SOLAR HOT WATER SYSTEMS
Solar Hot Water Systems are a simple and cost effective a great way of harnessing free energy from sun. Solar hot water systems can supply an average 85-95% of a household’s annual water heating needs. not to mention 1/3 of the electric usage devoted to heating water, a solar hot water system will pay for it's self in 1-4 years. This is one of smartest investment you can make for your house and for the environment.
A solar hot water system is is very simple. On a typical single-family residence, there will typically be one or two solar collector panels on th e roof and a storage tank. The panels are 4 feet by 8 feet long. When the sun shine, the collector get heats up special glicos liquide that runs in system through pump with up to 160 degrees. Additionally tanks are equipped with a back up heating element so in the event of a cool or cloudy day your water will remain at the desired temperature.
Hot water heated by the sun is used in many ways. While perhaps best known in a residential setting to provide domestic hot water, solar hot water also has industrial applications, e.g. to generate electricity.
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Designs suitable for hot climates can be much simpler and cheaper, and can be considered an appropriate technology for these places. The global solar thermal market is dominated by China, Europe, Japan and India.
The number of people in the household will dictate how large the system will need to be, and which systems are even possible. Rebate and incentive programs may only qualify certain systems in a given area. Some systems are relatively easy to install for do-it-yourselfers, while others most laypeople shouldn´t attempt. See the comparative chart showing features of the different system types. Make your choice, and enjoy using solar energy to heat your water! |
| SOLAR HOT WATER COMPONENTS |
Solar Collectors |
Also Know as "Solar thermal panels"
A solar collector consists of a network of pipes through which water (or in colder climates, antifreeze) is heated. Collectors come in various sizes, with 4 by 8 feet (1.2 x 2.4 m) the most common.
On a typical summer day (sunny and warm), the fluid in the collectors reaches 140°F to 180°F (60°C-80°C). On a clear winter day (sunny and cold), it can reach 120°F to 150°F (50°C-65°C). When it´s cloudy and warm, collectors can reach 70°F to 90°F (20°C-30°C), and when it´s cloudy and cold, 50°F to 60°F (10°C-15°C). As long as the temperature in the collector is greater than that of your incoming cold water (usually about 50°F; 10°C), your solar hot water system is saving you energy.
Features:
1) Working principle of high pressure solar heater: Utilizes the alternative absorption coating on the inner surface of the vacuum tube, from the high-temperature environment super-conduction tubes, leads the heat to the water tank, and produces hot water
2) Easy to use, also convenient to install
3) Can be put in the courtyard, on the roof or balcony
4) Inlet water hole connects to the tap water, and the outlet hole connects to the tap water, and the outlet hole produces pressure hot water directly
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5) Working principle of low pressure solar heater: Adopts the alternative absorption coating to absorb the solar energy, heat the water in the vacuum tube directly, through the cold hot water convection, changes the solar energy into heat energy to store in the water tank:
A) Adopts the double-deck highly special hard glass tube of boron silicon
B) Double-deck glass coaxial structure, intermediate layer releases the vacuum, maintains 5 x 10-2Pa high vacuum for a long time while in charge
C) Magnetism accuse of alternative absorption coating, AL / N / AL of sputter aluminum nitrogen aluminum alternative absorption coating solar radiation absorption rate ≥93%, and hot emittance ≤6%
D) Long performance life: 15 years
E) Endures climate feature: Thermal efficiency is good in the whole year |
| Storage Tank |
A solar water tank is an insulated water storage tank. Cold water that used to go directly to your conventional water heater enters the solar tank and solar-heated water exits. In closed-loop systems, the water is heated by contact with a coil of pipe containing the water or antifreeze that circulates through the collectors. In open-loop systems, the potable water is directly circulated through the collectors.
The preheated solar water is then plumbed back to the cold side of your existing heater, which now functions as a backup. Whenever hot water is turned on in the house, preheated solar hot water is moved from the solar tank to the backup heater.
The electric element assists the system only when the solar energy cannot maintain the desired temperature or during periods of peak demand. Automatic temperature control thermostat keeps stored water at desired temperature. Our 80 gallon storage tank has two internal heat exchangers for systems that use heat transfer fluids.
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A typical family of four in the U.S. uses about 80 gallons of hot water each day. To heat that water with electricity takes about 16 pounds of coal. In sunny Colorado, a standard solar hot water system can supply 60% - 95% of this energy, pollution free from the sun, while saving its owners about $250 per year.
If you are ready to invest in a Solar Hot Water System, and save a lot of money on your utility bills, Silicon Solar has everything you need. Our 40 and 80 gallon Solar Hot Water Storage Tanks, for example, are available in both stainless steel and painted stainless steel. For larger Solar Hot Water Applications, you will also find Large Solar Hot Water Storage Tanks which can handle up to 2,500 gallons of water.
Brass drain valve
- Threaded stud located near the outlet for attachment of tank sensors
- Temperature and pressure relief valve included
- Collector feed and return fittings located at front of tank for convenient installation
- 2" thick polyurethane foam insulation reduces heat loss
- High efficiency heating element
- Cold water inlet brings cold water to tank bottom to prevent mixing with heated water
- Anode rod equalizes aggressive water action for prolonged tank life
- Automatic temperature control
- Thermostat gauge to control temperature
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| Heat Exchanger |
| A heat exchanger is a tool built for efficient heat transfer from one fluid to another, whether the fluids are separated by a solid wall so that they never mix, or the fluids are in direct contact. Heat exchangers are widely used in refrigeration, air conditioning, space heating, power generation, and chemical processing. One common example of a heat exchanger is a car's radiator, in which the hot coolant fluid is cooled by the flow of air over the radiator's surface.[citation needed]
Common types of heat exchanger flows include parallel flow, counter flow, and cross flow. In parallel flow, both fluids move in the same direction while transferring heat; in counter flow, the fluids move in opposite directions; and in cross flow, the fluids move at right angles to each other. Common constructions for heat exchanger include shell and tube, double pipe, extruded finned pipe, spiral fin pipe, u-tube, and stacked plate.[further explanation needed]
When engineers calculate the theoretical heat transfer in a heat exchanger, they must contend with the fact that the driving temperature difference between the two fluids varies with position. To account for this in simple systems, the log mean temperature difference (LMTD) is often used as an "average" temperature. In more complex systems, direct knowledge of the LMTD is not available, and the number of transfer units (NTU) method can be used instead. |
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| Expansion Tank |
Closed-loop systems require an expansion tank. An expansion tank has a chamber in which air is locked inside a bladder or diaphragm. It screws into standard 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch threaded plumbing fittings. When pipes are filled with heat-transfer fluid (water and glycol) and the operating pressure of the system is set, the fluid will occupy a given volume based on the temperature. As the fluid is heated by the sun, it expands. This is where the expansion tank is critical. Without it, something would blow!
The expansion tank allows the fluid to safely expand by compressing the air in the chamber.
The size of the expansion tank needed depends on the total volume of fluid, which is determined by the number and size of collectors, and the length and diameter of the pipes in the solar loop.
In most cases, a total of 3 to 6 gallons (11-23 l) of fluid is in a solar loop. A #15 (2 gal; 7.6 l) expansion tank is usually adequate. It never hurts to go larger, especially for systems with more than 60 square feet (5.6 m2) of collectors. A #30 has twice the expansion capability. |
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With the proper expansion tank in place, the fluid can go from 0 to 200°F (-18-93°C) with the pressure in the solar loop remaining the same.
When expansion tanks are used in domestic hot water systems, the tank and the diaphragm must conform to drinking water regulations and must be capable of accommodating the required volume of water.
In the past, domestic plumbing systems often contained more air than they do currently. Thus, expansion tanks are now used more frequently than in the past. |
| Tempering & Isolation Valve |
On a sunny day, the water in your collectors can reach scalding temperatures. A tempering valve can save you from a 160°F (70°C) shower. Ouch! The tempering valve goes at the very end of the chain, right after the backup water and before the faucet. If the water coming out of the backup heater is too hot, the tempering valve opens to mix cold water back in and prevent scalding. The temperature of the hot water can be set by the user on most valves. For instance, a popular valve allows a temperature setting between 120°F and 160°F (49°C-71°C).
An isolation valve should be a part of every solar water heater to isolate the solar tank in case of a problem, while still allowing the backup water heater to remain in service. The isolation valve is a manual valve or valves placed in both the incoming and outgoing potable water lines to the solar tank. It can be a three-valve configuration, or a three-port and two-port valve. |
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| Manually turning the valve or valves will place the solar tank "on line" or "off line." It works by directing the flow either through or past the solar tank. These valves can also be plumbed to bypass the backup gas or electric water heater, allowing them to be turned off (eliminating standby heat loss) during the seasons when the SHW system can supply 100 percent of the household’s hot water. |
| Water Pump |
Pumps are used in active systems, but are not required in batch or thermosyphon systems. They circulate water or antifreeze between the solar collector and the storage tank. The right pump for the job depends on the size of the system and the distance and height between the collector(s) and the storage tank. AC pumps plug into a wall outlet while DC pumps are powered from a DC source, such as a photovoltaic panel. Good pumps can last as long as 20 years with heavy use.
Product Features:
• Easy to install user friendly application of product
• Wet rotor design for quiet, maintenance free operation
• Stainless Steel rotor cladding and canister construction
• to prevent corrosion
• Composite impeller design for optimal application performance
• All models are fully UL Recognized
• Each unit is run and “High Pot” tested
• Available volute configurations include bronze sweat
A solar water heater is an active rather than a passive device. Therefore it is necessary to pump the heated water around to where it is needed. Therefore the solar water heater is part of a closed loop with fluid driven by a low flow water pump. |
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Ideally these pumps are powered by a PV solar panel so that there is no high voltage electricity involved and no pollution generated. Pictured below is an example of a PV solar powered 12V closed loop pump ideal for solar water heating applications.
Solar pumps are configured to circulate water as long as there is enough sunlight to cast a shadow. Best of all, they will heat your water even if you suffer a power cut or if you live off grid. |
SOLAR WATER HEATER:
FREE energy from sun |
STANDARD WATER HEATER:
COSTLY gas or electric |
| Annual Operating Cost: $100 |
Annual Operating Cost: $1000
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| Storage Capacity: 85-125 gal
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Storage Capacity: 40-80 gal
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| Life expectancy: 15-30 years
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Life expectancy: 8-12 years
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| Lifetime operating cost: $1,000
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Lifetime operating cost: $10,000
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| Does NOT pollute environment
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Depletes fossil fuels
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| Increases equity in your home
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No added value to your home
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| 25% return on your investment
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No return / continual payments
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| Protection from price increases
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At mercy of utilities/government
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| Hot water during blackouts!
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NO hot water during blackouts
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Please feel free to contact us with any questions, comments or sugestions and someone will be in touch with you
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