Active Solar Heating Liquid Solar Heating System Travis

Active Solar Heating Liquid Solar Heating System Travis Ricard

Objective To outline and provide relevant information on the following l What is Active Solar Heating How Does a Liquid Active Solar Heating System Work In-Floor Radiant Heating Controls Performance and Maintenance l Cost and savings l l

What is Active Solar Heating l A system which relies upon the collection and storage of solar radiation in order to be transferred into energy for the purpose of heating

How Does a Liquid Active Solar Heating System Work l Solar radiation collectors are installed to collect direct sunlight l Usually placed on the roof, but they can also be wall or ground mounted http: //www. siberg. com/Solareg%20 SC 2_dosyalar/image 001. jpg

l A liquid is circulated through the collector l Usually consists of water, antifreeze, or methyl alcohol l The heat collected by the collector is transferred to the liquid

l A photovoltaic panel attached to the collectors operates a pump which circulates the liquid l The heated liquid is pumped into the storage container l Cold water from the storage container is then sent through the system be heated. http: //greenbuildings. santa-monica. org/images/ws 6. jpg

http: //homepage. eircom. net/~solaris/pages/products 1. html l The heated water can then be used with the aid of a heat exchanger to provide hot water or in floor radiant heating. l Often a secondary heating device is used when there is not enough solar radiation to heat the water l This device is typically a natural gas boiler

In-Floor Radiant Heating http: //www. radiantmax. com/assets/r-slab. gif l Liquid active solar heating systems are often used to supply hot water for in-floor radiant heating l The hot water is directed through plastic or rubber pipes embedded in a concrete floor l The circulating hot water then heats the floor, which in turn radiates to heat the room

l In floor radiant systems require water temperatures of 71. 1°C to 82. 2°C l Often these temperatures cannot be achieved through solar heating alone. l Typically the secondary system (natural gas boiler) is used to bring the pre-heated water up to the required temperature.

Controls l More complex then the typical household heating system l This is due to the fact that the system must analyze more signals and control more devices l Use sensors, switches, and motors to operate the system and to provide back-up heating l The main component of the system is the differential thermostat, which measures the difference in temperature between the collectors and storage container. l When the collectors are 6. 7°C to 12. 2°C warmer than the storage unit, thermostat turns on the pump to circulate water through the collector to heat the storage container or the house.

Performance l Quality, durability, system design, and installation dictate how well an active solar energy system will perform l Active solar energy systems typically provide 40% to 80% of the home's heating needs. l Systems providing less than 40% of the heat needed for a home are usually not cost effective as they due not provide enough savings to justify their more expensive implementation costs l The size of the system determines how much heat it can provide.

Maintenance l Most systems require between 8 -16 hours of maintenance ensure optimal performance and to avoid failures. l Much of this maintenance involves checking pipes and ductwork for leaks and collectors for damage. l Pumps and fans must also be cleaned and lubricated on an annual basis

Cost and Savings l Typical costs of solar radiation collectors vary from $30 and $80 per square foot installed (depending on the type of panel) l Further cost associated with storage container and pumping system l It is estimated that an in floor radiant heating system can reduce a heating bill by 20 -40% l This value will increase further if the secondary heating system is used as little as possible.

Conclusion l Liquid Active Solar Heating Systems are a cost effective and efficient way to heat a home l Reliable and relatively maintenance free l Many options with regard to type and size of system l The higher initial cost is quickly off set by the annual energy savings

References Refer to the below links for further information l http: //www. healthgoods. com/Education/Energy_Information/Ren ewable_Energy/heating_with_active_solar. htm l http: //www. newenergy. org/sesci/publications/pamphlets/active. ht ml