Subject: Heating a "regulator" mass?

From: [email-masked] (K Drossel)
Date: Wed, 22 May 1996 19:41:08 GMT

Anyone out there have information on creating a "regulator" mass for
heat source/sink?

Thoughts are of creating a  storage mass (likely of concrete and/or
rocks) with pipes running through for moving heat in and out. Mass
would be buried and maybe insulated (talking desert southwest here so
may not be best to insulate). House heat/cool process would be through
this mass via heat pump and/or air circulation. When evenings are cool
the daytime sun can be tapped to pump heat into this mass for use at
night. During hot weather the mass would be a daytime heat sink and
would be cooled in the evening on off-peak power or by night air
circulation. Thought about using a "swimming pool" but seems the heat
storage use would conflict with use for actual swimming.

Is this something to pursue with an engineer or is it a stupid notion?
In my area it may be best to just ground-couple the structure and let
the earth be the regulator.

tia,
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-- Kevin Drossel 
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