Definition of ground source heat pump
Ground source heat pump (GSHP), also known as a ground source heat pump system , is an energy-saving central air conditioning system built upon shallow surface geothermal resources and the principle of heat pump heat exchange. It is also a renewable energy HVAC system defined by national standards. It uses shallow, constant-temperature geothermal energy such as underground soil, groundwater, and surface water as natural low-temperature heat and cold sources. Through a small amount of electricity input, it drives the unit to complete the bidirectional conversion of low-grade heat energy and high-grade heat energy, simultaneously providing heating in winter, cooling in summer, and domestic hot water supply to buildings.
A complete ground source heat pump system consists of three core modules: an outdoor ground energy heat exchange system, a water source heat pump unit, and an indoor HVAC terminal system. Its core operating logic utilizes the stable, year-round temperature of shallow ground, which is minimally affected by external temperatures. In winter, it extracts low-grade heat stored underground, raises it, and then transfers it indoors. In summer, it replaces excess indoor heat with heat stored underground, achieving cross-seasonal heat transfer and recycling, thus replacing the high-energy-consuming traditional boiler heating and unit cooling systems.
Based on different geothermal heat exchange methods, industry standards classify them into three categories: buried pipe ground source heat pumps, groundwater ground source heat pumps, and surface water ground source heat pumps. This system features high efficiency and energy saving, environmental friendliness, stable operation, low noise, and long service life, and is widely used in HVAC engineering for various types of buildings, including residential buildings, commercial buildings, and public institutions.
