Aspects

of solar thermal hot

water hea0ng
Professor Tim Dwyer
0m.dwyer@ucl.ac.uk
Teaching Fellow, UCL
Presentation available for download at
www.timdwyer.com/presentations/20120402cardiffsolar.pdf

CIBSE South Wales 2 April 2012

30 min of solar radia0on falling

on earth is probably equal to
the world energy demand for
one year
A Researcher

Why more UK solar thermal?

almost no emissions
some related to pumping/controls

life of 20 to 30 years
independence from fuel price ina0on
total cost analysis based on known cost
low maintenance
poten0al for government subsidies
certainty of fuel supply
environmental cred!!

Solar Trade Association, 2007

Monthly solar irradiance (kWh) on a flat plane facing South with a

tilt angle of 45
Data BS EN 15316-4-3:2007

Solar Data for Coryton

Average irradiation kWh/mday
6
5
4
Horizontal

Normal
Ver0cal

2
1
0
Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Annual
H - 1022 kWh/m
N - 1172 kWh/m
V 821 kWh/m
Source: http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis

Source:CIBSE Solar Heating Design and Installation Guide

Viability of Solar Thermal Systems

Amount of annual sunshine
Required temperature of hot water
Annual energy requirement and energy use
prole
Capital cost of the solar system
Prices of conven0onal fuels
Fuel price ina0on
Solar system annual O&M cost
Other (e.g. legisla0on, government funding)

Typical Bands of Solar Thermal

Low Temperature (<30C)
Swimming pool hea0ng
Ven0la0on air prehea0ng
Medium Temperature (30C-100C)
Domes0c water and space hea0ng
Commercial cafeterias, laundries, hotels
Industrial process hea0ng
High Temperature (>100C)
Industrial process hea0ng
Electricity genera0on
Solar thermal and PV working together

Collec0ng the heat

Flat plate collectors
Unglazed
Glazed

Evacuated tubes
Direct ow
Heat pipe

Unglazed Collector
Low-cost unglazed
collectors
Summer pools in cold
climates
Extend the season in
warm climates
For summer use on a
year-round pool in cold
climates
Can payback in few years

Flat Plate Glazed Collector

Solar Thermal Systems, Peuser et al 2002

Integrated

Solar Thermal Systems, Peuser et al 2002

Retroeed

hep://www.solar-ra0ng.org/educa0on/criteria/collector/6_5_12.htm

Framed installa0ons

But what area?

Solar Thermal Systems, Peuser et al 2002

Evacuated tubes

Sydney Tube

Direct Flow

Solar Thermal Systems, Peuser et al 2002

Solar Thermal Systems, Peuser et al 2002

Solar Thermal Systems, Peuser et al 2002

Heat Pipe

http://www.reuk.co.uk/Evacuated-Tube-Solar-Water-Heating.htm

http://www.solarpanelsplus.com/thermal-how-it-works/

Heat Pipe Collector

http://www.solarpanelsplus.com/thermal-how-it-works/

What area?

Dening and cer0fying

performance

ASHRAE 93 - Methods of Tes0ng to Determine Thermal

Performance of Solar Collectors

EN12975-2 Thermal Solar Systems

and Components

Conversion factor
or
Optical Efficiency

Heat Loss = Useful Gain

CIBSE KS15
Capturing Solar Energy 2009

EN12975-2

ASHRAE 93

1.74 m2 aperture
1.78 m2 absorber

Cer0ca0on

Source: Kingspan Thermomax Design Guide

12975 Eciency Example

A panel shown earlier has the following characteris0cs
supplied by the test
Eciency at t of 0, 0 = 0.814
Loss Coecient: a1 = 4.954 W/(m2K)
Loss Coecient: a2 = 0.0189 W/(m2K2)
Ambient temperature = 20C
Average water temp [(tin+ tout)/2] = 70C
Global irradiance of 800waes/m2

Solu0on to Example
Using = 0 - (a1 x (tm ta)/G) - a2 x (tm ta)2/G)

Solu0on to Example
Using = 0 - (a1 x (tm ta)/G) - a2 x (tm ta)2/G)
= 0.814 - (4.954 x (70 20)/800)
- 0.0189 x (70 20)2/800)

Solu0on to Example
Using = 0 - (a1 x (tm ta)/G) - a2 x (tm ta)2/G)
= 0.814 - (4.954 x (70 20)/800)
- 0.0189 x (70 20)2/800)
= 0.814 0.3096 0.0024 = 0.502
ie at these condi0ons = 50%
50% of the energy provided by the sun is
actually used to heat the water

RETScreen

RETScreen

CIBSE KS15
Capturing Solar Energy 2009

Key Types
Passive Systems (no pumps)
Integral Collector Storage
Thermosyphon

Ac0ve Systems (pumps & controls) .

Open Loop:
Direct
Drain Down

Closed Loop:
Drain Back
An0freeze

Integrated Collector and Storage

Novel ICS System

Parabolic collector water heater

Thermosyphon System

Solar thermal collectors and applications

Soteris A. Kalogirou

http://picasaweb.google.com/bertmenkveld/
REDWHO2008SolarThermal#

http://www.p2pays.org/ref/20/19122/HeatCool.html

Thermosyphon Unit

www.solarshacksa.com/html/hot_water.html

Direct Circula0on System

Solar Hea0ng Guide CIBSE 2007

Drainback System

Other drainback (plus other system) illustrations

http://greenterrafirma.com/solar_thermal.html
http://www.atlassolarinnovations.com/solar-water-heating-choices/

CORRECTED DIAGRAM BASED ON

Solar thermal collectors and applications
Soteris A. Kalogirou

EST CE131 - Solar water heating systems

guidance for professionals,
conventional indirect models

Drain Back Advantages

Gravity is fail-proof and maintenance free
Water, (or a glycol mixture) may be used in the
collector loop
System is not damaged if the pump fails
System cannot reverse thermosyphon at night
Collector plates last up to longer than in a
pressurized glycol system

Drain Back Advantages

If used the Water/Glycol Mixture is unlikely to
need changing
Less moving components to fail (eg. check-
valves, air vents and expansion tanks)
Collector piping and system piping does not
scale if dis0lled water is used.

Drain Back Disadvantages

Collector(s) and all piping must be above and slope
downwards towards the reservoir
Larger piping and insula0on must be used
Large or rela0vely large pumps
especially if the design involves 2+ stories
System and pump controls cost approx 10% of
savings
Components cost about 10-15% more than a glycol
system (on residen0al system)
Systems can be noisy - like a coee percolator

Indirect Closed Water System

Simplified - No
safety/expansion
elements shown
Solar Hea0ng Guide CIBSE 2007

A common closed system

Source: Megaflo

Solar Hea0ng Guide CIBSE 2007

EST CE131 - Solar water heating systems

guidance for professionals, conventional indirect models

www.wagner-solar.com

Solar Hea0ng Guide CIBSE 2007

Solar Hea0ng Guide CIBSE 2007

Likely losses?

Source: EST 131, 2006

Eect of parasi0c losses

(shown in terms of primary energy)

Note: tests undertaken in 2001

Source: DTI/Pub URN 01/1292

Well performing domes0c system

Energy Savings Trust: Here comes the sun: a field trial of solar water heating systems

Aeributes of the
Heat Transfer Fluid
Should not deposit
limescale
sludge,
ice
other solids

that could restrict circula0on or impair the

rate of heat transfer.

Aeributes of the
Heat Transfer Fluid
Resist freezing
Specially where the liquids are maintained in loop all year
round
Usually 60/40 water/an0freeze
will go down to at least -20 at SAP
Glycol creeps more than water
Use non-toxic propylene glycol
Glycol not compa0ble with Zinc or certain seals
Most an0 freezes will have higher viscosity and small SHC
pressure drop of the system will increase

Aeributes of the
Heat Transfer Fluid
Maintain integrity at high temperatures
during periods of stagnancy collector
temperatures can reach 200C in at plates
and 300C in evacuated tubes
azer a shutdown other parts of system may
well reach over 160C+
in normal opera0on 120C would not be
uncommon

Glycol Vaporisa0on Temperatures

Solar Thermal Systems, Peuser et al 2002

See Duffie & Beckman, 2nd Edition Appendix E for more detailed data

Aeributes of the
Heat Transfer Fluid
Beeer to run at lower pressures and design for vaporisa0on
At 300kPa vaporisa0on at 140C
Few molecules of uid would be in high temperature collector
as a vapour
par0cularly where long periods of stagnancy

May lead to par0cles s0cking to ow channels

use strainers to remove par0culates

Small collector volume is best with ow and return

connec0ons at top
vaporised uid will ll collector and not pass large amounts of vapour
into remainder of system
at 150C, 300kPa only 5cm3 liquid is needed to ll 3 litre collector)

Aeributes of the
Heat Transfer Fluid
Important to help prevent heat stress by unevaporated uids
entering the stagnant collector eg for low lying or
interconnected units.
Normal opera0ng condi0ons above 220C need special uids
Unsuitable uids chemically crack at this temperature
The uid will need replacing
Ageing will aect corrosion resistance and freezing point

Stagna0on Temperature
Assumes ratio
(tsm-tm)/Gm approx constant

tstg = stagna0on temperature C

tas = selected ambient temperature C
Gs = selected solar irradiance W/m2
Gm = solar irradiance (from test data) W/m2
tsm = absorber temperature C (from test data)
tam = ambient air temperature C (from test)
BS 12975 2001
Capturing Solar Energy 2009

Antifreeze that has been at

170C for extended periods
Source: Kingspan Thermomax Design Guide

Exacerba0ng stagna0on

Poor layout

Source : Stagnation behaviour of solar systems IEA SHC Group 26, 2002

Heat dissipa0on

Source: Kingspan Thermomax Design Guide

And dont forget ..Legionella control

Source : Lochinvar Solar Thermal Guide

But how to choose system?

Es0mate Daily Water Hea0ng Load
Determine Solar Resource
Calculate Solar System Size
meet load on sunniest day
undersize rather than oversize

Calculate Annual Energy Savings

Calculate Annual Cost Savings
Es0mate System Cost
Calculate Payback Period

Where to posi0on?

Source: Kingspan Thermomax Design Guide

Seasonal changes

Source: Kingspan Thermomax Design Guide

Avoid shading

Source: Kingspan Thermomax Design Guide

F-Chart

Polysun 4

T Sol

RETScreen

Matched system

Source: Kingspan Thermomax Design Guide

Source: http://www.pobsolar.co.uk/

Bri0sh Standards
BS EN 12975-1 (2006)
Thermal solar systems and components Solar collectors
Part 1: General requirements
BS EN 12975-2 2006
Thermal solar systems and components Solar collectors
Part 2: Test methods
BS 5918 (1989)
Solar hea0ng systems for domes0c hot water

References
ASHRAE (2008) HVAC Systems and Equipment
Chapter 36: Solar Energy Equipment
ASHRAE (2007) Applica0ons Handbook Chapter 33:
Solar Energy Use

Solar water heating systems

guidance for professionals,
conventional indirect models
Energy Savings Trust CE 131

Energy Savings Trust

- Here comes the sun

CIBSE Solar
Heating Design
and Installation
Guide
CIBSE KS15
Capturing solar
energy

Solar Engineering of Thermal

Processes, Duffie, & Beckman

MCS - Microgeneration
Installation Standard: MIS 3001

Solar Design: Components, Systems,

Economics
by Jan F. Kreider
Solar Thermal Systems - Successful
Planning and Construction
Peuser, Remmers & Schnauss

Thanks for providing informa0on

Lochinvar
Baxi
Kingspan
John OBrien
Viessmann
..and to Ruskin Air Management for
sponsoring the event
Prof Tim Dwyer, 0m.dwyer@ucl.ac.uk

Where next ..solar Cooling

Stoecker - Refrigeration and Air Conditioning