A geothermal heat pump (also known as a ground-source heat pump) transfers energy from the ground as a component of heating, cooling, and water-heating systems. A collector hose filled with a carrier fluid (water or a combination of water and antifreeze) is installed in a borehole which is drilled into a geothermal aquifer. In colder months, this circulating carrier fluid absorbs heat from the surrounding bedrock, which is then extracted by the heat pump for use in space-heating via piping connected to the heat exchanger. During the warmer months the process is reversed: heat from the air is transferred to the heat exchanger and into the fluid. As it moves through the pipes, the heat is dispersed to the rocks, soil, and groundwater.
