Ground Source Loop (geothermal) software

[carlosgw]

Closed loop ground source design software:
Any good (or bad) experience with well or horizontal loop design software?

I have a commercial program and a equipment manufacturer's program and they do not agree at all.

 

[ProcessHVAC]

It is a tough one, I am designing one right now, I am using a design book which agrees with results from eQuest, but a ground source contractor ran his own software (not sure which one) and got a lot less than my results. I think discrepancies come when the math functions of well heat transfer are used/solved. I trust eQuest though.

 

[carlosgw]

I am not that familiar with eQuest. How do you use it to size ground loops? Trial and error and check the minimum and maximum temperatures?

 

[Drazen]

what commercial program do you have?

i believe that checking initial conditions and assumptions could find cause of differences.

assuming ground wetness makes huge difference, that is where manufacturers would tend to be optimistic while neutral generic calculation would at least be cautious.

 

[EnergyProfessional]

I'm not an expert in this, but check if both software use the same input:
- soil type (and condition as in wet etc.)
- fluid flowrates and temps (and equipment operating temps)
- building load profile

eQuest calcualtes its own load and load profile I assume, and your other software likley gets date entered you calcualted elesehwere? Maybe explain a bit more what you currently use.