Tuesday, September 30, 1986/The Battalion/Page 5 ice o focus 3rch effol also will discuss ho* ;| rch from the lab to i!t| a faster pace, he said. [ •llor Perry L. Adfeo the symposium 9 a,i| ay. rst session, "Reseaitll ?gins at 9:15 a,m, . 693-759! V; 10-6 T, Th, F; 124 Sit MULTI I/O I ADDJ60 WOI'T By Ed Bodde Reporter A Texas A&M professor says the earth-coupled, wa ller-source heat pump he has been been using for more [than a year to heat and cool a campus classroom can sig- [nificantly reduce energy consumption. William H. Aldred, associate professor of agricultu- Jral engineering, says water-source heat pumps could re- [duce energy consumption by up to 40 percent for cool- ling and 60 percent for heating. Because they are more efficient than both common [electrical heat and liejuid propane furnace heat, he says, [the pumps could eventually replace conventional air [conaitioners. The idea for a heat pump isn’t new, he says, but the [way his operates is. In Aldred’s pump, water is circu- J lated to save money. The pump heats by removing heat from water and [ cools by putting heat back into water, he says. The wa ter source can be a well, pond or a pipe filled with wa ter. Plastic pipes called heat exchangers are connected | to these water sources. The efficiency of the system is enhanced if the water [source remains at a constant temperature, he says. Un derground water is used because the Earth’s tempera ture remains generally constant at depths of 30 feet or | greater. The rise in electric rates spurred people to start looking for other forms of energy than resistance-gen erated heat, he says. The water-source heat-pump sys tem was originally proposed in the 1950s, but the re search got a big push in the middle 1970s. “Oklahoma State University and Louisiana State Uni versity have done research on this,” Aldred says. “We think we need more here (at A&M). This is the critical part of the system.” Because the installation of a water-source heat pump can be more expensive than common heating and cool ing systems, Aldred says, a consumer or business should look at the economic considerations before purchasing the system. An individual or a business should decide how long the system will be used and whether or not the initial in stallation costs would be recovered, he says. “Normally a three- to five-year payback can be expec ted,” he says. He adds, however, that this depends on present elec trical rates, the consumer’s lifestyle and the type of in sulation used. Aldred says he became interested in different forms of heating and cooling systems because he never had a conventional air conditioner that lasted more than six years. He says water-source heat pumps last longer than conventional air conditioners. “There are records of these things (water-source heat pumps) lasting 20 years,” Aldred says. SMILE FOR YOUR FAMILY’S GENERAL DENTAL CARE igie eard jistratioo CLEANING, EXAM & X-RAYS ‘Call For Appointment • Dental Insurance Accepted • Emergency Walk Ins Welcome • Evening Appointments Available • Nitrous Oxide Available • Complete Family Dental Care CarePlus^ut MEDICAL/DENTAL CENTER 696-9578 I Dan Lawson DDS 1712 S.W. Parkway M-F 10 a.m.-8 p.m. 1 n Lawson ’ L, u s - (across from Kroger Center) Sat. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. ISC trongest vote” irton ’72 )e Barton commutes Aggie GOP The Republican Party at Texas A&M University General Meeting Tuesday, Sept. 30 7:00 pm 401 Rudder Special guest speaker Mr. David Davison Republican Candidate for Lieutenant Governor GET $5.00 FOR YOUR BLOOD SAMPLE! Limited to Persons planning to be here for 4 years We can take a few more FRESHMEN, 5 YR SOPHOMORES, FACULTY, STAFF in the 1986 Flu Screening Program Beutel Health Center, Room 03 10 AM - 4 PM Commons Lounge 10 AM - 6:30 PM Monday - Wednesday, Sept 29 - Oct 1 Dr John Qparles Collego of Medicine Come to: 18-20 Year olds Welcome l ] 1600 B South College 823-2707 Where any drink is always Wednesday LEGS CONTEST ]> 12 girls trying for $1600 L in cash & prizes ^ .750 Corona’s j; 3RD ANNUAL BONFIRE BENEFIT BASH Wed. Oct. 1, 8-MIDNIGHT HALL OF FAME with the ★ DEBONAIRES ★ YELL PRACTICE AT 10 PM With Jackie Sherrill Tickets $4 in advance at MSG Tues. and Wed $5 at door EVERYONE WELCOME!