Vance looks to the ground for energy efficiency

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Katherine Roling
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Kegelman Auxiliary Field is not only getting a new fire station -- construction of the building's geothermal heat pump will complete a Vance energy conservation initiative to heat and cool the building through a renewable energy source. Completion of the fire station and geothermal system is slated for June 29.

The field, a 45 minute drive from the base, is used by joint specialized undergraduate student pilots for touch-and-go practice.

Lights, telephones, computers, and other appliances in the new fire station will still use conventional electricity.

Oklahoma weather makes solar power unfeasible due to tornados and large hail, which could damage the cells. Windmills can be flying obstructions around airfields and are still very expensive, said Miles Crowell, Deputy Program Manager of Computer Sciences Corporation.

Geothermal power was the choice of energy for Kegelman due to its favorable soil conditions. Five vertical wells, each 250 feet deep, take up a horizontal area of roughly 800 square feet. Horizontal trenches were another consideration, but they would have taken up more land area.

Renewable energy is not new to Vance. "Part of Vance's power, at least a large portion, is hydro power," said Mr. Crowell. "This is renewable, and comes from dams in northeastern Oklahoma.

"Years ago, Vance bought into the new energy source, much like people are buying into windmill power," said Mr. Crowell. "We get a certain allocation of that hydro power, and it just depends on the year. Fortunately, the reservoirs were high this past year."

The fire station is an essential component to any airfield. According to Fred Folger, Kegelman field firefighter, the most likely time for aircraft emergencies is during landings. Kegelman field is primarily for students completing touch-and-goes, and those consist of a landing followed by an immediate take off.

"The Kegelman fire station was targeted for the geothermal transformation because the existing fire-station is outdated, expensive to maintain, expensive to heat, and expensive to cool." said Mr. Crowell. "Storm damage was the final straw and it gave us enough justification to get funding."

Energy costs will be lower eventually as well.

Mr. Crowell said, "The initial upfront costs are higher than conventional systems, but it pays its worth back in three to five years through energy savings."

The geothermal heat pump will not be hard to maintain, either.

"Between refrigeration and the plumbing shop, we should be ready to handle any maintenance, and all government projects are under warranty for the first year," said Mr. Crowell.

The fire station will be the first facility belonging to Vance to undergo the geothermal transformation.

"Geothermal power uses a simple heat pump concept, and since ground temperatures are very stable, geothermal power is a more efficient choice," said Mr. Crowell.

According to Geothermal Technology's web site, a company that works with geothermal cooling and heating systems, geothermal power supplies heating and cooling through similar methods.

In the heating cycle, a fluid, either water or antifreeze, circulates through the loop and takes in heat from the ground. That heat energy is then transferred to the geothermal unit. That unit compresses the heat to a higher temperature, and the heat is delivered to the facility through a normal duct system or radiant heat system.

The cooling cycle is simply reversed from the heating cycle. Since the earth has cooler temperatures than the outside air, the geothermal system takes heat from the facility and sends it into the ground. The fluid is then cooled by the ground and returned to the unit for cooling the facility.