As a result of direct urging from the engineering community, Maritime Geothermal Ltd. has developed a unique new heat pump solution specifically targeted at buildings which employ in-floor heating as the primary energy distribution system in the building. The need for an integrated package liquid-to-water or DX®-to-water heat pump became apparent as mechanical engineers who were designing the buildings found that the complexity of setting up a mechanical room with suitable heat pumps, circulator pumps, storage tanks, aquastats and other controls seemed to pose a confusing demand on the installation contractors, plumbers and electricians.

This complexity (see diagram A.) usually required repeated consultations on site with the designing engineer and various tradesmen involved in carrying out the heat pump installation and with companies involved in integration of the building management system.

To address this situation Maritime Geothermal Ltd. designed the "Energy Module" with all mechanical components required to interface successfully with an in-floor heating system built into the heat pump enclosure. The plumber need only connect the supply and return to the floor header system and the electrician makes a single wiring connection to the unit for heat pump, circulator pumps and back-up electric heat.

An Energy Module includes the following components

 Compressor
 
 Earth heat exchanger or provision for DX connection to the ground.
 
 Insulated 40 gal. 316 SS distribution tank with integrated refrigerant condenser and domestic hotwater generator.
 
 Expansion tank, PRV, Boiler feed valve, pressure gauge.
 
 Electronic 2-stage aquastat.
 
 12 kw back-up heat.
 
 Floor distribution circulator. (Standard Taco® 0011 or you spec head and volume).
 
 All controls pre-wired and ready to use.
 

As you can see in Diagram "A" most of these components were outside the heat pump and had to be procured and installed by the plumber.

Energy Modules are superior to a built-up system

1. Installed first cost is cheaper.

Cost of purchasing the individual components and building the mechanicals on site (See diagram A.) are higher than purchasing an integrated package such as the NORDIC® EM

2. Building controls are simpler requiring less control points.

Costs associated with the control points in a building management system are also reduced since the machine only has to be put in the "ON" or "OFF" mode requiring 1 point. The energy machine operates all its internal pumps and circulators automatically.

3. Higher efficiency.

Because the condenser of the heat pump is built into the distribution tank, there is no need for an intermediate water loop and associated pump system. This integration saves the first cost of the circulation pump and the costs of operating and maintenance on the pump over the years.

4. Hotter output temperature.

The maximum output water temperature can be up to 52°C (125°F) whereas a conventional water-to-water heat pump will normally have a maximum output temperature of 46°C (115°F).

5. Year around domestic hot water capability.

A conventional heat pump can only supply hot water during regular floor heating cycles unless there is an auxiliary heat exchanger installed. The EM has a heat exchanger embedded in the tank which can produce domestic hot water year around.

6. Fewer moving parts - less maintenance.

The EM has fewer moving parts than a conventional heat pump and requires no servicing or maintenance of any kind.

7. Simple integration to an in floor heating system.

A two point connection to the floor header system is all that is required.

8. Back-up heat built in.

External back-up boiler or electric hot water tank is not required since the EM tank is equipped with 9-15 Kw of back up electric heat pre-wired and activated as the second stage of a 2-stage digital aquastat.

9. Stainless Steel storage tank.

The integrated storage tank is fabricated from type 316 Stainless Steel which will last the life of the building.

10. Accurate temperature regulation

The EM is controlled with a digital 2 stage thermostat with individually adjustable setpoints and differentials. First and second stages will not overlap unless set to do so. Control is maintained within 1°F

Download the EM Installation manual