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Slinky

The document provides guidance on laying out, fabricating, and installing SLINKY ground heat exchangers. It describes two coil configurations - SLINKY and Extended SLINKY - that reduce trench length requirements. Key points include how to transport and place the coils using folding or rolling techniques, recommended pipe materials and sizes, and tying methods to hold coil shapes during fabrication and installation.

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pusicantonije
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176 views14 pages

Slinky

The document provides guidance on laying out, fabricating, and installing SLINKY ground heat exchangers. It describes two coil configurations - SLINKY and Extended SLINKY - that reduce trench length requirements. Key points include how to transport and place the coils using folding or rolling techniques, recommended pipe materials and sizes, and tying methods to hold coil shapes during fabrication and installation.

Uploaded by

pusicantonije
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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- Layout, Fabrication, and Installation of

SLINKY Ground Heat Exchangers

INTERNATIONAL GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP ASSOCIATION I


OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
Acknowledgements C

The foIIowing individuals have conkibubed in theRlnancial support for the project came from the +-
development ofthematerials and i d reported
~ ~ in Elsctric POIRBT
R8138arCh In&-, the National
thisdocument: Rural E l b c Coopmtive Amchkiom, Phillips
Pete Everhart, Phil Mbmbm, Come% Drhmpipe, Charles Machine Works (manufbhm
Lynn Vick, Ron Webber, Joe H a m p h , Iany dDibch Wibh trenching and horizontal boring
Eitehnan,Heather and Bin Van Astine, Jaam Bone, equipment), and the Oklahoma Council for the
Eked J m s ,Ran& Pmy,June Rteh and Bobi Advancement of Scisne and Technolo#.
Stepheniion.
I. Introduction
A b a number of years of testing multiple-pipe when using the equivalent of 4 fmt of pipe per foot of
ground heat exchangers, sufficient research and trench and 80 feet of b n c h length when using the
experimental test results &st &at will allow equivalent of 12foot of pipe per foot oftrench.
significant reductions in trench length. These new Table 1 summarizesthe new designs that have been
pipe configurations reduce heat exchangers trench tested and proved successll.
length to 125 feet per nominal ton of cooling capacity

Table I: Systems tested

Description Pipe (feet) Trench (feet)


SLINKY 1,000 feet 80 feet
Extended SLINKY 500 feet 125 feet
Four Pipe 500 feet 125 feet
Note: P@esize is W4 inch.

Figure 1 illustrates the pipe configurations of the be transported to the job site thus minimizing
two coils, SLJNKY and Extended SLINKY, that are field labor.
under development and demonstration at this time. 3. T h e heat exchanger is a unit type construction
Coil pitch (distance htween mils) for both coil types which simplifies field placement in t h e trench
is shown on the drawing. without t h e use of special placement equip-
ment.
These types of ground heat exchanger^ have a
numkr of advankges that should lower the insbl- A fixture (figure 2) can be c o n s b t e d to hold the
lation first cost. pipe in place while the loops are being tied bgether.
Plastic wire tie wraps with metal catches,nylon
1. These heat exchangers can be fabricated off rope, duct t ~ p or
e any other low cost method of
sife. faskning the pipe together for transportation and
2. By rolling or foIding, the heat exchangers can placement is acceptable.

II. Pipe Material Selection


The International Ground Source Heat Pump shall k
Association CIGSKPA) recommends the following for 1. Either Class B (general purpose and dielectric,
polyethylene and polybtylene pipe makerials (See in colors) or Class C (weather resistant, black
Appendix C of the IGSHPA's the Closed-hop/ in color mnbining not less than 2%c h n
GroundSource Heat Pump Systems:Installation black)
Guide): 2. I1 (density, 0.91 to 0.92 glem3)
3. Grade 1 (flow i t e 0.25 to 0.75 dlO min)

The minimum cell classiiication numbr accept- T h e cell classification shall be printed on the pipe
abb for poIyethylene pipe is PE355434C or . for positive identification. If the pipe cannot be
PE345434C when tested under ASTM 3350. identified by ceU classitication number, then other
means of identification must be established. Labels
P O L ~ ~ such as PE3408,high density, ete., are not sufficient
Polybutylene shall be manufactured in accor- and cannot be used to satisfy the intent of the
dance with ASTM Standard D-2581. The material IGSHfA recommended minimum standards.
4 It-- 10 inches between coils
$3fi*
S L m

k- 80R
Coil Diameter = 3 ft.

EXTENDED
SLrnKP

NOTES:
I. Emh type of heat exchanger isfabn'cutedfrom a 314 in, HDPE pipe.
2. Trench depths are 5ft.

FIGURE 1: Multiple pipe ground heat exchangers

I FIGURE 2: Fabrication fixture I


III. Coil Configuration
Circular coiled heat exchangers can be configured Before the coil is placed in the trench, the return
in a number of different ways. The two types pipe is cut free from the bottom of the heat ex-
fabrimted and tested at Oklahoma State University changer and i s installed at the tap of the ground
are: 1 ) a SLINKY mgure 3) in which t h e individual heat exchanger.
circular ails overlap and 2 ) a Extended SLINKY
(Figure4) where individual coils are separated and Bill VanAIstine Method
do not overlap. Coils are 30 b 32 inches in diameter and are
spaced 30 to 32 inches apart from the point where
Zn addition to the two heat exchangers described they me tied. A 30- ta 32-inch circle is used since it
in Figures 3 and 4, conhetors have developed other is easier to shape while the person fabricating is
configurations that are specifically designed ta meet standing up. The 30- to 32inch spacing places the
their installation needs. TWQofthese methds axe loops against each other but not overlapping (see
given here. Figure 6). This spacing is an average man's s b p or
arm length hence no special measuring devices are
Lynn Vick Method needed, The trench length (approximately 150 feet)
T h e Extended SLINKY can be fabricated in a flat will vary depending on how much lead in pipe is
configuration Figure 5) for transporhtion to the needed at the header pit. Seven hundred feet of pipe
field by tying the return pipe to the base of the coil. is required for this configuration.

FIGURE 3: SLINKY Coil

FIGURE 4: Extended SLINKY


Note: During transporfafivn,the return @pe is taped to the coil botfomwhich allows the ground beat
exchawr tu be foldedover to fit on a flatbed trailer.

FIGURE 5: Extended SLINKY (Lynn Vick)

Note: 700 feet of pipe

FIGURE 6: Extended SLINKY (Bill Van Alstine)

N.Pipe Sizes
Circular heat exchanger pipe sizes have been Pipe sizing will be selected on system flow rate, fluid
formed fmm V2,3/4, 1,and 1-l/4inch pipe sizes. type, operating *mperatwes and pumping energy.

V. Forming the Circular Heat Exchanger


Forming the SLINKY coil from a pipe roll consists the pipe roll, as shown in Figure 7. This end should
of allowing the pipe roll to remain in the same be the closest to the f i x k u e when unrolling it.
circular configuration it was coiled during rnanufac- Figure 8 illustrates how the individual pipe coils are
turing. The trick is to r a y off individual coils from pulled from the roll to and through the coil fixture.
the pipe coil roll. A common mistake is to uncoil the I t works much in the same way as you would unroll
pipe as if it were to placed in a straight line. Laying a newly purchased garden hose.
ORof the pipe should begin with the outside coil of
I FIGURE 7: "Laying off"pipe coils

( FIGURE 8: Pulling pipe coils through fixture

VI. Coil m g
Tie T j p e strength to allow a SLINKY coil to be rolIed into a
The tie wrap must be sufficiently strong t o held doughnut shape (see Figure 9). Figure 10 illustrates
the coil in posikion during fabricakion, transportation how the tie is made. Wire ties with suffdent
and placement in t h e trench. After pIacement and strength to hold the coil in place are expensive.
bacMlling, the t i e s are of no value and therefore cam
deteriorate with no consequence. Duct tape has been successhlly used by a number
of contractors. If the coil is carefully Lied with a
Plastic wire tie wraps with metal catches are sufficient number of tape wraps the coil can be
recommended. These type of ties have sufficient successfully transported and installed in the trench.

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