May 29, 2024

VIDEO: Earth Cooling Tubes for Ventilation and Climate Control Part 2


Learn how you can take advantage of the soil’s moderating temperatures for cooling and passive climate control in buildings, workshops, and more. Living Web Farms’ Black Soldier Fly breeding facility uses the energy of the sun and the heat capacity stored in the earth’s subsoil to create a controlled inside climate with minimal or no energy input.

Richard Freudenberger, is our Energy and Resource Coordinator and will explain how the system works, what materials are used, and what factors you need to know before embarking on a project of your own. We’ll look at siting, costs, calculations, limitations, and what does and does not work with real world expectations wen installing your earth cooling tube ventilation system.

13 thoughts on “VIDEO: Earth Cooling Tubes for Ventilation and Climate Control Part 2

  1. Why were the inlet tubes not nested together in a shaded spot(tree or shed) instead of out in the open?
    Why were the tubes not introduced to the shipping container through its bottom instead of being exposed out in the open?
    Why wasn't the shipping container not painted white to reflect heat for the way it is presently it will only absorb heat?
    Why do you call the heat extraction tube a chimney when it is a cupola?
    Flow through a pipe is greatest at the center of the pipe and not the walls. If you study flow and turbulence, you will learn this.
    I hope you weren't paid for this in constructing or advisement of theory.

  2. Heat problem. Have a high low speed pump that runs slower when the heat is satisfied and to keep fom overheating. Have heating tube loop isolated from hot water source by using a heat exchanger. Hotwater tank side of heat exchange runs on demand, then external heat loop runs high on demand and low speed when satisfied. Then have an addition thermostat that allows low speed to run constantly only when outside temp is below freezing.

  3. This guy needed to do some practical tests prior to installation.The air in my tubes can drop 30F in less than half a second, if i used 192ft tubes, the air would be coasting through almost the full length without getting any cooler.

  4. What does anyone suggest for people living in Humid hot climates for cooling? Just build a house underground Or earth dome above ground and what might be the moisture issues with that?

  5. As Patrick has suggested, I see no problem placing the pipes parallel to the slope on a hill. The degree of slope, towards or away does not matter as long as you place a condensate drain ON THE BOTTOM of the pipe just before the pipe turns upwards to enter the structure or air intake hood (depending on which way the pipe is sloped). A bottom drain is advantageous because it does not require periodic pumping and makes elimination of accumulated dust and debris much simpler that a top down clean out. I would also screen the entrances to the pipes to prevent entrance by animals. I also believe (but have not yet tested this theory), that cross connecting the tubes (every 20 ft or so with acute degree connections oriented in the direction of flow, staggered between parallel pipes), increases efficiency by delaying air movement in some sections and therefore increasing the time available for heat exchange in these sections of pipe which contain slower moving air. To achieve a pulsed effect the air intakes need to face in slightly different directions so that the relative air pressure and dominant flow paths through the interconnected network of pipes are constantly shifting in response to shifts in the prevailing wind directions. To flush the system, simply remove the drain cap and run some water (and dilute disinfectant) through the pipes then connect a suction hose to thoroughly dry it all out.

  6. Im no scientist.. but in regards to the water buildup.. could you possibly dig down at the areas that water would gather.. put perforated pipe straight down and surround it with gravel like a french drain? That way the pipe would drain out on its own. I think of septic fields.

  7. What about a gravel bed at the bottom of the pipe under ground, with siphons coming out to siphon out the water. The moisture outside the pipe would help with cooling wouldn't it?

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