Joining the Renewable Heating Hub forums is completely free and only takes a minute. By registering you’ll be able to ask questions, join discussions, follow topics you’re interested in, bookmark useful threads and receive notifications when someone replies. Non-registered members also do not have access to our AI features. When choosing your username, please note that it cannot be changed later, so we recommend avoiding brand or product names. Before registering, please take a moment to read the Forum Rules & Terms of Use so we can keep the community helpful, respectful and informative for everyone. Thanks for joining!
Ground Source Heat Pump Systems and Their Design
This article showcases a ground source heat pump installation I spearheaded, with Darren Jones expertly handling the plant room's pipework. At the heart of this project is a 28kW single-phase CTC heat pump, seamlessly integrated with a ground source collector drilled by my son.
The innovative system configuration includes two 14kW brine to water units directly connected to a robust screed underfloor heating setup, avoiding the need for a buffer tank or system separation. The control strategy for the expansive 650 square meter property is straightforward yet effective, relying on the heat pump and adjustable thermostats in four bedrooms, leaving the remainder of the space to be regulated by the heat pump's built-in temperature sensor. This design epitomises an open zone, low-temperature approach, promising excellent efficiency and significantly reduced operational costs.
Additionally, the inclusion of a passive cooling mechanism ensures the home remains comfortable throughout the year, utilising minimal power for maximum comfort.
From the provided graphs, it is evident that with an ambient temperature of 3°C, the house maintained a comfortable 20°C. The brine temperature entering the unit was between 7-8°C, with an average flow temperature of about 30°C. Based on the manufacturer's data, the extrapolated coefficient of performance (COP) ranges between 6 and 6.5. Given that this is at the end of the heating season, and the system has been operational for nearly a year, this COP is the minimum expected.

The system's efficiency is highlighted by its approximately hourly cycling under partial load conditions, demonstrating that a buffer tank or system separation is unnecessary with proper design. Unlike on-off compressors, which are prone to cycling and resultant performance degradation, this system showcases the benefits of precise design and selection.
Our approach to system design is grounded in practical, real-world training offered at Ultimate Training and Technical. This departs from outdated methodologies, moving beyond mere theoretical concepts to embrace modern, evidence-based strategies. With the national average seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) around 2.8, and the need for heat pumps to be more cost-effective than fossil fuels necessitating a SCOP of 3.5, our approach emphasises the importance of high SCOPs achievable through the right equipment and meticulous system design and commissioning.
- 26 Forums
- 2,618 Topics
- 61.1 K Posts
- 725 Online
- 6,994 Members
Join Us!
Worth Watching
Latest Posts
-
RE: Renewables & Heat Pumps in the News
An article on funding for heat pumps in case anyone is ...
By Jeff , 1 hour ago
-
RE: Indevolt Batteries UK Support & Info Thread
Thanks @editor , @indevolt-uk Subject to any comments ...
By JamesPa , 9 hours ago
-
RE: Share Your Experiences with Heat Pump Manufacturer Support
@seoras Sorry to hear that. I found Vaillant very help...
By JamesPa , 10 hours ago
-
The Watchdog That Watched and Waited
On 9 January 2026, Consumer Energy Solutions collapsed ...
By Mars , 13 hours ago
-
RE: GSHP Kaput After 16 Years: New Compressor or Switch to ASHP? Advice Welcome
Cool Energy in Grimsby sell ground source heat pumps an...
By DerekDeLeon , 14 hours ago
-
RE: Valliant Heat Pump Settings
Thats arguably a sign of a good installer - they unders...
By JamesPa , 14 hours ago
-
RE: Electricity price predictions
Well, we have so many cases where rain water mixes with...
By Batpred , 15 hours ago
-
RE: Two heating zones to one zone
@profzarkov They arent obviously wrong, but the only...
By JamesPa , 18 hours ago
-
RE: Towns water feed to air source heat pump system
The DHW circuit cant be separated (well it could, you c...
By JamesPa , 18 hours ago
-
Solis AC-coupled 3kW storage inverter
Solis AC-coupled 3kW storage inverterPylontech batterie...
By MartinRobinson , 23 hours ago
-
RE: My NIBE ASHP Nightmare: No Commissioning, High Bills and a Hostile Installer
As @transparent has observed above, this is not bad, an...
By cathodeRay , 1 day ago
-
RE: The Grid Says Yes.. Until It Doesn’t: Why Britain's Net Zero Push is Stalling at the Plug Socket
As I was reading this article Mars, I was thinking that...
By Toodles , 2 days ago
-
RE: Tell us about your Solar (PV) setup
Installed in May 2011: 16*Sharp 245 W monocrystalline p...
By txmartyn , 2 days ago
-
-
RE: Say hello and introduce yourself
That doesn't sound 'right' to me. The national Smart ...
By Transparent , 3 days ago
-
RE: Growatt battery disconnected
I doubt this will happen, but I will try and suggest it...
By Eliuccio , 3 days ago
-
Understood. That's why I decided from the outset on a ...
By JamesPa , 4 days ago
-
RE: My experience with 3 heat pump surveys: Heat Geek, British Gas & Octopus
On the litigation, I would not go there and definitely ...
By Batpred , 4 days ago
-
RE: Recommended home battery inverters + regulatory matters - help requested
I suppose if your pv inverter packs up, you have a plan...
By Batpred , 4 days ago
-
RE: New Vaillant aroTherm Plus in black - When will it come to the UK?
Firstly check you are using sound power not sound press...
By JamesPa , 4 days ago
-
That’s the solar up and running, I don’t think it’s the...
By David999 , 4 days ago
-
RE: Seeking ideas / information / commiseration - Pure Drive
I agree with @colinc that you can reuse some of it. A s...
By Batpred , 4 days ago
-
RE: Solar Power Output – Let’s Compare Generation Figures
@toodles Im trying me best to ignore orangeman, I figur...
By Papahuhu , 5 days ago



