Two-Part Thermally Conductive Grout
BAROTHERM bentonite material is designed for use in grouting boreholes containing ground source heat loops. BAROTHERM material, when combined with sand at various concentrations, yields a grout with thermal conductivity values ranging between 0.4 and 1.0 BTU/hr·ft·ºF. BAROTHERM material does not contain any polymers.
Geothermal Grout
The primary purpose of a grout column in the geothermal heating and cooling industry is to provide a thermally conductive pathway between the geothermal loop system and the earth. Secondarily, the grout has to form a low permeability seal to prevent contamination of the subsurface from the surface. Thermal conductivity, or k value, is a measurement of the grouts ability to transfer heat. The geothermal design engineer specifies the k value for the grout based on the design parameters of the system and the k value of the formations where the loop field will be installed.
PLASTECH PLUS INC. has grouts that cover the wide range of k values between .4 and 1.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F. Simple bentonite grouts are used where a k value of .4 BTU/hr·ft·°F is required. Barotherm and Barotherm Plus are bentonite grouts enhanced by the addition of silica sand and cover the k value range above .4 to 1.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F. For extreme situations IDP-357 can reach a k value of 1.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F
Thermally-Conductive Grout
BAROTHERM® GOLD thermally-conductive grout is bentonite material designed to use in grouting boreholes containing ground source heat loops. BAROTHERM GOLD grout, when combined with silica sand at various concentrations, yields a high solids grout with thermal conductivity values ranging between 1.0 and 1.2 BTU/hr·ft·ºF (1.73 – 2.03 watts/m·ºC). BAROTHERM GOLD grout does not contain polymers.
Geothermal Grout