Wine Cellar

 I want to build a 10x10x8 foot room for storing home made wine and if the
flavors won't mix also cure ham, and make cheese.  I want to heat and cool
this room using ground source water. Here is my plan...

1. dig a trench (backhoe) at 10-12 feet deep and place looped plastic tubing
(used for radiant heating in concrete) I'll assume 100-200 feet and 0.50
inch diameter (OD?).
2. fill with 50/50 glycol and distilled water, with expansion tank
(pressurized bladder, the kind used in radiant heat).  I might need to add
anti bacterial chemicals to liquid.
3. add small (low voltage, wattage) pump to circulate the mixture from the
ground to a closed radiator with small fan (low voltage, wattage)
4. room will be insulated with rigid foam, fiberglass bats, vapor barrier,
OSB panels with white fiberglass sheeting covering the walls (ascetics)
5. no air will enter/leave this room..the fan, radiator will be inside the
room (plumbing through the wall), the pump and expansion tank will be on
other side of wall, other room.
6. I would need a thermostat and controller to turn on the pump (start fan)
when the inside temp is over 57 degrees and/or under 47 degrees..this will
keep the room between 47 and 57 degrees (plus/minus "set back point" on
thermometer)
7. OPTION: would using radiant baseboard (full perimeter) at floor with 2nd
and 3rd loop of perimeter baseboard at 2 foot intervals (from floor)
eliminate the need for the fan and radiator? (and provide enough transfer of
"energy")
8. all stainless or brass fittings, no PVC.

Environmental conditions...
1. Western Washington gets some 20 degree days in the winter and it has been
high 80 during summer..not too extreme, and not for extended period.
2. not looking to hold a very tight tolerance..i.e. if in December the room
is 43 that is OK, and likewise in the summer at 60...( +/- 3 degrees would
be acceptable)

Scalability:
How do I determine the length of pipe, trench length, volume of liquid
(assumed in pipe length), pump volume and ability to pull or push liquid
from 16 feet deep (12 hole and 6 feet from ground level), fan CFM and area
of "radiator"?

What is my calculated BTU loss from this super insulated room?

I have taken the temperature of the ground water on my property, but if it's
50 degrees down there..can I get to 47 degrees?

Any websites that would help???

 

LOL, sounds like a room I would never want to leave :^) "Honey, can you
throw down another box of crackers?"

 Room is in 1st floor of barn with cement floor...water table is too high for
a cellar, would need 24/7 pump and still no climate "control".

 On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 17:14:00 -0700, "Dave In WA"

Hmm.
If you could seal the concrete, you would get exelent climate control
from that water table, since it would work as a large heatsink.
Maybee if you made a hole, lined it with pond-lining and then making
walls innside the lining.
The lining should be filled with water until the walls are in place,
to even out the pressure. When the concrete has cured, the water is
pumped out, and the room dried.

Dont know if this is a good idea though, but you may ask a
construction firm or two.


SEE YA !!!
Trygve Lillefosse
AKA - Malawi, The Fisher King

 Dave, a small part of your solution may be to go to a website where
you can spec out central heating boilers by entering in room
specifications.  Some of these will allow you to get a btu value per
room as you go so you could find some info based on your room spec.

I hope that helps a little.

Jim