Groundwater heat exchanger having a cable channel

Abstract

A groundwater heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchange pipes, a housing and a cable channel. Each of the heat exchange pipes is configured to receive a loop fluid flow. The housing has an interior chamber that contains the heat exchange pipes and defines a groundwater passageway that is configured to receive a groundwater flow. The cable channel is formed on an exterior of the housing and extends along a central axis of the housing. The cable channel includes at least one cable pathway configured to receive one or more cables.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A groundwater heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of heat exchange pipes, each heat exchange pipe configured to receive a loop fluid flow;   a housing having an interior chamber containing the plurality of heat exchange pipes and defining a groundwater passageway that is configured to receive a groundwater flow; and   a cable channel formed on an exterior of the housing and extending along a central axis of the housing, the cable channel including at least one cable pathway configured to receive one or more cables.   
     
     
         2 . The groundwater heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a cross-section of the exterior of the housing taken perpendicularly to the central axis includes a circular portion and a recessed portion; and   the cable channel is formed on the recessed portion.   
     
     
         3 . The groundwater heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the circular portion is located along an arc of a circle that is coaxial to the central axis; and   the recessed portion extends a distance from the radial axis that is less than the radial distance.   
     
     
         4 . The groundwater heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein the housing includes a wall defining the recessed portion. 
     
     
         5 . The groundwater heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein the wall spans an arc of the circle. 
     
     
         6 . The groundwater heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein the cable channel includes at least one channel member that is attached to and extends from the wall, each cable channel member including a divider portion that defines a portion of one of the at least one cable pathway. 
     
     
         7 . The groundwater heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein the cable channel includes a cover extending along the central axis and covering an opening to at least one of the at least one cable pathway. 
     
     
         8 . The groundwater heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein each cable channel member includes a shield portion that extends transversely from the divider portion and defines a portion of one of the at least one cable pathway. 
     
     
         9 . The groundwater heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the at least one channel member includes a pair of the channel members; and   the cable channel includes a cover extending along the central axis between the pair of the channel members and covering an opening to one of the cable pathways.   
     
     
         10 . The groundwater heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the cable channel includes:
 a channel member that is attached to and extends from the wall; and 
 a cover attached to the channel member; and 
   the cover and the channel member define a pair of the cable pathways, located on opposing sides of the channel member.   
     
     
         11 . The groundwater heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , including:
 a pump attached to the housing; and   a power cable connected to the pump and extending through one of the cable pathways.   
     
     
         12 . The groundwater heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , including:
 a sensor attached to the housing; and   a sensor wire connected to the sensor and extending through one of the cable pathways.   
     
     
         13 . A method of installing a groundwater heat exchanger within a borehole, the groundwater heat exchanger including:
 a plurality of heat exchange pipes, each heat exchange pipe configured to receive a loop fluid flow;   a housing having an interior chamber containing the plurality of heat exchange pipes and defining a groundwater passageway that is configured to receive a groundwater flow; and   a cable channel formed on an exterior of the housing and extending along a central axis of the housing, the cable channel including at least one cable pathway configured to receive one or more cables,   
       the method comprising:
 installing cabling within the at least one cable pathway; and 
 inserting the groundwater heat exchanger into the borehole. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 a cross-section of the exterior of the housing taken perpendicularly to the central axis includes a circular portion, which is located along an arc of a circle that is coaxial to the central axis, and a recessed portion, which extends a distance from the radial axis that is less than the radial distance; and   the cable channel is formed on the recessed portion.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the cable channel includes at least one channel member that is attached to and extends from the recessed portion, each cable channel member comprising a divider portion that defines a portion of one of the cable pathways. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the at least one channel member includes a pair of the channel members;   a first cable pathway extends between the pair of the channel members; and   installing the cabling includes:
 laying at least one cable in each of the cable pathways; and 
 attaching a cover to the recessed portion that covers the first cable pathway. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the cable channel includes a channel member that is attached to and extends from the recessed portion wherein first and second cable pathways are located on opposing sides of the channel member; and   installing the cabling includes:
 laying at least one cable in each of the cable pathways; and 
 attaching a cover to the channel member that covers the first and second cable pathways. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the groundwater heat exchanger includes a pump attached to the housing; and   installing cabling within the at least one cable pathway includes installing a power cable connected to the pump in one of the cable pathways.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the groundwater heat exchanger includes a sensor attached to the housing; and   installing cabling within the at least one cable pathway includes installing a sensor wire connected to the sensor in one of the cable pathways.   
     
     
         20 . A groundwater heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of heat exchange pipes, each heat exchange pipe configured to receive a loop fluid flow;   a housing having an interior chamber containing the plurality of heat exchange pipes;   a pump attached to the housing and configured to drive a groundwater flow through a groundwater passageway that extends through the interior chamber and along the plurality of heat exchange pipes;   a cable channel formed on an exterior of the housing and extending along a central axis of the housing, the cable channel including a cable pathway; and   a power cable connected to the pump and supported in the cable pathway.