A pioneering geothermal project
At the Heraklion Cultural Center, three geothermal heat pumps from the Italian manufacturer AERMEC, series WSH 2502 XD, with screw compressors and a total installed capacity of 1,870 kW, have been installed. The geothermal system utilizes the extensive underground aquifer to meet the cooling and heating needs of a building complex with a total area of 27,000 m².
The system is designed with three geothermal heat pumps arranged in a parallel hydraulic configuration, where heat extraction and rejection are achieved through a high-capacity groundwater collection tank. A mechanism has been incorporated for utilizing excess water to prevent overflow, covering the complex’s irrigation needs, while backup systems for reheating and recooling the tank are provided through the use of AERMEC dry coolers.
In addition, the flexible system design allows simultaneous heating and cooling operation, depending on the requirements and orientation of individual areas within the complex.
The geothermal heat pumps are also equipped with partial heat recovery exchangers, which capture rejected heat during cooling operation, enabling the reheating of conditioned air in public gathering spaces.
Beyond significant energy savings, the project offers important environmental benefits by reducing pollutant emissions, specifically an estimated 200 tons of CO₂ annually, based on the total installed thermal capacity of 1.87 MW.
Project information
City:
Heraklion, Crete
Solution:
Geothermal energy, Heating, Cooling, Dry Coolers, Heat Recovery
Installed Power:
2,1 ΜW
Equipment:
3 × geothermal heat pumps AERMEC WSH 2502 XD
Project Associate:
Kapetanakis Konstantinos
