Geothermal Heating - northernhighlands.org€¦ · Geothermal heating is becoming a potential new...

1© Charles Edison Fund, 2008

Geothermal Heating

Experiments, Activities, and Useful Information

Presented by:Charles Edison Fund

Edison Innovation Foundation

Prepared by:Harry T. Roman

Educational Consultant, Teacher and Inventor

2

Table of Contents

Chairman’s Letter.........................................................................................................3

Geothermal Background...............................................................................................4

Geothermal Heating......................................................................................................6

Experiment--Thermal Properties of Soil (Part I)..........................................................9

Experiment--Thermal Properties of Soil (Part II)....................................................11

Geothermal Heating at Edison’s Home (Glenmont)..................................................12

Activities and Discussions...........................................................................................14 Learn More About Thomas Edison............................................................................15

About the Author and EIF...........................................................................................16

3

Chairman's Letter

Geothermal heating is becoming a potential new way to heat our homes and buildings, affecting our energy use immediately. No new technological developments are needed to put this natural earth energy source to work. Geothermal heating works right now.

This short book contains experiments, activities, and charts / tables that can help you better understand the geothermal message. There also are references to other sources of information for follow-up. We hope you enjoy and benefit from all this data. The booklet is designed for classroom use by teachers as well as individual student and home school learning and experimentation.

If Thomas Edison were alive today, he would be an ardent geothermal heating enthusiast, having extolled the virtues of alternate energy back in the early 1910’s. He was the world’s greatest inventor. His name is synonymous with creativity and innovation. Thomas Edison not only recognized opportunity, he created it. As the man responsible for the invention of the motion picture, recorded sound, power generation and the light bulb, and the creation of the first extensive R&D facility, he has arguably created more value than any other single human in history. It has been said that Edison is responsible for anywhere from 3% to 5% of the world’s GNP, over $500 billion for the U.S. alone. Two scientific discoveries in his laboratories later led directly to radio and modern electronics, paving the way for today’s telecommunications boom.

So join us in this spirit of Thomas Edison. The experiments have been designed to be easy, economical to perform, and insightful. Have fun and learn!

The Charles Edison Fund (“CEF”), incorporated in 1948 by Charles Edison was, and continues to be, an endowed philanthropic institution dedicated to the support of worthwhile endeavors generally within the areas of medical research, science education and historic preservation. It both operates programs and makes grants to support these endeavors. Since its inception CEF has served as an extension of the benefactions and aspirations of its Founder, a man of discerning foresight, rare achievement and background. The undersigned, as Chairman and President of CEF, committed the funding to create and print this booklet.

The Edison Innovation Foundation (EIF), a sister organization to CEF, is a not-for-profit organization that supports the Edison legacy and encourages students to embrace careers in science and technology.

You can learn more about Thomas Edison and how to support our non-profit efforts through our website at www.charlesedisonfund.org and www.thomasedison.org.

John Keegan Chairman & President, Charles Edison Fund Chairman & President, Edison Innovation Foundation

4

Geothermal Background

The word “geothermal” means heat from the earth. Scientists believe the source of this heat is the decay of radioactive substances deep inside the earth, as well as local volcanic activity and active magma production sites. It is possible to use the heat from near surface pockets of geothermal heat (water and steam) to provide useful heating of buildings and other structures. It is also possible to move geothermal heat using the heat pump principle described below.

The Roman engineers of ancient times took advantage of these free sources of energy for therapeutic pools and spas. The Chinese, Romans, Native Americans and other ancient cultures made use of geothermal energy for bathing cooking and heating. To this day, many natural health advocates champion the use of hot springs and such for their purported healing powers.

Geothermal energy sources are generally categorized as follows:

Low temperature less than 194 degrees FModerate 194-302 degrees FHigh greater than 302 degrees F

In locations where there is enough of this resource available, towns can actually pump the heated water around in a kind if thermal piping network, and create a system where many buildings are supplied with such heat energy. Places like Reykjavik, Iceland, Boise, Idaho, and Klamath Falls, Oregon use geothermal heating districts. In the U.S., most of the geothermal heating resources generally lie west of the plains states and into the Rocky Mountains. Generally speaking, geothermal energy resources of this nature are usually found near mountainous areas or places where tectonic activity may be high. Cracks in the earth, or fumaroles near volcanoes can provide natural pathways for the heated water and steam to meander to the surface.

In places where the geothermal energy is very strong, and more steam-like, it can be used to directly generate electricity using traditional electric power station turbine-generators. Such plants can generate hundreds of megawatts of power, but these kinds of sites are rather limited.

****************************************************************************************** Notes for Teachers and Home Schooling Parents

Have your students develop sketches that explain how a geothermal power plant can produce electricity. What are the main components of a geothermal power plant? How big are they; and what might they look like?

******************************************************************************************

The amount of geothermal energy at a site can vary from low temperature water, to warm springs, to heated water, and fi nally steam. Geysers like Old Faithful are classic examples of geothermal heating. In fact, scientists now are certain that Yellowstone National Park, home of Old Faithful, sits atop a future potentially very active volcanic area.

Water and steam generated in deep interior pockets of the earth are usually laden with copious dissolved minerals as you might expect…which can play havoc with piping equipment and machinery. The dissolved solids, much like hard well or underground water supplies have a tendency to coat the inside of distribution pipes……very much like atherosclerosis of human arteries, necking them down or narrowing their diameters. This of course can limit plant equipment life and necessitate costly repairs. We solve the problem in our homes by softening the water….adding chemicals to it to prevent this scaling of our water pipes.

It is also possible to artifi cially create heated water and steam conditions where only heated rock now exists. Engineers can pump water down into hot rock formations, thereby fracturing the rock and allowing the water to circulate around the broken rock and become itself quite hot. The pumped water is then retrieved and brought to the surface where it becomes a geothermal source to be used for heating or perhaps even electric power production. Used water or steam is then cooled and returned to the earth to repeat this man-made cycle.

Low temperature less than 194 degrees F

High greater than 302 degrees F

5

In Larderello, Italy the first geothermal power plant originated in 1904. California and Nevada have almost 50 electric generating stations powered by geothermal systems, representing about 90% of the U.S. capability. In total the U.S. Geothermal electric power stations generate about 2800 megawatts (2800 MW) and serve about 4 million people. The total power generation potential of all U.S. electric generating stations including nuclear, coal, oil, natural gas, and hydro is in excess of 900,000 MW…..so as you can see, electric generation from geothermal is small because ideal sites are so limited.

Referenceswww.geothermal.marin.org/pwrheat.htmlwww.geoexchange.org/www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/geothermal.htmlwww.geothermal.org/

6

Geothermal Heating

Within the last 20 years, an increasingly popular form of home heating has arisen that takes advantage of the low grade heat deep inside the earth. As described in detail below, this heat can be piped to the surface and tapped for various heating applications including home heating. The heart of this system is a heat pump.

About Heat PumpsWe use heat pumps today in many ways, the most popular of which is a kitchen refrigerator. The heat pump circulates a refrigerant gas through the refrigerator which scavenges heat from the inside and using electrical power lifts that heat energy’s temperature high enough so it can be discarded out the back of the refrigerator…which is why the back of the refrigerator is warm to the touch. See Figure 1. Objects go in at room temperature (70 degrees F), and are kept at about 40-45 degrees F. The heat energy difference between 70 and 40-45 is discarded out the back of the appliance. We also know our modern air conditioner as a heat pump running backwards. In air conditioning, the room we are cooling is like the inside of the refrigerator and we dump the heat outside the window.

******************************************************************************************Notes for Teachers and Home Schooling Parents

Challenge your students to research how refrigerators have changed over the last 100 years. How were they originally designed and what advances changed them into their present form and design?

******************************************************************************************

Heat pumps are also used to provide space heating to modern energy effi cient homes. Again, we work on the principle of the refrigerator/air conditioner. The heat pump in the winter tries to refrigerate the outside air, extracting as much heat that remains in it to boil a low vapor pressure refrigerant, so that heat can be carried inside and be used to heat the home. There is plenty of heat in low temperature objects, including the air. Heat pumps do quite nicely down to about 35 degrees F and then supplemental electric heating kicks in. So the basic word with heat pumps is, if there is a low temperature heat source available, it may be possible to move that heat to where it can do some useful chore like heat a livable space. Electricity is the energy input to do this work of moving energy around; and it is more effi cient than traditional electric heating.

Ground Source Heat PumpsHaving discussed heat pumps, now let’s take our basic knowledge a step further. Since we know from experience that the ground does not freeze all the way down in winter, we might be able to envision a system where the low grade heat still in the earth in colder months could be tapped to heat a home. This is exactly the basis of a ground source heat pump. The source of the heat is exactly what its name implies……the ground.

If we bury large amounts of coils fi lled with refrigerant in the earth, below the frost lines, say 6-8 feet deep, and if we size the coils correctly, we should be able to extract useable heat. It is obvious to us at the out-set that this type of heating system might work best where winters are temperate, not as sustained in cold weather as say the northern latitudes of our country. This is exactly how this technology started, fi rst in the south and then later as technology improved, migrating northward. The heat pumps like all residential heat pumps can either be used to heat or cool the home.

The coils of refrigerant are generally referred to as ground loops, and can be positioned horizontally as mentioned above in deep trenches, or they can be situated as deep wells.

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 6

FIGURE 5

Refrigerator(Evaporator Coils)

CoolingInside

Refrigerator

Heat

Condenser Coilsat Rear of

Refrigerator

Top View

Neck ofFlask

container

Soil

Thermometers

Soil

PlasticContainer

ThermometerEhrlenmeyer Flask

ContainingHeatedWater

HeatPump

3 Ways to Use Earth Heat to Heat a Home

Deep Wells(Vertical Coil)

Coils in the Ground(Trenches around

the house)

(Attic)

(Basement)

Air HandlingStation

Air HandlingStation

HeatPumps

6 Heat Pumps

150-200 ft WellField

12Wells

Single Line Diagram of Glenmont Geothermal Heating System

Heat Transfer Diagram of Glenmont Geothermal Heating System

ElectricalPowerInput

Side View of a Well for the Glenmont Geothermal Heating System

350 Feet

Return to House

Well Piping

From House

EncasingCement

Well Casing

U-Bend inWell Piping

Coils inWater Bodies

HeatPumps

Attic Air Handing Station Ducts

BasementAir Handing

Station Ducts

Heat Exchangerto Air Ducts in House

Heat Exchangerto Wells or Loops

12 Loops or Wells

7

See Figure 2.

This vertical confi guration makes sense when space is limited around the home. A rough rule is that for every ton of air conditioning (12,000 BTU), anywhere from 250 to 1,000 feet of ground loop is needed. The range is wide because it depends upon a number of variables like soil conditions, system design, soil temperatures, home operation…etc. A typical home might need 3 tons of air conditioning, the numbers above should be increased by a factor of three. Just to check this….I looked at the nameplate ratings of the window and portable air conditioners I use on both fl oors of my house to cool it down in the summer, and

it totals to 37,000 BTU which is just a little over 36,000 BTU or 3 tons. A very well built home wisely insulated should make for an even smaller ground source heat pump and ground loop fi eld or well system.

When you stop to realize it, the ground is nothing but a big refrigerator box with no door and there is so much low grade heat available we can try to refrigerate it forever by moving its heat somewhere else……our homes. And the nice thing about the earth’s heat source is it is completely renewable. We just add some electricity in the form of an effi cient heat pump and the rest of the equipment we already have on hand. There is no new technology we have to develop to make this system work. It represents a viable way to introduce renewable energy into new homes and maybe the retrofi t of existing homes…although the retrofi t may be a bit problematic as homes with steam and hydronic (baseboard) style heating will need to have new heating distribution systems installed. Forced air heated homes stand a much better chance of a retrofi t to a ground source heat pump system.

Buildings adjacent to water bodies can also consider water source heat pumps to extract the energy in those bodies of water, which can be very substantial. Solar heating of the water adds signifi cant energy to it, and its large mass acts like a thermal fl ywheel to retain that energy….which is why coastal cities tend in the long term to have mild winters as the water warmth tends to moderate the cold air of winter. Whether ground source or water source heat pump, the theory of operation is the same---- scavenge the low grade heat, pump it to elevated temperatures using electricity, and use that heat to perform some useful work like heating a structure.

Local conditions determine how well this can be done and what the design constraints will be, and the physical equipment necessary…..and hence ultimately, the cost. There undoubtedly would be a premium for the installation of a ground source heat pump system of equal size to conventional systems. Estimates for a 3-ton system might be $5,000-$10,000 more for the ground source system. This does sound like a lot of money to pay on top of the traditional system cost, but it is cheaper than other alternate energy forms like solar and wind for a home; and it does not require any sophisticated equipment. Most heating specialists would know how to build and maintain this type of installation.

****************************************************************************************** Notes for Teachers and Home Schooling Parents

Have student teams attempt to develop ideas and plans for adding geothermal heating to your school using well fi elds. Where would the well fi elds be located? How would the well fi elds be connected back to the school? Have other local schools used geothermal energy and what can be learned from those installations?

******************************************************************************************

it totals to 37,000 BTU which is just a little over 36,000 BTU or 3 tons. A very well built home wisely insulated should

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 6

FIGURE 5


CoolingInside

Refrigerator

Heat


Refrigerator

Top View

Neck ofFlask

container

Soil

Thermometers

Soil

PlasticContainer



HeatPump




the house)

(Attic)

(Basement)

Air HandlingStation

Air HandlingStation

HeatPumps

6 Heat Pumps


12Wells





350 Feet

Return to House

Well Piping

From House

EncasingCement

Well Casing



HeatPumps


BasementAir Handing

Station Ducts



12 Loops or Wells

8

Ground source heat pump systems initially have become popular with schools, and commercial buildings. Operational performance of the systems has been good and there is a big interest in their application for residential structures. Municipal buildings also have used such systems.

Referenceshttp://www.igshpa.okstate.edu/http://www.adamsec.com/AdamsElectric/Products/HeatingCooling/GeothermalHeatPumps/tabid/108/Default.aspxhttp://blog.tomevslin.com/2007/06/geothermal_heat.htmlhttp://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_geo_heat_pumps.html

9

ExperimentThermal Properties of Soil (Part I)

IntroductionIn this experiment, we shall examine the thermal properties of soil, namely its ability to insulate heat that is introduced into it, as would be the case with a geothermal type system. For this experiment we shall need:

Large square plastic container• Long-necked ehrlenmeyer fl ask• Thermometer• Local soil•

Experiment(s)Take the ehrlenmeyer fl ask and introduce some heated water into it, and place the thermometer in it and notice how fast it cools down. Take data every 2-3 minutes and do so for 15-20 minutes. Construct a graph of time versus temperature to illustrate how fast the cooling occurs.

Now place the same, but empty ehrlenmeyer fl ask into the plastic container and fi ll the container with dirt, effectively burying the fl ask as shown in Figure 3.

Make sure the bottom of the fl ask is not touching the container, but rests on a bed of dirt as shown. Once again introduce water into the fl ask, but make sure it is the same temperature as when you performed the experiment above with the thermometer. Now you can take temperature readings for 15-20 minutes once more to see how the dirt insulates the heat loss from the heated water. Perhaps you can keep taking temperature readings until the water reaches the same temperature as when the fl ask was simply open to the air as done above? How long did it take to reach the same cool down temperature?

Taking this Experiment FurtherRepeat the buried fl ask part of this experiment, but look at the top view of Figure 3. Sink thermometers into the soil around the fl ask to measure what if any heat loss is seeping into the surrounding soil. You can start with 4 additional soil thermometers as shown and maybe add more, perhaps in a second or even a third ring around the buried fl ask. Soil engineers classify a soil by the “thermal gradient” it shows when heat is introduced into it. The gradient is a representation of how fast heat leaks through the soil as measured by a series of temperature probes in the soil. Some special soils are designed to move the heat away from buried objects quickly like underground electrical cables so the heat will not damage the cable and deteriorate its useful life.

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 6

FIGURE 5


CoolingInside

Refrigerator

Heat


Refrigerator

Top View

Neck ofFlask

container

Soil

Thermometers

Soil

PlasticContainer



HeatPump




the house)

(Attic)

(Basement)

Air HandlingStation

Air HandlingStation

HeatPumps

6 Heat Pumps


12Wells





350 Feet

Return to House

Well Piping

From House

EncasingCement

Well Casing



HeatPumps


BasementAir Handing

Station Ducts



12 Loops or Wells

10

Note: Before you introduce warm water into the flask, let the sunken thermometers stabilize for about 15 minutes to reach an equilibrium temperature at their ambient level before you introduce the heated water. Try using different temperature water in the flask to see if this makes a difference in how fast the sunken thermometers respond if at all. Take data for 15-30 minutes if necessary to detect a gradient, if any.

Referenceshttp://soil.scijournals.org/cgi/content/full/64/4/1285http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01171.htmhttp://www.geo4va.vt.edu/A1/A1.htm

11

ExperimentThermal Properties of Soil (Part II)

IntroductionThis experiment will extend the knowledge gained in the previously performed Part I.No new materials are needed, except some different soil samples.

Experiment(s)In these experiments we are going to repeat the buried soil experiment in Part I along with the extra thermometers sunk around the flask…except we are going to look at a variety of soil types. Here are the types you should try to test:

Clay soil• Rocky soil • Just small rocks• Fine gravel• Sand• Loamy or loose soil• Peat moss soil•

Theses soils should also be tested when dry and when moist as would happen after rain

How did the various soils perform in insulating the heated water?

Which soils seemed to do the best job? Why do you think this is so?

What happens when the soil is wet? Is heat transfer to the surrounding soil increased or decreased? Why?

What effect might a deep well type (very long neck) flask have on heat loss?

Referenceshttp://soil.scijournals.org/cgi/content/full/64/4/1285http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01171.htmhttp://www.geo4va.vt.edu/A1/A1.htm

12

Geothermal Heating at Edison’s Home (Glenmont)

IntroductionAn alternative to the straight geothermal heating system as described in the previous chapter also is becoming an interesting option. Suppose we take the heat out of a home in the summer and store it for use later to heat the home in winter? Why not use a ground source heat pump to remove the heat from a structure when acting in the air conditioning cycle, and store that heat down a well system. In winter, the heat pump goes into its heating cycle, and reclaims that bank account of heat that has accumulated during the summer. It makes sense and such systems exist today.

This section explains the operation of such a system in use for the last three years at Glenmont, the historic home of Thomas Edison. The house is operated by the National Park Service as part of the Edison National Historic Park Site located nearby to his famous West Orange laboratories, in the historically signifi cant community of Llewellyn Park, the fi rst planned residential community in the U.S. (dating back to 1857). The geothermal system works in conjunction with and supplements the existing natural gas-fi red heating system, thereby saving energy and money, and making the site more energy conservative.

Geothermal Heating System at GlenmontThe geothermal heating system at Glenmont was installed in 2005, and is used to heat and cool the home. It works in conjunction with the existing heating system in the home. If the geothermal system cannot do the entire job of heating and cooling the house, the existing systems within the home will take over. Here is a description of how it works and the major components of the system.

Heat PumpsThe heat pumps are the heart of the system. Five (5) of these pumps are normally in use at the home, with a sixth pump functioning as a spare. Technically they are referred to as ground source heat pumps, designed to work in two modes of operation. In the summer, heat is extracted from the house with the heat deposited in the earth; and in the winter, this stored heat is brought back into the house to help warm the structure. In this type of geothermal system (Figure 4), the earth acts like an energy bank from which deposits and withdrawals may be made.

The heat pumps work in the same manner as a refrigerator, which extracts heat from the inside of the appliance and deposits it out the back of the refrigerator. To accomplish this, the refrigerator uses a refrigerant gas, just like your car or room air conditioner. In the Glenmont geothermal system, an environmentally safe refrigerant gas is used. This refrigerant gas remains within the heat pump itself. The heated or chilled water that results is the only heat transfer medium to be moved to various heat exchangers to warm or cool the air ducts running throughout the house.

During the summer, the heat pumps act to try and refrigerate the house and store the heat from the house in the wells. In the winter, the process reverses itself and the heat pumps try and refrigerate the earth wells, bringing warmth to the house.

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 6

FIGURE 5


CoolingInside

Refrigerator

Heat


Refrigerator

Top View

Neck ofFlask

container

Soil

Thermometers

Soil

PlasticContainer



HeatPump




the house)

(Attic)

(Basement)

Air HandlingStation

Air HandlingStation

HeatPumps

6 Heat Pumps


12Wells





350 Feet

Return to House

Well Piping

From House

EncasingCement

Well Casing



HeatPumps


BasementAir Handing

Station Ducts



12 Loops or Wells

13

Earth WellsHeat received from the house or returned to it, is stored in a network of deep wells near the house. There are twelve (12) wells, each about 350 deep, located about 150-200 feet from the house. In the summer, a difference of 5-10 degrees F between the water going out of the house to the wells and that returning to the house, is enough to keep the house at a comfortable 68-74 degrees. The hot water deposits its heat in the wells and returns cooler, ready to absorb more heat, so it can again be sent out to the wells. In the winter, the whole process is reversed, and warm water from the wells comes into the house to heat it.

Each well (Figure 5) is essentially a well hole and casing 5-6 inches in diameter, 350 feet deep. Inside each well is a loop of tubing that extends down the entire length of the pipe with a U-bend at the bottom.

This loop of pipe is encased in a solid block of cement-like material to keep the loop from moving around. This cement also helps the pipe transfer its heat to and from the earth. In essence, each well is a giant tubular heat exchanger, 350 feet long.

The Air Handling SystemsThere are two air handling stations in the house (Figure 6), one in the basement and one in the attic. Their function is to interface the air ducts that heat and cool the house to the heat pumps. Each room distribution duct has a heat exchanger inside that transfers the heat or cool energy from it to the air being blown through it, either heating or cooling the air. It functions just like any forced air duct in a home. The air handling stations merely dispense the energy from the heat pumps to a number of ducts and heat transfer coils at the same time.

All the ducts and piping leading to and from the heat pumps as well as the those leading to and from the wells are heavily insulated to prevent the loss of heat.

******************************************************************************************By carefully controlling the temperature and humidity in Glenmont, the artifacts and the structure itself will last longer, for many visitors to enjoy. The energy conservation theme that the geothermal system represents also fi ts nicely with Mrs. Edison’s overall philosophy of ecological preservation and stewardship she practiced around the estate.

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 6

FIGURE 5


CoolingInside

Refrigerator

Heat


Refrigerator

Top View

Neck ofFlask

container

Soil

Thermometers

Soil

PlasticContainer



HeatPump




the house)

(Attic)

(Basement)

Air HandlingStation

Air HandlingStation

HeatPumps

6 Heat Pumps


12Wells





350 Feet

Return to House

Well Piping

From House

EncasingCement

Well Casing



HeatPumps


BasementAir Handing

Station Ducts



12 Loops or Wells

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 6

and casing 5-6 inches in diameter, 350 feet deep. Inside each well is a loop of tubing that extends down the entire length

FIGURE 5


CoolingInside

Refrigerator

Heat


Refrigerator

Top View

Neck ofFlask

container

Soil

Thermometers

Soil

PlasticContainer



HeatPump




the house)

(Attic)

(Basement)

Air HandlingStation

Air HandlingStation

HeatPumps

6 Heat Pumps


12Wells





350 Feet

Return to House

Well Piping

From House

EncasingCement

Well Casing



HeatPumps


BasementAir Handing

Station Ducts



12 Loops or Wells

14

Activities and Discussions

Investigate the geology of your city, county, or state to determine if there are any geological structures that might provide geothermal resources. Check this via local libraries, Internet, or geological information at the state or university level.

Identify buildings in your community or county that may use geothermal heating and if possible determine if a visit to such a site is possible.

Ask the students to design a bulletin board or special display about geothermal use so other students can learn about it too. Locate the display in a prominent area of the school. Also, a geothermal article or series of articles might be appropriate for the school newspaper.

Determine how the geology of mountainous areas versus valleys or plains are different; and how this would affect the digging and operation of geothermal heating systems that use deep wells.

Contact local water well drilling companies to determine how the geology of the area near you determines how difficult it can be to sink a well. How big a well in diameter can generally be made by a traditional well drilling rig/truck? What sorts of geology have the well drilling companies experienced?

Each student can look at their own home and determine what it would be like to bury loop coils around their home to make it geothermally-heated. Would there be enough space to bury all the coils? How much of an inconvenience would it be to do so? What might the costs be?

Research how the temperatures are in deep mines and subsurface excavations. How do the temperatures manifest themselves? How do geologists know how to dig such deep excavations without hitting pockets of potentially dangerous geothermal energy resources?

15

Learn More About Thomas Edison

Here is a fun list of great reads about the famous inventor, spanning the ages from adults to young readers. Many of the earlier published works noted here have been updated and re-printed in paperback form as well. Check with your local bookseller or the Internet for updates, and even more reads about the great man. Better yet, visit the famous West Orange Laboratories in New Jersey and see the world’s greatest intact collection of Edison artifacts; and learn how he put them to use creating our modern world. See the website about the West Orange laboratories at the end of this section, and view information for visiting or contacting the site. School and group visits can be accommodated.

Adult Reading

Baldwin, Neil; “Edison, Inventing the Century”; Hyperion, 1995.Conot, Robert; “Thomas A. Edison-A Streak of Luck”, Da Capo Press, Inc., 1979.Cook, James G.; “Edison-the man who turned darkness into light”; Thomas Alva Edison Foundation, 1978.Freidel, Robert and Israel, Paul; “Edison’s Electric Light: Biography of an Invention”; Rutgers University Press, 1986.Josephson, Mathew; “Edison”; McGraw-Hill, 1959McCormick, Blaine; “At Work with Thomas Edison”; Entrepreneur Press,2001.Millard, Andre; “Edison and the Business of Innovation”; John Hopkins University Press, 1993.Melosi, Martin; “T. A. Edison and the Modernization of America”; Scott Foresman & Co., 1990.Musser, Charles; “Thomas A. Edison and His Kinetographic Motion Pictures”, Rutgers University Press, 1995.Pretzer, William: “Working at Inventing: Thomas A. Edison and the Menlo Park Experience”; John Hopkins University Press, 2002.Stross, Randall E.; “The Wizard of Menlo Park: How Thomas Alva Edison Invented the Modern World”, Three Rivers Press, 2008.

Young Readers

Adair, Gene; “Thomas Alva Edison-Inventing the Electric Age”, Oxford University Press, 1996.Burgan, Michael; “Thomas Alva Edison-Great American Inventor”, Compass Point Books, 2007.Dooling, Michael; “Young Thomas Edison”, Holiday House, 2005.Lewis, Floyd A.; “The Incandescent Light”, Shorewood Publications, Inc., 1961Palmer, Arthur J.; “Edison-Inspiration to Youth”; Thomas A. Edison, Inc., West Orange, NJ, 1954.Probst, George F. (Editor); “The Indispensable Man”, Shorewood Publications, Inc., 1962.

Some Interesting Websites to Visit

http://www.nps.gov/edis/home.htm (Edison National Historic Site - in West Orange, New Jersey)http://www.charlesedisonfund.org/ (The Charles Edison Fund)http://www.thomasedison.org/ (The Edison Innovation Foundation)

16

About the Author

Harry T. Roman is a retired engineer, teacher, and inventor. He holds 10 U.S. Patents and has written and published over 475 papers, articles, and scientific essays, including 17 books. His feature educational articles for teachers and students appear in Highlights for Children, The Technology Teacher, Techdirections, TIES, and Interface. His books have been published by Kelvin Publishing, Hearlihy, Nasco, PublishAmerica, Professional Publications, Inc. and Gifted Education Press. He now serves as an educational consultant to the Edison Innovation Foundation.

About EIF

The Edison Innovation Foundation (EIF) was founded in 1996 as a non-profit operating foundation to preserve and promote the legacy of Thomas Edison, especially his historic laboratories at West Orange, NJ. The mission of EIF has evolved to include educational outreach programs tailored to inspire teachers, students, women, and minorities to pursue or continue careers in science, engineering, and technology.

EIF can be contacted at:

Edison Innovation FoundationOne Riverfront Plaza

3rd FloorNewark, NJ 07102

973-648-0500www.thomasedison.org

Geothermal Heating - northernhighlands.org€¦ · Geothermal heating is becoming a potential new...

Documents

Transcript of Geothermal Heating - northernhighlands.org€¦ · Geothermal heating is becoming a potential new...