Cooling Tunnel System for the Hilltop House |
| Trenching for the cooling system, located about 15 feet south of the house. Bottom of trenches in about 12 feet below finish floor level |  |
| Our cooling system is based on the fact that the ground temperature 5' below the surface is 56 degrees. Excavation went to solid rock, and happily avoided having to form the outside of the cooling trenches. Here you see a thin (<2") concrete floor. |  |
| The forming was done with ordinary 2-1'2" 25ga steel framing, using corrugated GI sheet metal for forms. All concrete was soil-cement mixed in a small electric 1/4-sack mixer. It was a bit tough on the old bod getting in and out of the trenches for forming and pouring! |  |
| But the next day I got it poured - slept GOOD that night! In this photo forms have been removed. Looks like we had some rain that night! |  |
| Then the form materials were cut up to form a cap, poured about 4" thick. I used 3/8" rebar every two feet across the trench, to support the 5'+ of fill which will be imported for cover. It now occurs to me I might just as well have placed the tunnels deep under the floor, as the South footings had to be placed about 7 feet undergound to accommodate the slope. |  |
| At the end-opposite the house portion of the cooling tunnel is built a cooling intake tower about 4 1/2' square, using 4" walls again poured with soil cement. This pic shows the forming system used. 6" 20-guage GI steel track with an extra bend, using OSB slip-collars. |  |
| Here 'tis again, a bit higher. The grooving in the concrete was intentional, giving a lip for setting forms. The next picture shows the initial pour completed, about 12' from the floor of the cooling tower. |  |
| Thought maybe you'd like to see it does TOO snow a little in our mountains! The cooling tower is back there looking over the building site. Sorry about the barrel! |  |
| When the house foundation walls are up, much fill will be imported to the south side of the house, and this much of the cooling tower will be about 8" above the rear filled-yard. I'll make it look like a wishing well, with a hip roof to cover the intake. Depending on our experience in operation, we will be able to install an evaporative cooler if needed (and if so, use only the fan?), but I believe it will work by convection alone. Will post a couple more pictures then. |
