Geothermal Cooling Device

Abstract

A geothermal cooling device is couplable to a ground coil formed from a thermal superconductor material. The device includes a thermal superconductor heat exchange coil, and a thermostat controller and a blower. The device uses a high thermal transfer superconductor to efficiently move heat to the earth source for the purpose of cooling. The device operates by controlling the blower operation in response to the difference between a set point and a measured temperature. Optionally cooling device is enclosed in a housing mounted in standard structural spaces. Alternative simplified versions, without a thermostat, operate manually with a switch or power connection.

1 . A cooling device suitable for coupling to a thermal superconductor geothermal ground coil extending below a ground level allowing passive thermal conduction to an earth source, the device comprising: 
 (a) a thermal superconductor having a first end couplable to said thermal superconductor geothermal ground coil and a second opposing end configured as a thermal superconductor exchange segment;    (b) a blower positioned in the region of said thermal superconducting exchange segment;    (c) a thermostat controller associated with an indoor space, programmable to a desired temperature set point and for measuring temperature of said indoor space and further having a blower controller connected to said blower;    wherein said blower controller operate said blower in response to the difference between said set point and said measured temperature, for the purpose of operating in a cooling mode to efficiently cool an indoor space.    
   
   
       2 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one geothermal ground coil formed from a thermal superconductor material and extending below ground level allowing passive thermal conduction to the earth source and thermally coupled to said above ground thermal superconductor segment.  
   
   
       3 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein said thermal superconductor material is an inorganic high heat transfer medium.  
   
   
       4 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein said high heat transfer medium is applied in a sealed heat transfer pipe.  
   
   
       5 . The Cooling device of  claim 4 , wherein said thermal superconductors are heat transfer pipes containing said high heat transfer medium, and insulated along at least a portion of heat transfer segment, said heat transfer pipes having thermal conductivity greater than 100 times the thermal conductivity of silver and substantially negligible heat loss along said heat transfer segment.  
   
   
       6 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , further comprising a power conditioner connected to said blower and said thermostat controller.  
   
   
       7 . The cooling device of  claim 6 , wherein said power conditioner is a power converter couplable to an alternative energy source, one selected from the group of photovoltaic arrays, wind generators and fuel cells.  
   
   
       8 . The cooling device of  claim 7 , wherein said power conditioner is a power converter couplable to 110V AC power and converting AC to DC supply for operating said cooling device.  
   
   
       9 . The cooling device of  claim 7 , wherein said power converter includes a power conditioning circuit for converting low grade alternative power from an alternative energy source to conditioned power suitable to operate said blower.  
   
   
       10 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein said blower operates in one of a variable or multispeed mode as controlled by said blower controller.  
   
   
       11 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said thermal superconductors are formed in discrete segments joined by substantially short thermally conducting joiners.  
   
   
       12 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein said first thermal superconductor exchange segment is arranged as a condenser array with area substantially corresponding to said blower area for increased air heat exchange.  
   
   
       13 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , further comprising a receiver connected to said thermostat controller and a remote control in communication with said receiver such that thermostat set points and operations are wirelessly controllable.  
   
   
       14 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein a segment of said heat exchange coil is arranged as a thermal conductor bus with a plurality of said first thermal superconductor segments.  
   
   
       15 . The cooling device of  claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of blowers positioned proximal to each of said first thermal superconductor exchange segments and connected to said blower controller, such that said cooling device provides a plurality of exchanges associated with a plurality of locations within a structure.  
   
   
       16 . The cooling device of  claim 15 , further comprising multiple thermal sensors associated with said plurality of locations and connected to said thermostat controller to provide temperature measurements associated with each location.  
   
   
       17 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , further comprising an enclosure which houses said controller, said heat exchanger, said thermal superconductor exchange segment, a blower positioned proximal to said segment, said enclosure having venting near said blower.  
   
   
       18 . The cooling device of  claim 2 , wherein said earth source is a body of water.  
   
   
       19 . The cooling device of  claim 18 , wherein said geothermal ground coil is suspended in said body of water.  
   
   
       20 . The cooling device of  claim 18 , wherein said geothermal ground coil is in indirect thermal contact with said source water.  
   
   
       21 . The cooling device of  claim 15 , wherein said thermostat controller is programmable to independently vary the speed or operation of individual blowers.  
   
   
       22 . A cooling device suitable for coupling to a thermal superconductor geothermal ground coil extending below a ground level allowing passive thermal conduction to an earth source, the device comprising; 
 (a) a thermal superconductor having a first end couplable to said thermal superconductor geothermal ground coil and a second opposing end configured as a thermal superconductor exchange segment,    (b) a blower positioned in the region of said thermal superconducting exchange segment;    (c) a power connection for providing operating power to said blower when connected; and    (d) a switch connected to said power connection and said blower for controlling said blower;    wherein said blower may be manually controlled for the purpose of operating in a cooling mode to efficiently cool an indoor space.    
   
   
       23 . The cooling device of  claim 22 , wherein said blower operates in one of an off or on mode.  
   
   
       24 . The cooling device of  claim 23 , wherein said blower operates in a variable speed mode and said switch is a variable switch.  
   
   
       25 . The cooling device of  claim 22 , further comprising a receiver connected to said switch and a remote control in communication with said receiver such that blower operation is wirelessly controllable.  
   
   
       26 . The cooling device of  claim 22 , further comprising at least one geothermal ground coil formed from a thermal superconductor material and extending below ground level allowing passive thermal conduction to the earth source and thermally coupled to said above ground thermal superconductor segment.  
   
   
       27 . The cooling device of  claim 22 , wherein said thermal superconductor material is an inorganic high heat transfer medium.  
   
   
       28 . The cooling device of  claim 22 , wherein said high heat transfer medium is applied in a sealed heat transfer pipe.  
   
   
       29 . The cooling device of  claim 28 , wherein said thermal superconductors are heat transfer pipes containing said high heat transfer medium, and insulated along at least a portion of heat transfer segment, said heat transfer pipes having thermal conductivity greater than 100 times the thermal conductivity of silver and substantially negligible heat loss along said heat transfer segment.  
   
   
       30 . The cooling device of  claim 22 , further comprising a power conditioner connected to said blower.  
   
   
       31 . The cooling device of  claim 30 , wherein said power conditioner is a power converter couplable to an alternative energy source, one selected from the group of photovoltaic arrays, wind generators and fuel cells.  
   
   
       32 . The cooling device of  claim 31 , wherein said power conditioner is a power converter couplable to 110V AC power and converting AC to DC supply for operating said cooling device.  
   
   
       33 . The cooling device of  claim 31 , wherein said power converter includes a power conditioning circuit for converting low grade alternative power from an alternative energy source to conditioned power suitable to operate said blower.  
   
   
       34 . The cooling device of  claim 22 , wherein at least a portion of said thermal superconductors are formed in discrete segments joined by substantially short thermally conducting joiners.  
   
   
       35 . The cooling device of  claim 22 , wherein said first thermal superconductor exchange segment is arranged as a condenser array with area substantially corresponding to said blower area for increased air heat exchange.  
   
   
       36 . The cooling device of  claim 22 , wherein a segment of said heat exchange coil is arranged as a thermal conductor bus with a plurality of said first thermal superconductor segments.  
   
   
       37 . The cooling device of  claim 36 , further comprising a plurality of blowers positioned proximal to each of said first thermal superconductor exchange segments and connected to said switch and power connection, such that said cooling device provides a plurality of exchanges associated with a plurality of locations within a structure.  
   
   
       38 . The cooling device of  claim 22 , further comprising an enclosure which houses said switch, said heat exchanger and said thermal superconductor exchange segment, a blower positioned proximal to said segment, said enclosure having venting near said blower.  
   
   
       39 . The cooling device of  claim 26 , wherein said earth source is a body of water.  
   
   
       40 . The cooling device of  claim 39 , wherein said geothermal ground coil is suspended in said body of water.  
   
   
       41 . The cooling device of  claim 38 , wherein said geothermal ground coil is in indirect thermal contact with said source water.  
   
   
       42 . A cooling device suitable for coupling to a thermal superconductor geothermal ground coil extending below a ground level allowing passive thermal conduction to an earth source and for connecting to a power source, the device comprising; 
 (a) a thermal superconductor having a first end couplable to said thermal superconductor geothermal ground coil and a second opposing end configured as a thermal superconductor exchange segment;    (b) a blower positioned in the region of said thermal superconducting exchange segment;    (c) a power connection for providing operating power to said blower when connected;    wherein said blower is capable of being powered by connecting said external power connector to said power source, for the purpose of operating in a cooling mode to efficiently cool an indoor space.    
   
   
       43 . The cooling device of  claim 42 , further comprising an enclosure which houses said thermal superconductor exchange segment, a blower positioned proximal to said segment, and a power connection, said enclosure having venting near said blower and wherein said power connection has at least one connector disposed external to said housing for connecting to an external power supply.  
   
   
       44 . The cooling device of  claim 42 , further comprising at least one geothermal ground coil formed from a thermal superconductor material and extending below ground level allowing passive thermal conduction to the earth source and thermally coupled to said above ground thermal superconductor segment.  
   
   
       45 . The cooling device of  claim 42 , wherein said thermal superconductor material is an inorganic high heat transfer medium.  
   
   
       46 . The cooling device of  claim 45 , wherein said high heat transfer medium is applied in a sealed heat transfer pipe.  
   
   
       47 . The cooling device of  claim 46 , wherein said thermal superconductors are heat transfer pipes containing said high heat transfer medium, and insulated along at least a portion of heat transfer segment, said heat transfer pipes having thermal conductivity greater than 100 times the thermal conductivity of silver and substantially negligible heat loss along said heat transfer segment.  
   
   
       48 . The cooling device of  claim 42 , further comprising a power conditioner connected to said blower.  
   
   
       49 . The cooling device of  claim 48 , wherein said power conditioner is a power converter couplable to an alternative energy source, one selected from the group of photovoltaic arrays, wind generators and fuel cells.  
   
   
       50 . The cooling device of  claim 49 , wherein said power conditioner is a power converter couplable to 110V AC power and converting AC to DC supply for operating said cooling device.  
   
   
       51 . The cooling device of  claim 49 , wherein said power converter includes a power conditioning circuit for converting low grade alternative power from an alternative energy source to conditioned power suitable to operate said blower.  
   
   
       52 . The cooling device of  claim 42 , wherein at least a portion of said thermal superconductors are formed in discrete segments joined by substantially short thermally conducting joiners.  
   
   
       53 . The cooling device of  claim 42 , wherein said first thermal superconductor exchange segment is arranged as a condenser array with area substantially corresponding to said blower area for increased air heat exchange.  
   
   
       54 . The cooling device of  claim 42 , wherein a segment of said heat exchange coil is arranged as a thermal conductor bus with a plurality of said first thermal superconductor segments.  
   
   
       55 . The cooling device of  claim 54 , further comprising a plurality of blowers positioned proximal to each of said first thermal superconductor exchange segments and connectable to said power connection, such that said cooling device provides a plurality of exchanges associated with a plurality of locations within a structure.  
   
   
       56 . The cooling device of  claim 42 , further comprising an enclosure which houses said heat exchanger, said thermal superconductor exchange segment, a blower positioned proximal to said segment, said enclosure having venting near said blower.  
   
   
       57 . The cooling device of  claim 44 , wherein said earth source is a body of water.  
   
   
       58 . The cooling device of  claim 57 , wherein said geothermal ground coil is suspended in said body of water.  
   
   
       59 . The cooling device of  claim 58 , wherein said geothermal ground coil is in indirect thermal contact with said source water.