Earth Cooling Tubes
DOE- Earth Cooling Tubes
In the 1970s and early 1980s, earth cooling tubes received a great deal of attention from architects, builders, and homeowners as an alternative or aid to conventional air conditioning. While the concept of routing air through underground tubes or chambers to achieve a cooling effect seems like a good idea, in practice it is not very effective, both technically and economically. Perhaps a few hundred systems were constructed, but information on the practical application of the concept is limited. There are few functioning installations, and limited quantitative performance data exists. The following information is a summary of the key points from the citations in the bibliography below.
DOE- Earth Cooling Tubes |
Earthtubes (earthtubing) non-electric, passive geothermal solar heating & solar cooling systems for sustainable architecture
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Earthtubing utilizes conventional, thin wall, plastic pipe to passive solar pre-heat your home's air intake. Fresh air enters a system of these pipes which are laid around the exterior and interior of your home's foundation. You can let the air draft naturally through your earthtubes for a truly sustainble, non-electric, passive geothermal system or add fans and filters to supplement the home's back-up heating and cooling system.
Conventional homes are typically High R value and "airtight", so all of the heating and cooling effect is stored within the air temperature (convection). If you let the air escape, you lose all your comfort. High thermal mass building materials allow the heating and cooling effect to be stored within the home's walls and floor (radiant). This allows you to vent the inside air of an HTM without "losing" all your heating or air conditioning comfort. Constant venting in the winter is common to HTMs, with fresh air being pre-heated or pre-cooled before it enters the home. Please note that Earthtubing is not meant as a summer cooling system in hot, humid climates where moisture would reach dewpoint and collect in the tubes. Weep holes are drilled in the bottom of corner fittings, but these drains can be quickly overwhelmed in a very humid climate. If you must alter your indoor climate in the summer for personal comfort level, you will need mechanical means. There really is no truly healthy passive method to de-humidify.
Earthtubes (earthtubing) non-electric, passive geothermal solar heating & solar cooling systems for sustainable architecture |
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