Patent ID: 7407003

Claim:
A ground source heat exchange system comprising: an upstream manifold; a downstream manifold, the upstream and downstream manifolds being positioned out of the ground; more than one heat exchange flow circuit connected to the upstream and downstream manifolds for burial in the ground, the upstream manifold distributing a single flow path of heat exchange fluid into multiple flow paths into the more than one heat exchange flow circuit, and the downstream manifold recombining the multiple flow paths; a control valve associated with each said more than one heat exchange flow circuit mounted on at least one of the manifolds, each control valve for controlling flow of heat exchange fluid through a respective heat exchange flow circuit; more than one downstream temperature monitor, each associated with a respective more than one heat exchange flow circuit for separately monitoring the temperature of the heat exchange fluid exiting each individual heat exchange flow circuit; more than one flow monitor, each associated with a respective more than one heat exchange flow circuits for separately monitoring the flow of the heat exchange fluid through each heat exchange flow circuit; a combined flow downstream temperature monitor positioned downstream from the downstream manifold for monitoring the temperature of the combined heat exchange fluid of the heat exchange flow circuits; and a controller in communication with each of the control valves, temperature monitors and flow motors, the controller capable of adjusting the control valves and the flow through each heat exchange flow circuit to obtain a maximum combined heat exchange based upon the monitored temperatures of the heat exchange fluid exiting each heat exchange flow circuit, the monitored flow of the heat exchange fluid through each heat exchange flow circuit, and the monitored temperature of the combined heat exchange fluid from all the heat exchange flow circuits.