Geothermal Energy Development in the Eastern United States: Technical assistance report No. 6 geothermal space heating and airconditioning -- McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey
A method of utilizing the geothermal (66 F) water resource for space heating and cooling of 200 of the 1452 housing units at McGuire AFB is suggested. Using projections of future costs of gas, coal and electricity made by DOD and by industry (Westinghouse), the relative costs of the geothermal-water-plus-heat-pump system and the otherwise-planned central gas heating (to be converted to coal in 1984) and air-conditioning (using individual electric units) system are compared. For heating with the geothermal/heat-pump system, an outlet temperature of 130 F is selected, requiring a longer running time than the conventional system (at 180 F) but permitting a COP (coefficient of performance) of the heat pump of about 3.4. For cooling (obtained in this study by changing directions of water flow, not refrigerant cycles), the change in temperature is less, and a COP near 4.5 is obtained. The cost of cooling in the summer months would be significantly less than the cost of using individual electric air-conditioners. Thus, by using nonreversible heat pumps, geothermal water is used to heat and to cool a section of the housing compound, minimizing operating expenditures. It is estimated that, to drill 1000 ft deep production and reinjection wells and to install ten heat pumps, heat exchangers and piping, would require a capital outlay of $643 K. This cost would replace the capital cost of purchasing and installing 200 air-conditioning units and 14% of the cost of the future coal-fired central heating system (which would otherwise serve all 1452 housing units at McGuire). The net additional capital outlay would be $299 K, which could be amortized in 10 years by the lower operating cost of the geothermal system if electricity and coal prices escalate as industry suggests. If the coal and electricity costs rise at the more modest rates that DOD projects, the capital costs would be amortized in a 15 year period.
- Research Organization:
- The Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, John Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- EX-76-A-36-1008; ALo1-79ET27025
- OSTI ID:
- 892712
- Report Number(s):
- JHU/APL; QM-80-190; TRN: US200623%%552
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
AIR CONDITIONERS
AIR CONDITIONING
CAPITALIZED COST
COAL
ELECTRICITY
EXPENDITURES
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL SPACE HEATING
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT PUMPS
HEATING SYSTEMS
OPERATING COST
PRICES
REFRIGERANTS
REINJECTION
SPACE HEATING
WATER RESOURCES
Geothermal Legacy