Patent ID: 9360236
Filing Date: 2016-06-07
CPC Classification: F03G,F24T,F25B,Y02B,Y02E

Claim Text:
1. A thermal energy system comprising: a first thermal system; a closed loop geothermal energy system comprising a plurality of borehole heat exchangers containing a working fluid; a manifold for the working fluid to which the plurality of borehole heat exchangers is connected, and a plurality of valves connected between the plurality of borehole heat exchangers and the manifold, whereby each of the plurality of borehole heat exchangers is selectively fluidly connectable to the manifold by operation of the valves; an intermediate heat pump thermally connected between the first thermal system and the geothermal energy system, wherein the closed loop geothermal energy system comprises first and second groups of borehole heat exchangers, each group of borehole heat exchangers being selectively and alternately connectable to the intermediate heat pump, the first thermal system comprising: a second thermal system, the second thermal system being thermally connected to the geothermal energy system; an automatic control system operating the valves and configured to automatically fluidly connect the intermediate heat pump selectively and alternately to each one of the first and second groups of borehole heat exchangers in a succession of alternating cycles using the plurality of valves; and wherein the first and second thermal systems respectively have opposite net thermal energy demands from the geothermal energy system.