Date of Award

1988

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Abstract

Ground water used in conjunction with a heat pump is a cost effective source of heating and cooling. Regional planning for ground water heat pumps is a new direction in energy planning.;Use of ground water for heating and cooling should be based on the potential for the landscape to support a heat pump system. Some locations are better suited for ground water heat pump placement than others. A method to assess and categorize geographic areas according to their capabilities to support the use of ground water source heat pumps is presented. Landscape parameters such as ground water availability, topography, bedrock geology, geomorphology, soil, and soil percolation rates are assessed to classify land for heat pump suitability.;The method of appraising suitability involves placing the seven parameters into a ground water heat pump suitability matrix. Each parameter is assigned an importance unit value which remains fixed throughout the classification. Parameter weightings vary for 1 sq km cells and are dependent upon the quality of the parameter to support a successful heat pump site. A suitability rating is calculated for each cell by multiplying the Parameter Importance Unit values of each cell by the assigned weightings. The values of the seven parameters are summed to obtain a rating for each cell. The ratings are classed as High, Moderate, or Low Suitability.;The classification is tested on the 1,400 sq km Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Results are presented in the form of a map which is intended to serve as a basis for regional planning of ground water heat pump systems. The results for the Region of Waterloo study show 19 per cent of the Region is of High, 41 per cent is Moderate, and 40 per cent is Low Suitability.;The classification system should advance the orderly development of ground water heat pump systems. The classification method is transferable because of the method of parameter importance assessment. The physical diversity from region to region can be considered by assigning a numerical weighting to each of the seven parameters.;If a regional view of energy use can be seen prior to urban development, wise ground water use and re-use can be considered. Wise ground water use implies both maximization of the resource potential in places where it benefits can outweigh those of other energy systems, and protection of the ground water resource from overuse and deteriorating quality.

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