Direct Exchange to Water System
In a direct exchange (DX) system, the heat pumps does not have a traditional evaporator or heat exchanger. Instead, the refrigerant lines are run directly into the ground creating a giant evaporator in the earth. Since the heat exhange efficiency loss of the evaporator heat exchanger is elimintated, and the in-ground refrigerant lines are metal and have a lower thermal resistance, the total heat transfer efficiency is higher than systems running coolant or water.
The down-side of this type of system is that the refrigerant lines are somewhat delicate and must be protected from damage during the installation period. Since they are metal, they also are at risk of oxidation (rusting, if you will).
The DX-to-water system is used with either radiant floors or baseboard radiators. These systems will require a separate heat pump to provide air conditioning (cooling).
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