If I have a hot spring on my property, can I use a reverse process to cool my house?

Question

Heating a house with thermal energy is easy, but is there a way I can apply that heat to cool the house at all?

Websites or other reference guides would be helpful and is thanks.

Answer 1

You can use heat to make things cooler. As mentioned in earlier answers, the ammonia refrigeration cycle uses heat as part of it's energy source. Generally though, these units are only available in very large commercial applications.

Another refrigeration cycle that uses heat is called a "lithium-bromide" refrigeration cycle. This is often used where low btu heat sources are available. Low pressure steam and yes, possibly hot water. But again, they are not likely to be available except on commercial applications.

Answer 2

In principle, yes; in practice, no. Gas-powered refrigerators have been made, where the cooling was accomplished by a process using heat from a gas flame, but they have not been made for years, and I have never heard of an HVAC system using that technique. But you certainly can have a nice spa, as well as domestic hot water and heat.

Answer 3

The answer by rsaunder is a good start... Ammonia refrigerators are still made for campers, and thermoelectric generators (Peltier-Seebeck effect),available for ~$20, could provide a few watts, but not ~500-1000 W. for air conditioning. Unless Old Faithful is in the back yard, you won't get much cooling. hmmm... rent out hot tubs to pay the air conditioning bill.

Answer 4

Sure, use a ground water heat pump, or circulate ground water, or water from an Artisian well, throught a coil and pass air throught it. It will be a lot cheaper than standard AC. You have to use a Cooler and not a hotter system to cool. Lets see, use Heat to Heat, and Cool to Cool.

Answer 5

Thermodynamically, you cannot. Heat travels from hot to cold.

Mechanically, if you could use the spring to power a heat engine and thus a compressor, you could indirectly use it to cool the house.