands.

The module controller MC may in some embodiments be connected to a display, providing a graphical user interface to the module controller MC. The module controller MC may further comprise a wireless communication unit allowing all functions to be managed remotely if necessary.

The electrical power svstem The electrical power system EPS is configured as a fully functional power module for the geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a. It is provided with the required connections for incoming power, a main switch and necessary fuses, electric circuits for power distribution to the heat pump unit 210 with separate fuses and breakers, as well as electric circuits for power distribution to associated valves, circulation pumps and sensors/actuators of the module 200a. Yet further, the electrical power system is also configured to provide the required power to the module controller MC including I/O and incoming user interfaces.

The brine collector svstem For extracting or delivering thermal energy downhole, in one embodiment a brine collector system 220 is used. The brine collector system 200 is preferably connecting the geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a to the downhole piping ll0 via a DN200 connection 22l. The circulation performance of the brine is preferably controlled by a l5 kW circulation pump 222. The circulation pump 222 is managed by the module controller MC that also monitors the temperature. In a specific embodiment, the brine liquid is a mixture of water and 28% alcohol for antifreeze.

The heating distribution svstem The heating distribution system 230 is provided as a circuit allowing heating or cooling liquid to enter the geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a from the building l0, pass the heat pump unit 2l0 in order to warm up or cool down, and to return to the associated building l0 to deliver the desired thermal energy. The heating distribution system 230 is connected to the geothermal ground source heat pump modules 200a, preferably via a DN150 connection 232. The circulation flow is controlled by a 5.5 kW circulation pump 234 to ensure sufficient and optimum flow through the heating distribution system Flow and temperatures are constantly monitored and controlled by the module controller MC and adjusted to the required energy consumption of the associated building The heating distribution system 230 may also be provided with a separate controller HDSC (not shown), connected to the module controller MC. The controller HDSC ofthe heating distribution system 230 is preferably configured to control valves and circulation pumps inside the associated building 10. For this, the controller HDSC of the heating distribution system is preferably provided with a communication interface; communication between the controller HDSC and the components inside the associated building 10 may e.g. be performed through Modbus, with or without the provision of repeaters.

The cloud service In a preferred embodiment, each module controller MC is handling the management and control of the energy production locally. The cloud service 260, as will be further described below, is a cloud-based portal service providing a control and management system to supervise, manage, maintain and optimize the operation of the geothermal ground source heat pump system The cloud service 260 communicates with the module controller, using an Internet connection, with secure single sign on logic via a web browser. The main classes of services provided by the cloud service 260 are: alarms (preferably by email and/or SMS), generating process views to monitor temperatures etc., providing parameter settings for regulators, software maintenance, hardware maintenance (planned and unplanned), statistics, and optimization.

Connections With specific reference to Fig. 3b, some details on the connections ofthe geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a will be described. Brine enters the geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a through the connection 221, and exits at port 221a. Heating fluid enters from the associated building at port 232, and returns to the associated building through port 232a. The geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a, and more specifically theelectrical power system EPS, is receiving power through port 204. In embodiments where the geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a is connected to a hot water module 200b, hot water is circulated to the heat pump unit 210 through ports 206a-b. The housing 202 is further provided with ventilation ports 208. Ports may be added or omitted depending on the particular configuration of the geothermal ground source heat pump system The hot water module An example of a hot water module 200b is shown in Figs. 4a-b. On a general level, the hot water module 200a is provided as a separate module having a housing 202b enclosing the included components. The module housing 202b is preferably provided as a standard 20-foot container. Optionally the housing 202b may be equipped with internally insulated walls and ceiling, e.g. using 50 mm mineral wool, 15 mm plywood walls, painted in white, plastic carpet on the floor with folds up on the wall, etc.

The hot water for domestic use is generated in the hot water module 200b using the a fresh water station FWS. A circulation pump 270, typically operation at 0.34 kW or similar, is configured to circulate stored heated water between the FWS and one or more accumulator tanks 271. A separate pump 272 is configured to circulate the domestic hot water between the hot water module 200b and the associated building 10 through a suitable piping, including e.g. a DN54 connection.

The hot water module 200b is preferably used in combination with the geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a, such that the water of the fresh water station FWS is heated by the heat pump unit 210 ofthe geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a before accumulating in the accumulator tanks 271. This is particularly shown in Fig. 2 and in Fig.

Yet further, flow and temperatures are preferably constantly monitored and controlled by the module controller MC of the geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a and these parameters may be adjusted to the required water consumption of the associated building 10. Optionally, the hot water module 200b is provided with its own module controller MC which in such case preferably is in communication with the module controller MC of the geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a.

In either case, the hot water module 200b may be provided with a separate controller HWMC. The separate controller HWMC is connected to the module controller MC and is configured to control valves and circulation pumps insidethe associated building 10. Communication between the equipment of the building 10 and the module controller MC is preferably established through Modbus or other Wired or wireless protocols.

The backug module An example of a backup module 200c is shown in Figs. 5a-b. The backup module 200c is provided as a complete energy centre which ensures that the existing heating system of the associated building 10 does not freeze in the event of longer electricity and district heating losses. The backup module 200c is preferably provided as a part ofthe geothermal ground source heat pump system 100, or as a standalone unit. The backup module 200c is connected to the associated building 10 at prepared connection flanges of the heating system (i.e. the existing heating system of the building 10 or a geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a) via flexible hoses and electrical cabinets for associated electrical systems. This is further illustrated in Fig.

In an embodiment the backup module 200c is configured to be powered from existing grid system; however, during conventional power outage from the grid, it is configured to be connected to a diesel generator.

In an embodiment the backup module 200c is provided with all necessary components integrated for full function of a backup plant modulated for a specific power, e.g. in the range of 200 - 500 kW, such as 396 kW.

The main functional blocks ofthe backup module 200c are: at least one electric boiler, a backup module controller BMC, a backup electrical power system BEPS, and a backup cloud service BCS.

The backup module 200c comprises a housing (not shown in Figs. 5a-b); all components of the backup module 200c can thereby be built in a standard 20- foot container (forming the housing), optionally internally insulated walls and ceiling with 50 mm mineral wool, 15 mm plywood walls, painted in white, plastic carpet on the ﬂoor with folds up on the wall.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 5a-b, four electric boilers 280 are mounted. Each electric boiler 280 is preferably equipped with required safety equipment. Draining pipeline 281 from safety valves 282 is connected to a cooling vessel 283 and further out of the housing. The heating system further comprises a buffer tank 284, preferably in the size of 500 litres. Two circulation pumps 285a-b may be provided, optionally provided with an expansion system.

The electric boilers 280 are connected in series and with valves so that service /replacement on an individual boiler 280 can be performed without other boilers having to be switched off.

Boiler circulation pump 285b is configured to ensure minimum flow over the boilers independent of flow out of backup module 200c, while the main pump 285a ensures flow to the property.

The electric boilers 280 are preferably provided with their own supervision and control unit that monitors temperatures, pressures, and electric power consumption to ensure a secure and efficient operation in different stages.

Each boiler 280 is further configured to communicate with the backup module controller BMC (not shown) via Modbus or any other suitable protocol.

In an embodiment the power output per installed electrical boiler 280 is chosen to be 99 kW, therefore the requirement for a certified boiler operator for service and maintenance personnel can be disregarded.

The backup module controller The backup module controller BMC is configured to control, manage and supervise the energy production in the backup module 200c. In this way, the number of stages in the boilers 280 can be cascaded to install a megawatt thermal energy plant which can be managed from the BMC. The BMC is preferably based on a software driven open industry computer, such as a PLC system that is designed for industrial environments.

Since all functions are software driven, upgrades and enhancements can be implemented during the life span of the backup module 200c, to ensure continuous maximum efficiency and adaption to new demands. The backup module controller 200c may be provided with a display through which a user may be allowed to interact with the backup module controller 200c through a user interface. The user interface may be made intuitive with graphical on-screen interaction. All functions can be managed remotely if necessary. The backup module controller also functions as a gateway to the cloud service of an entire geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 for supervision, maintenance and optimization.

The backup electrical power system The backup module 200c is preferably equipped with lighting and standard wall sockets for 230V and CEE sockets 400V. A control cabinet (not shown) may be provided for allowing installation of control equipment forcontrol and alarm handling of electric boilers 280 and circulation pumps 285a-b as well as handling of measured values from temperature and pressure sensors. The control cabinet may be equipped with a control display, a human- machine interface, and a 4G router to enable communication with a superior control system. In particular, the backup electrical power system BEPS (not shown) may be configured to provide power distribution to the boilers 280 with separate fuses and breakers, power distribution to valves 282, circulation pumps 285a-b and sensors / actuators, and power distribution to the backup module controller BMC including I/O and incoming user interfaces.

The cooling module An embodiment ofthe cooling module 200d is shown in Figs. 6a-b. On a general level, the cooling module 200d is provided as a separate module having a housing 202d enclosing the included components. The module housing 202d is preferably provided as a standard 20-foot container. Optionally the housing 202d may be equipped with internally insulated walls and ceiling, e.g. using 50 mm mineral wool, 15 mm plywood walls, painted in white, plastic carpet on the floor with folds up on the wall, etc.

The cooling module 200d provides a cooling distribution system being connected to a heat exchanger 290. A circulation pump 291 for the cooled water is built on the cooling distribution system through the heat exchanger 290 for passive cooling. The pump 291 and a plurality of flow control valves 292 are controlled by a cooling module controller CMC which also is configured to monitor the temperature of the cooled water at the exit of the cooling module 200d. The cooling module 200d comprises a plurality of buffer tanks 293 and an expansion tank 294 in order to provide the desired functionality and capacity.

Site connection A main object of applying the herein described solution for a geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 is to be able to place the system 100 decentralized at a drilling site and then feed the energy through a culvert to the associated one or more buildings 10. The pre-fabricated modules 200a-d will be delivered to the site and connected with the borehole heat exchanger and cables.

Since the geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 is outside the building 10, preferably a small house can be used to cover the geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 in order to prevent noise, water and fire. This minimizes both the total network cost and pumping energy cost for water and brine. In this Way, fast and scalable energy production can be achieved to match the need of e. g. a residential area under development through complementing the role of district energy or completely replace it.

A typical configuration could be a geothermal ground source heat pump module 200a generating 0.56 MW of heat per drill site in addition to one hot Water module 200b for the domestic hot Water station and energy storage. Depending on the requirements this can later be expanded With multiple geothermal ground source heat pump modules 200a in order to satisfy the needs of an expanding area.

The modules 200a-d described above are provided, either alone or in combination, to form a geothermal ground source heat pump system 100. The ground source heat pump module 200a enables an incremental configuration of heat pumps 212 between a pre-set number of heating capacity configurations. In each ground source heat pump module 200a, either four, six, or eight heat pumps 212 are arranged.

Optionally, the ground source heat pump unit 200a can be combined With other modules 200a-d, such as an additional ground source heat pump module 200a, a domestic hot Water module 200b, a cooling module 200c, or a backup module 200d.

Further, the modules 200a-d are configured With control feature integrations in order to control and monitor different operational modes.

The resulting geothermal ground source heat pump system 100 can be extended in the future, based on the development of the residential area and the energy needs. Based on the modular design, the system can be serviced Without having to stop the operating energy system. The ground source heat pump system 100 is specially developed for applications that consider i) special requirements for reliable thermal energy supply; ii) high grade of serviceability as Well as for maintaining cost efficiency; and iii) power density to achieve sustainable and environmentally friendly energy supply.

According to an aspect, the modular approach to provide the ground source heat pump system 100 can be summarized as a method for producing and designing a ground source heat pump system, comprising i) receiving a requirement on performance of the ground source heat pump system 100, ii) designing the ground source heat pump system 100 based on the received requirement by selecting components from a list of key components, and iii)arranging the selected components in modules 200a-d, which modules 200a-d are being pre-fabricated and tested in the factory.

The requirement is preferably received by a customer filling out a data form. The data form may e.g. require details of the following parameters: indoor temperature, heated area, temperature of incoming hot water, temperature of outgoing hot water, number of apartments, number of buildings, number of existing heating centrals, for each months of at least the most recent year, information on power consumption, thermal heating factor, return temperature, and consumption of hot water.

Further data may relate to the following parameters: current heat supplier, current heat supply agreement, and current cost for electric power.

Once the required data is received from a customer, the data is inputted to a dedicated software system being programmed to process the project calculation.

From the calculation results, the output is typically i) the number of heat pumps 212 in the ground source heat pump module 200a, the number of buffer tanks in the hot water module 200b, circulation pump types, piping and fitting dimensions, and borehole numbers and depth, etc.

Based on these results, 3D drawing work will be carried out, e.g. using the 3D modelling software SolidWorks. As a next step, the module(s) 200a-d are pre- manufactured and tested in a factory before being transported to the final site. The resulting product is then a pre-manufactured, digitalized, integrated, and factory pre-tested ground source heat pump system, unique by its specific configuration adapted to fulfil the requirements set by the customer. In particular, installation of the ground source heat pump system can make sure customer project budget will not be excessed, as well as quality ensured. In a specific embodiment the whole factory manufacturing process comprises two parts; as a first part, the module(s) 200a-d of the ground source heat pump system 100 are welded and assembled, and as a second part electrical installations are made.

The above-mentioned design and manufacturing procedure thus involves a method for producing and/or designing a geothermal ground source heat pump system. With reference to Fig. 7, such method 400 comprises a first step 402 of receiving a requirement relating to ground source heat pump system performance. Such requirement may typically include, at least in part, a heating capacity requirement for an associated building Once such requirement is determined, e. g. by a customer filling out a form and subsequent analysis and evaluation, the method 400 continues with a step 404 of determining the number of ground source heat pump modules 200a beingrequired to fulfil the received requirement. Each ground source heat pump module 200a is individually configurable between a minimum heating capacity and a maximum heating capacity. As an example, each heat pump module 200a can provide 280 kW, 420 kW, or 560 kW. If the building”s total heat capacity requirement of 1 MW, it is determined that two ground source heat pump modules 200a are required for the system In a next step 406 it is determined, for each ground source heat pump module (200a) being required, a configuration associated With a specific heating capacity of that ground source heat pump module 200a. In the above-mentioned example this step is performed by determining that each ground source heat pump module 200a must provide its maximum capacity, i.e. 560 kW.

The method 400 proceeds With step 408, in Which each ground source heat pump module 200a is pre-manufactured according to the determined configuration, and thereafter tested in terms of performance and functionality.

In step 410, the ground source heat pump module(s) 200a are arranged at the desired site, preferably remote from the associated building 10. In a final step 412, before start-up of the ground source heat pump system 100, the ground source heat pump module(s) 200a are connected to the associated building 10 such that the ground source heat pump module(s) 200a form a system 100 being adapted to fulfill said performance requirement.

Due to the module-based approach it is possible to add additional functionality to the ground source heat pump system 100. This may be done by adjusting the method 400 so that the requirement relating to ground source heat pump system 100 performance further comprises a functionality requirement.

Following such functionality requirement, the method further comprises adding at least one module 200a-d associated With the specific functionality requirement.

The functionality requirement may e.g. comprise a cooling functionality, and the step of adding at least one module 200b-d associated With the functionality requirement is consequently performed by pre-manufacturing a cooling module 200d as a separate module, and connecting the cooling module 200d to the ground source heat pump module(s) 200a and/or to the associated building The functionality requirement may e.g. comprise a domestic hot Water functionality, and the step of adding at least one module 200b-d associated With the functionality requirement is performed by pre-manufacturing a hot Water module 200b as a separate module, and connecting the hot Water module 200b tothe ground source heat pump module(s) 200a and/or to the associated building The functionality requirement may e.g. comprise a backup heating functionality, and the step of adding at least one module 200b-d associated With the functionality requirement is performed by pre-manufacturing a backup module 200c as a separate module, and connecting the backup module 200c to the ground source heat pump module(s) 200a and/or to the associated building In the industry of ground source heat pump systems there exists a vast selection of different heat pump and system designs and each design comprises a multitude of different parts and options. This offers a designer a Wide range of components to choose from and to change When designing a new ground source heat pump system. To make the right selection is often a choice of great importance as it Will affect the performance and price ofthe finished system. The sophisticated operation of selecting the right components therefore requires a cumbersome and lengthy design process. Also, some designs Will require that special parts are made especially for that design Which lengthens production time and increases the overall cost of the system.

In order to be able to provide a ground source heat pump system, especially for large buildings requiring high poWer (typically above 0.5 MW) in an easy to design and cost-efficient manner, the inventors of the teachings ofthis application have designed a modular system. After much insightful reasoning and inventive thinking the inventors realized that a modular system based on a feW key components provides a design system Which is both easy to produce, offers a great range of possibilities and is highly cost-efficient.

After careful reasoning and analysis the inventors came to the inventive insight and realized that a ground source heat pump module 200a, being equipped With heat pumps 212 provided in either one of a loW heating capacity, medium heating capacity, or high heating capacity, Would provide the necessary Wide range of performance options to meet all future requirements from prospective customers. The inventors have thus provided a simple solution to a sophisticated design process for solving the complicated problem of designing a high power ground source heat pump system. The simple solution is made possible through an intelligent arrangement of identical heat pumps 212 in a ground source heat pump module 200a.

Module controlAs explained elsewhere in this disclosure, and as schematically illustrated in Fig. 8, each ground source heat pump module 200a comprises a module controller MC operatively connected to the heat pump controllers HPC of the heat pumps 212 comprised in the respective ground source heat pump module 200a. A module controller MC and some of its connections are schematically shoWn in Fig. 11. The module controller MC may further be operatively connected to, and possibly configured to control, a number of sensors such as temperature sensors ST and/or pressure sensors SP. In addition to this, the module controlled MC may be operatively connected to, and possibly configured to control, to circulation pumps 222, valves V, heat pumps 212 expansion vessels 225 etc. Further to this, the hot Water control module HWMC and the backup module controller BMC may be operatively connected to, and possibly configured to control, some or all ofthe devices ofthe corresponding module controller MC. The module controller is in preferred embodiment operatively connected to any additional module controllers HWMC, BMC or other external devices forming part of an associated ground source heating system 100. In Fig. 9, an interface from e.g. the backup module controller BMC is illustrated as being relayed by one of the hot Water module controller HWMC, the cooling module controller and/or the cloud service 260, this is one example and the relaying may be performed in any suitable Way or order and in a preferred embodiment, the module controlled MC is arranged as a fulcrum in a ground source heating system 100. The devices operatively connected to the each of the controllers MC, HWMC, BMC, CMC of Fig. 9 may be through any suitable connection interface 310, such as a Wireless interface, preferably a cellular communications interface. Preferably, the connection interface is a Modbus interface. As seen in Fig. 9, also the building 10 may be operatively connected to devices such as those operatively connected to the module controller 10. The building 10 may, in some embodiments, be operatively connected to the module controller MC, sharing data With the module controller MC and in further embodiments allowing the module controller MC to indirectly control devices connected to and controller by the building The module controlled MC may be configured to obtain data via any of its associated connections, such as heat pump data from each of the heat pump controllers HPC. The heat pump data may comprise, as is further explained elseWhere, a ground loop input temperature Tor, a ground loop return temperature TGR, a heat building loop input temperature TB1 and a heat building loop return temperature TBR. Based on the heat pump data, the module controller MC may be configured to control and optimize the operation of the heat pumps 212 comprised in the associated ground source heat pump module 200a.

Turning briefly to Fig. 8, some ofthe circulation loops 321, 322, 323, 324, 325 of the ground source heating system 100 are shown. The ground source heat pump system 100 comprises one or more ground loops 321 for thermal exchange with the ground, one or more building loops 322 for thermal exchange with the building 10, optional one or more additional loops 324 for thermal exchange with any additional module 200b, 200c, an optional hot water loop 323 for supply of domestic hot water with the building 10 and an optional backup loop 325 for providing backup heating in case of e.g. a power outage. The module controller MC of the ground source heat pump module 200a may be configured to control any or all of these circulation loops by means of their respective circulation pumps As illustrated in Fig. 10, the ground source heat pump module 200a is provided with a plurality of control and measurement devices such as pressure sensors SP, controllable valves V, circulation pumps 222 and/or temperature sensors ST. The control and measurement devices SP, V, 222, ST depicted in Fig. 10 show an exemplary embodiment and the skilled person will appreciate that some of the control and measurement devices may be removed in order to save cost, but such removal will trade off measurement and control accuracy. The module controller MC may be operatively connected to each ofthese control and measurement devices SP, V, 222, ST and arranged to obtain measurement data from measurement devices SP, ST and to control control devices V, 222. As at least one control and measurement devices SP, V, 222, ST is arranged at each connection to each heat pump 212, the forward and reverse temperatures of the ground loop going into each heat pump 212 is available to the module controller MC from the associated sensors ST. It should be mentioned that it may very well be that the heat pump 212 comprises temperature ST and/or pressure sensors SP arranged to measure forward and/or reverse temperatures and/or pressures. The heat pump 212 internal sensors may replace the external control and measurement devices SP, V, 222, ST and their data may be communicated to the module controller MC by e. g. the heat pump controller HPC. Alternatively, the heat pump 212 internal sensors may be used in conjunction with the control and measurement devices SP, V, 222, ST in order to provide increased reliability through redundancy in measurement values and in order to detect discrepancies in measurement data. As seen in Fig. 9, each of the loops is provided with anassociated circulation pump 222 and the module controller MC may further be operatively connected to these pumps.

From e.g. Fig. 2 and its related description, it is understood that the ground source heat pump module 200a may form part of a ground source heat pump system 100. However, for simplicity, the explanation of the functionality of the module controller MC will initially be assuming a ground source heat pump system 100 containing only one ground source heat pump module 200a and thereby only one module controller MC. The module controller MC may be configured to control its associated ground source heat pump module 200a to operate in substantially three different modes, continuous, disabled and automatic.

In the continuous mode, the module controller MC controls all the heat pumps 212 of the ground source heat pump module 200a to run continuously, heating (or cooling) the fluid of the supply piping SP. In the continuous mode of operation, the circulation pumps are controlled to provide their predefined or configurable maximum circulation. As the skilled person will appreciate, the continuous mode will also comprise enabling the relevant pumps of e.g. the ground loop and the building loop to provide circulation to the ground and to the consuming facility.

In the disabled mode, the module controller MC disables all the heat pumps 212 ofthe ground source heat pump module 200a. In the disabled mode, the module controller MC may further be configured to stop the one or more pumps arranged to provide circulation of the ground loop such that the circulation of fluid in the ground loop is effectively stopped. In addition to this, any valves of the control and measurement devices 300 may be closed, effectively stopping any ﬂow from going through the associated heat pumps In the automatic mode, the module controller MC controls each of the heat pump controllers HPC of the ground source heat pump module 200a such that the heat building loop input temperature TBI is at a wanted building loop input temperature TBw. In embodiments of the present invention, wherein the heat pumps 212 are controllable to work at a configurable power, the module controller MC may be configured to instruct the heat pump controllers HPC of all of the heat pumps 212 ofthe ground source heat pump module 200a to provide a certain level heating to the heating loops such that each heat pump 212 increase the temperature of the fluid of the building loop such that the wanted building loop input temperature TBw is provided at the heating loop input. This allows all heat pumps 212 of the ground source heat pump module to work at a commonload and the wear of all heat pumps 212 will be substantially the same, consequently making maintenance planning easier.

Alternatively, where for instance the heat pumps 212 are only controllable in an on/off fashion without power control, a subset of the heat pump controllers HPC of the ground source heat pump module 200a may be instructed, by the module controller MC to, provide heating to the heating loops. The heat pump controllers HPC of the remaining non-active heat pumps 212 of the ground source heat pump module 200a may be instructed by the module controller MC to completely switch ofthe associated heat pump 212, or place the associated heat pump in an idle state. Regardless, the number of heat pump controllers HPC instructed to activate their associated heat pumps 212 is chosen such that the total temperature rise provided by the activated heat pumps to the heating loop is such that the wanted building loop input temperature TBw is provided at the heating loop input.

The wanted building loop input temperature TBw is determined based on an outside temperature determined by one or more external temperature sensors operatively connected to the module controller MC. Typically, a configurable control curve is provided at the module controller MC that is used to transform a given external temperature to the wanted building loop input temperature TBw. Alternatively, a configurable control curve is provided at the module controller MC that is used to transform a given external temperature to a wanted building loop return temperature TRw. In this embodiment, the wanted building loop return temperature TRw will have to be controller based on the building loop input temperature TBI and such a control loop may be implemented using one or more of a product part, an integral part and/or a derivative part.

The configurable control curve may be a predetermined heat transfer function associated with the facility connected to the heating loop and may be a described as e.g. a continuous function, a matrix of discrete values etc. In one preferred embodiment, the control curve is an iteration between seven set points and in a further embodiment, the control curve is a linear iteration between the seven set points. The control curve may be configured to depend on more variables than the outside temperature, in one embodiment an outside wind speed is further provided to the module controller MC and the control curve is used to determine the wanted building loop return temperature TRw or the wanted building loop input temperature TBw based on the outside temperature and the outside wind speed. It should be emphasized that wanted building loop return temperature TRw or the wanted building loop input temperature TBw may veryWell be based on other parameters, in some embodiments the Wanted building loop return temperature TRW or the Wanted building loop input temperature TBW may be constant, in others it may vary With the time of day, the number of people in the facility connected to the heating loop etc.

In one embodiment, the building loop return temperature TBR is controlled to be at the Wanted building loop return temperature TRW. If the building loop return temperature TBR falls below a Wanted building loop return temperature TRW based on e.g. the configurable control curve, a heat pump 2l2 is started. Preferably a delay is introduced subsequent to starting a heat pump 2l2. This delay may be determined based on a boarding speed describing a time it takes the thermal energy from the started heat pump 2l2 to complete the associated building loop 322 such that the change in temperature is detectable as a change in the building loop return temperature TBR. If the building loop return temperature TBR is not at or above the Wanted building loop return temperature TRW, an additional heat pump 2l2 may be started. If all heat pumps 2l2 ofthe ground source heat pump module 200a are activated, the module controlled MC may continue to activate corresponding heat pumps 2l2 of any additional ground source heat pump modules 200a controllable by the module controller MC. In the reverse scenario, i.e. When the building loop return temperature TBR goes above a Wanted building loop return temperature TRW, a heat pump 2l2 is deactivated/turned off. Similarly, a delay may be is utilized before determining if any further heat pumps 2l2 should be deactivated/turned off. This delay may be the same delay as introduced When activating heat pumps 2l2, but is preferably based on a disengagement speed describing a time it takes the removal of the thermal energy from the deactivated/turned off heat pump 2l2 to complete the associated building loop 322 such that the change in temperature is detectable as a change in the building loop return temperature TBR.

It should be mentioned that the Wanted building loop return temperature TRW is preferably described as a predetermined or configurable range such that a hysteresis is introduced in the thermal control ofthe building loop. Such a range may be described by a minimum Wanted building loop return temperature TRw,min and a maximum Wanted building loop return temperature Tizwmax. If the range is zero, the minimum Wanted building loop return temperature TRW,min and the maximum Wanted building loop return temperature TRWmaX. are both equal to the Wanted building loop return temperature TBR. From this folloWs that also a minimum Wanted building loop input temperature T1w,min and a maximum Wanted building loop input temperature Trwmax may be used to describe the range.The module controller MC may further be configured to ensure a substantially equal utilization of each of the heat pumps 2l2 ofthe ground source heat pump module 200a. This may be accomplished by the module controller MC logging the e.g. the time each heat pump 2l2 has been active, the heating power provided by each heat pump 2l2, a power consumed by each heat pump etc. In order to control the utilization of each heat pump 2l2, the module controller MC may base a decision on Which particular heat pump 2l2 to activate on the logged data and choose to activate the heat pump 2l2 having the loWest utilization. Analogously, the module controller MC may base a decision on Which particular heat pump 2l2 to deactivate on the logged data and choose to deactivate the heat pump 2l2 having the highest utilization. This is beneficial since it makes maintenance more efficient and as all heat pumps 2l2 have been utilized substantially the same amount of time and the it is possible to service more than one heat pump 2l2 during the same service visit rather than scheduling several visits at different times.

As mentioned, the module controller MC is operatively connected to a number of sensors of the ground source heat pump module 200a, these sensors may comprise pressure sensors at the input and output connections of the heating loops 322, ground loops 32l, internal heating loop 324 and/or the tap Water loop 323. The module controller MC may be configured to determine a differential pressure of a loop based on a pressure provided by a pressure sensor at the input connection and a pressure provided by a pressure sensor at the output connection of the respective loop. The module controller may further be configured to control the differential pressure of a particular loop by controlling a circulation speed of the associated loop. The circulation speed may be controller by controlling the circulation pump associated With the respective loop.

The module controller MC may further be configured to monitor the general functionality of the ground source heat pump module 200a and e.g. issue alarms or perform mitigating actions in case of malfunction. In one embodiment, the module controller MC is informed of a leakage of e.g. the R290 coolant, and as a mitigation action, the module controller MC initiates an evacuation process comprising ventilation of the ground source heat pump module 200a. The information of the leakage of the coolant may be acquired by a suitable detector comprised in the ground source heat pump module 200a, e.g. a gas detector, fluid detector and/or a particle detector. Alternatively or additionally, the module controller MC is informed ofthe leakage from the heat pump controller HPC comprised in the heat pump 2l2 responsible for the leakage. A further mitigation action may in such a case be for the module controller to close all valves controller the floW ofthe heat pump 2l2 responsible for the leakage and/or cut poWer to the heat pump 2l2 responsible for the leakage. Alternatively or additionally, the module controller MC may be configured to monitor the building loop return temperature TBR and or the building loop input temperature TB1 to determine if either or both ofthese temperatures TBR, TBI, exceed a respective maximum temperature, and if so generate and alarm and/or deactivate/turn off all or some active heat pumps 2l2. Alternatively or additionally, the module controller MC may be configured to monitor the building loop return temperature TBR and or the building loop input temperature TB1 to determine if either or both ofthese temperatures TBR, TBI, fall below a respective minimum temperature, and if so generate and alarm and/or activate all or some active heat pumps 2l The operative connections mentioned connecting the module controller MC to each of the heat pump controllers HPC, the control and measurement devices 300, the pumps etc. may be any suitable Wired or Wired interface. In a preferred embodiment the module controller uses a Modbus interface for primary connection With at least the heat pump controllers HPC and in a further embodiments, a Wired serial or parallel interface is used a secondary interface, preferably as a backup to the Modbus interface.

In embodiments Wherein a module controller MC is arranged in a ground source heat pump system l00 comprising one or more additional modules 200b, 200c, 200d the module controller MC of the ground source heat pump module 200a is preferably arranged to control the additional modules by being operatively connected to additional module controller MC. In such an embodiment, at least one additional module controller MC is arranged in each of the additional modules 200a-d. The additional module controllers are configured to relay information and control data pertaining to the different units of the associated additional module. The operative connection betWeen the module controller MC and each of the additional module controllers is preferably a Modbus connection, but as mentioned above, any suitable connection is feasible. In some embodiments the module controller MC may be operatively connected to some or all of the units of the additional modules Without relaying via the additional module controller.

As mentioned elseWhere in this disclosure, the module controller MC may be configured to monitor and control floWs and temperatures of a hot Water module 200b connected to the ground source heat pump module 200a ofthemodule controller MC. However, the hot Water module 200b may be provided with a hot water module controller HWMC that may configured to control the tap water loop 323 more or less independently from the module controller MC. In a preferred embodiment, the module controller MC controls the circulation pump 222 generating the flow of the additional loop 324 connected to the hot water module 200b such that the module controller MC effectively monitors and control a differential pressure of the additional loop 324. The hot water module controller HWMC if present, otherwise the module controller MC preferably monitors a temperature and a level of the one or more accumulator tanks 27l of the hot water module. Similarly to the control of the building temperature, if an additional loop return temperature TAR is below a predetermined or configurable value, the module controller MC activates one or more heat pumps 2l2 operatively connected to the additional loop 324. As the skilled person will appreciate, delays, and other control mechanisms disclosed in relation to the module controller MC applies. Similarly to the hot water module 200b, the backup module controller BMC of a backup module 200c connected to the ground source heat pump module 200a ofthe module controller MC may operate substantially autonomously or alternatively be relay decisions and control to the module controller MC. In a preferred embodiment, the backup module controller BMC is operatively connected to the module controller MC, but operates substantially autonomously. The backup module controller BMC is in one embodiment configured to be deactivated until an event occurs at which point the backup module controller BMC is activated. When activated, the backup module controller BMC may be configured to operate similarly to the module controlled MC of the ground source heat pump module 200c. The backup module controller BMC may be configured to activate one or more generators, one or more circulation pumps 222 controlling the ﬂow of the backup loop 325 and/or control valves V and sensors ST, SP operatively connected to the backup loop 325. Further to this, the backup module controller may be configured to, when activated, control a backup loop return temperature TBR and if this falls below a predetermined or configurable value, the backup module controller BMC activates one or more electric boilers 280 operatively connected to the backup loop 325. In one embodiment, the backup module controller BMC is activated by reception of an activation command from the module controller MC. In an alternative or additional embodiment, the backup module controller BMC is activated when a mains power is no longer provided to the backup module 200c.In an alternative or additional embodiment, the backup module controller BMC is activated When a connection to the module controller MC is lost e.g. by detection of a missing heart beat communication ofthe module controller and/or the laps of a Watchdog timer.

Similarly to the hot Water module 200b, the cooling module controller CMC of a cooling module 200d connected to the ground source heat pump module 200a ofthe module controller MC may operate substantially autonomously or alternatively be relay decisions and control to the module controller MC. In a preferred embodiment, the cooling module controller CMC is operatively connected to the module controller MC, but operates substantially autonomously.

Control Qlatﬁorm The previously mentioned cloud service 260, may in some embodiments be in the form of a control platform as illustrated in Fig. 12. The control platform may be described as a cloud based portal service that may be configured to provide supervision, control and data acquisition of connected devices or arrangements such as ground source heat pump systems 100, ground source heat pump modules 200a-c, heat pumps 212, buildings 10 and/or any suitable third party services. The control platform comprises a data repository for storing data relating to the operatively connected devices and arrangements. The connected devices may have access to also retrieve data from the data repository.

As illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 12, the cloud service 260, or control platform 260, may be operatively connected to any number of services 1010-1060. Some of these services 1010-1030 may be cloud services from Which the control platform 260 is configured to obtain data, such services 1010-1030 may be exemplified as, but are not limited to, a Weather forecasting service 1010, energy pricing tariff service 1020 and/or an electric outages service 1030. Other services may be services 1040-1070 arranged to collect data from the control platform 260 and perform actions based on such data. Such services 1040-1070 may be exemplified as, but are not limited to, a monitoring service 1040, a mobile field management service 1050, a report generator 1060 and/or a statistical data service Generally, access to the control platform from the connected devices and arrangements is provided through a secure communications interface such as a secure sockets layer, SSL, a Virtual Private Network Connection, VPN, etc. The ground source heat pump systems 100 may be provided With an interface,preferably a wireless interface such as a Cellular network interface, through which it may be operatively connected to the secure communications interface of the control platform.

Preferably, the module controller MC is the entity of the ground source heat pump systems 100 that is connected to the control platform 260, but more part of the ground source heat pump systems 100 may very well be, directly or operatively, connected to the control platform 260. The secure communications interface 1020 may be configured to allow access from a wireless device for easy access to information and control of the ground source heat pump systems In order for the ground source heat pump systems 100 to have the most relevant data in the data repository, the building 10 or the facility 10 thermally coupled to the ground source heat pump systems 100 is preferably also connected to the control platform 260. In order to ensure that any facility is easily connected to the control platform 260, a router may be provided which may be pre-installed with the required VPN or SSL certificates necessary to connect to the secure communications interface. The router may be adapted to be installed in DIN console and may be connected to a local Data Under Central, DUC, or a Programmable Logic Controller, PLC, system ofthe facility by e.g. a local area network LAN. The router is preferably provided with a wireless interface such as a cellular network interface, through which it operatively connects the local PLC/DUC system of the facility 10 to the secure communications interface of the control platform. The router may be adapted to interface with the local PLC/DUC system by pre-installed drivers of the router. The router may comprise drivers for systems from one of more PLC/DUC suppliers e.g. Beckhoff, Regin, Fidelix FX etc.

The control platform 260 may further comprise an external Application Interface, API, through which external systems e.g. modules or services 1040- 1070 may interface with the control platform. These external systems may be any third party system having access to the API and may be systems for e.g. the previously mentioned services 1040-1070, or other services of modules for scheduling maintenance, data processing, billing, statistics etc. The API may be configured to allow access from the wireless device for easy access to information and control of the ground source heat pump systems One or more data services may be comprised in the control platform 260. These data services may be configured to import and/or export relevant information and content to support the operation of the control platform 260. One such data service may be a weather forecast service 1010 configured to importWeather data for a geographical location and store the Weather data to the data repository for use by ground source heat pump systems 100 in the geographical location. Another such service may be a energy pricing tariff service 1020, configured to import electricity pricing data for a geographical location and store the pricing data to the data repository for use by ground source heat pump systems 100 in the geographical location. Another data service may be an alarm service, configured to dispatch an alarm, either directly, via the API and/or via the secure communications interface if data of the data repository, or information from the round source heat pump systems 100 triggers an alarm. As the skilled person appreciates, the number of services applicable to the control platform are numerous and the above mentioned ones are but a few, further data service may be, but are not limited to, monitoring services, control services, data processing services, statistical services etc.

It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that the basic idea may be implemented in various Ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above; instead they may vary Within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for producing and/or designing a geothermal ground source heat pump systern (100), said method comprising receiving a requirement relating to ground source heat pump system (100) performance, Wherein said requirement comprises at least a heating capacity requirement for an associated building (10); determining the number of ground source heat pump modules (200a) being required to fulfil the received requirement, Wherein each ground source heat pump module (200a) is individually configurable between a minimum heating capacity and a maximum heating capacity; and determining, for each ground source heat pump module (200a) being required, a configuration associated With a specific heating capacity of that ground source heat pump module (200a); Wherein the method further comprises pre-manufacturing each ground source heat pump module (200a) according to the determined configuration, whefeiiamçfliaracterized in that each ground source heat pump module (200a) comprises a heat pump unit (210) Which comprises a plurality of indiVidually controlled heat pumps (212), and a module controller (MC), Wherein each heat pump (212) comprises a heat pump controller (HPC) configured to monitor and control pressure, temperature and power consumption of the associated heat pump (212), and Wherein each heat pump controller (HPC) comprises a communication interface for data communication With said module controller (MC), Wherein the ground source heat pump module (200a) further comprises a circulation pump (222) managed by the module controller (MC), and Wherein each heat pump (212) is hermetically sealed by means of a casing (212a) and monitored constantly, by means of the associated heat pump controller (HPC), for any leakage of refrigerant, arranging said ground source heat pump module(s) (200a) remote from said associated building (10), and connecting said ground source heat pump module(s) (200a) to the ground by means of piping (110) in order to provide thermal energy, and to the associated building (10) such that the ground source heat pump module(s) (200a) form a system (100) being adapted to fulfill said performance requirement.

2. The method according to claim 1, Wherein each ground source heat pump module (200a) is indiVidually configurable as one of: a low heating capacity, a medium heating capacity, and a high heating capacity.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Wherein the heat pump unit (210) of each ground source heat pump module (200a) is formed by a plurality of hermetically sealed and identical heat pumps (212), each heat pump (212) using R290 as refrigerant, Wherein each ground source heat pump module (200a) is indiVidually configurable as including one of: four heat pumps (212), six heat pumps (212), or eight heat pumps (212).

4. The method according to any ofthe preceding claims, Wherein the requirement relating to ground source heat pump system (100) performance further comprises a functionality requirement, and Wherein the method further comprises adding at least one module (200a-d) associated With the functionality requirement.

5. The method according to claim 4, Wherein the functionality requirement comprises a cooling functionality, and Wherein the step of adding at least one module (200b-d) associated With the functionality requirement is performed by pre-manufacturing a cooling module (200d) as a separate module, and connecting the cooling module (200d) to the ground source heat pump module(s) (200a) and/or to the associated building (10).

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, Wherein the functionality requirement comprises a domestic hot Water functionality, and Wherein the step of adding at least one module (200b-d) associated With the functionality requirement is performed by pre-manufacturing a hot Water module (200b) as a separate module, and connecting the hot Water module (200b) to the ground source heat pump module(s) (200a) and/or to the associated building (10).

7. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, Wherein the functionality requirement comprises a backup heating functionality, and Wherein the step of adding at least one module (200b-d) associated With the functionality requirement is performed by pre-manufacturing a backup module (200c) as a separate module, and connecting the backup module (200c) to the ground source heat pump module(s) (200a) and/or to the associated building (10).

8. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, Wherein the step of pre-manufacturing is performed by providing each module (200a-d) as a stand- alone module having a housing (202a-d), preferably in the form of a container, enclosing all components ofthe module (200a-d).

9. The method according to any ofthe preceding claims, further comprising pre-testing each module (200a-d) in a pre-manufacturing factory before connecting the modules (200a-d) to each other and/or to the associated building (10).

10. A geothermal ground source heat pump system (100), comprising one or more ground source heat pump modules (200a) being configured to fulfil a specific heating capacity for an associated building, Wherein each ground source heat pump module (200a) is indiVidually configurable between a minimum heating capacity and a maximum heating capacity; and Wherein each ground source heat pump module (200a) is configured according to a specific heating capacity of that ground source heat pump module (200a); Wherein each ground source heat pump module (200a) is pre- manufactured according to determined configuration associated mfitli the sfïseatifíc heating <,:z:,;?sac,ii.yf of thafâi grornití sotarce hearâi purnp rrzodizle fÅÉÛGafL Mæefewciliaracterized in that each ground source heat pump module (200a) comprises a lieat nuinp tinit »(210) xnfhicli conmrises a plurality of indiVidually controlled heat pumps (212) and a module controller (MC), Wherein each heat pump (212) comprises a heat pump controller (HPC) configured to monitor and control pressure, temperature and power consumption of the associated heat pump (212), and Wherein each heat pump controller (HPC) comprises a communication interface for data communication With said module controller (MC), Wherein the ground source heat pump module (200a) further comprises a circulation pump (222) managed by the module controller (MC), and Wherein each heat pump (212) is hermetically sealed by means of a casing (212a) and monitored constantly, by means of the associated heat pump controller (HPC), for any leakage of refrigerant, said ground source heat pump module(s) (200a) being arranged remote from said associated building (10), and said ground source heat pump modu1e(s) (200a) being connected to the ground by means of piping (110) in order to provide therma1 energy, and to the associated building (10) such that the ground source heat pump modu1e(s) (200a) form a system (100) being adapted to fu1fi11 a performance requirement comprising the specific heating capacity.