Importance

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Abstract

A thermally exposed centrally insulated geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in ground and/or in water, consisting of at least one fluid supply line and at least one fluid return line, which lines are respectively separated by a thermal insulation material, but which lines are otherwise in thermal contact with their respective adjacent sub-surface earth and/or water surroundings by means of a heat conductive fill material inserted as necessary to fill any void space in the respective fluid transport line location areas situated between the thermal insulation material and the adjacent earth and/or water. When the unit is situated within a geothermal borehole, the thermal insulation material may have an expanded central area so as to decrease the amount of necessary heat conductive fill and so as to increase insulation efficiency. The length of the insulation material within a borehole should be at least four times the diameter of the largest fluid transfer line, or lines, and should extend across the entire width of the borehole in all cases where the minimum design length is exceeded, unless a small width is left at each respective perimeter for the fill to seal out potentially corrosive elements. The width of the insulation material within a borehole should not exceed one-third the diameter of the borehole.

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First Claim