You are on page 1of 31

SOLAR HEATING

Solar energy can be used for


Solar water heating
Solar space heating
Solar pool heating
Solar Water Heating
Active solar water heaters
Active solar water heaters rely on electric
pumps, and controllers to circulate water.

Active solar water-heating systems:


Direct-circulation systems
Indirect-circulation systems
Passive solar water heaters
The two most popular types of passive
systems are:

Thermosyphon systems
Integrated solar collectors
Solar Water Heating Applications
Swimming pools

Hot tubs and spas

Domestic hot water


Offices, malls, hotels, motels
Large laundries and kitchens
Facilities in remote areas
Jails, hospitals and dormitories
Solar Water Heating Applications
Process hot water
Food processing, hot water cleanup
Hot water rinses
Pre-heat boiler makeup water
Value of Solar Water Heating
Solar water heating systems
Directly substitute renewable energy for
conventional energy
Reduce the amount of heat that must be
provided by conventional water heating
Reduce the use of electricity or fossil fuels
by as much as 80%.
Status of Solar Water Heating
Todays solar water heating systems are well
proven and reliable when correctly matched
to climate and load.
Solar water heating systems are most likely to
be cost effective for facilities with expensive
energy, or facilities with large hot water
requirements.
Types of Collectors
Low temperature to 32C
Unglazed absorbers
Mid temperature to 70C
Glazed flat plate collectors
Integrated collector systems (ICS),
thermosyphon, antifreeze, drainback
High temperature
Evacuated tube to 175C
Parabolic trough to 300C
Absorber plates
There are various designs
Bonded sheet design
Tubes soldered or brazed to the plate
Tubes fastened by clips, clamps or twisted
wires.
Flat-plate Collector
Exploded view of flat plate collector
Passive, Indirect Thermosyphon System
Evacuated Tube Collector
Evacuated-tube collector

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/printable_versions/sh_basics_collectors.html
Two Main Types of Passive Systems
Integrated Collector Systems (ICS)
store the water in the collector itself
Thermosyphon Systems
have a separate storage tank directly above
the collector
Two Main Types of Passive Systems
(cont.)
Good insulation of the collector and/or tank
helps prevent heat loss at night, and helps
prevent freezing.
Connection pipes are the most critical parts for
concern over freezing. Good insulation is
necessary, but still does not totally solve the
problem.
The most frequently used systems for large
facilities antifreeze systems are active,
indirect systems.
System configurations may utilize one storage
tank or two tanks.
Single tank conventional h/w heater
Single tank wrap-around heat exchanger
Two tank convection flow
The most cost-effective size for a solar water
heating system is typically to meet the full
summer demand, but to meet only 2/3 of the
year-round demand.
Meeting the full winter demand with the reduced
solar resource is very costly.
Experience with commercial buildings seems to
show that maximum cost-effectiveness occurs at
a solar supply of about 50% of the year-round
demand.
Efficiency Aspects of Solar Water Heating

Colder water supply temperatures increase system


efficiency, since the fluid being heated loses less
heat to the surrounding air until it reaches higher
temperatures.
Colder air temperatures reduce system efficiency
by increasing the loss of heat from the collectors to
the air.
Potential for system freezing is a serious problem,
and many solutions result in reducing system
efficiency.
Solar water heating in Cyprus
A few islands are using solar water
heaters on a very large scale (Barbados
and Cyprus).
Cyprus is a leading country in installed
solar collectors per capita - 0.86 m of
solar collector per capita.
Solar water heaters were first fabricated
and installed in 1960.
Solar water heating in Cyprus
The majority of solar domestic hot water
heaters, put up on individual houses are of
the thermosyphon type.
Two solar collectors, with a total glazed
area of 3 square meters, are connected in
series to a hot water tank, placed at a
height, just above the top of collectors.
The hot water tank is also fitted with an
auxiliary electric 3 kW heater.
Economics of Solar water heating
in Cyprus
The average daily solar radiation falling on a
collector installed at an angle of 35 to the
horizontal in Cyprus is 5.4 kWh per m2.
the annual savings per square meter of installed
collector area in Cyprus are 550 kWh.
The total cost required to install a solar water
heating system on a house is around US$ 1000.
The payback period is estimated to be 4 years
Conservation
Conservation is usually the most cost-effective
way to reduce water-heating bills.
- For example, a low-flow showerhead saves
200 kWh of electrical energy (=USD 40).
Solar space heating and cooling
Solar energy can heat and cool the air
Solar space heating systems:
Passive
Active
Combination
Air Heating
Air or other gases can be heated with FPC
The principal requirement is a large
contact area between plate and air
Extended surfaces are used to counteract
the low heat transfer coefficients between
metal and air.
Metal or fabric matrices or corrugated
metal sheets improve performance
Solar air collector

Air flat-plate collectors are used for space heating.

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/printable_versions/sh_basics_collectors.html
Transpired air collectors
A transpired air collector preheats air for building
ventilation by using a fan to draw fresh air
through the system.
They are very efficient
No glazing
Transpired air collectors are recommended for
industrial or commercial buildings with large
ventilation requirements.
Air heating
Transpired air collectors

http://www.eere.energy.gov/de/transpired_air.html
Winter operation
Summer operation

You might also like