Solar Driven Ground Cooling System will keep the ground frozen solid beneath infrastructure founded on permafrost soils
What is a solar driven ground cooling system used for?
Ground cooling has been used in arctic and sub-arctic environments for over 50 years. Keeping the ground frozen beneath infrastructure provides bearing capacity or support for the buildings, roads, and other infrastructure upon which it is built.
Unfortunately, the methods that have historically been used to keep the ground frozen rely on cold air temperatures. Because of climate change, these methods are becoming less effective and in some cases are leading to foundation failure. That is the reason I have developed this mechanical ground cooling system. Some of the hardware being developed for this system is currently Patent Pending!!
Imagine stepping in a mud puddle and sinking up to your knee. Now imagine if that same puddle of mud were frozen solid. It would not only support you, but you could drive a car over it and not sink in. In fact some frozen soil has the compressive strength of bedrock and can support a building.
This idea, is a sustainable solution for arctic environments that uses renewable energy to stabilize infrastructure located in permafrost regions.
One of the biggest risks that is of concern to clients is the possibility of a leak of the coolant. This risk can be abated by the following two methods providing a double factor of safety. The first method is to provide a secondary containment system. The second method is as follows; in the event of a spill, one could put a vacuum on the cooling coil and remove all of the coolant from the subsurface.
I have a professional engineering license in Environmental Engineering, and am qualified in areas of environmental containment and remediation. Even if there was a leak, as long as the ground temperature is maintained below freezing, the fluid used as coolant would not degrade any ice present in the soil. Additionally, the coolant used in this system is a non-toxic, environmentally friendly product.