Geothermal Conductivity Testing
What it is• Conductivity testing is the thermal equivalent of “Pump Testing”
• It is used to determine the thermal conductivity and diffusivity of the tested formation
• Allows the number of boreholes to be determined for a given heating and/or cooling load
Benefits of Conductivity Testing
• Allows for increased design precision of thermal well field
• Provides geological information necessary to minimize well field construction costs
• Creates a more “biddable” project for the drilling contractors
Costs and Scheduling
• Drilling and testing costs vary based on formation and depth
• Time requirements generally range from 3 to 5 weeks
Deliverables Upon Test Completion • Soil thermal diffusivity, a (ft²/ day)
• Soil thermal conductivity, k (btu/hr ft °F)
• Estimated deep earth temperature
• Test loop drilling log
• Charts of water temperature and power input over test time
• Table of logged data, including time, water temperatures, and heat input