Renewable energy supply of buildings

Lecture 04
Solar thermal Power
15.05.2023

Fatma Deghim, M.Sc.

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang
Semester plan
Date Lecture Exercise

17.04.2023 L 01 Introduction

24.04.2023 L 02 Technical basics (online)

01.05.2023 - -

08.05.2023 L 03 Demand assessment E 01 Demand assessment of a building

15.05.2023 L 04 Solarthermal power E 02 Exercise solarthermal power

22.05.2023 L 05 Photovoltaics E 03 Exercise PV

29.05.2023 - -

05.06.2023 L 06 Geothermal heat and heat pumps

12.06.2023 L 07 Wind power

19.06.2023 L 08 Biomass

26.06.2023 L 09 Energy storage systems for buildings

03.07.2023 L 10 Power and heat networks

10.07.2023 - Digital excursion Oscar von Miller Forum

17.07.2023 - Q+A

24.07.2023 - Exam
Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang |2
Sources of energy and form of appearance
Fusion Light

Non-Renewable
Atoms Heat
Fission

Energies
Coal
Oil
past solar radiation
Gas
Other fossil biogen fuels

Solar Global Radiation

Radiation Heat of the atmosphere
Heat of the seas
Heat within the earth‘s surface
present solar radiation Evaporation and precipitation

Renewable Energies
Wind
Waves
Sea current
Biomass

Geothermal
Heat
Heat

Gravitation Tides

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien: Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte. Berlin Heidelberg New York. Springer-Verlag, 2013

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang |3
Solar Energy

Solar enegy

Aktive systems Passive systems

Electric use Thermal use Heating of Lighting of

(Photovoltaics) buildings buildings

High-temperature Low-temperature

Solar thermal Solar collectors for hot water

powerplants production

Domestic hot water preparation

Heating support

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang |4
Content of the lecture

1. Current status of the use of solarthemal energy

2. Solar energy supply
3. Passive solar energy use
4. Active solar energy use in buildings

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang |5
Content of the lecture

1. Current status of the use of solarthemal energy

2. Solar energy supply
3. Passive solar energy use
4. Active solar energy use in buildings

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang |6
Distribution of the total final energy generation from
Renewable Energies in Germany in 2016
Renewable Energy Production Germany - 2016

Solar Power
13%

Geothermal Heat
4%

Wind Power Biomass

23% 55%

Water Power
6%
https://www.erneuerbare-energien.de/

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang |7
Heat production from renewable sources in Germany from
1990 - 2016

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang |8
Heat supplied by solar thermal energy in Germany 2002-
2022

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang |9
Content of the lecture

1. Current status of the use of solarthemal energy

2. Solar energy supply
3. Passive solar energy use
4. Active solar energy use in buildings

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 10
Comparison of energy carriers
Available amount of energy

• Amount of energy falling on the earth‘s surface per year: ca. 1,5*1018 kWh/a

• Worldwide energy consumption per year: ca. 1,4*1014 kWh/a

 The energy from the sun alone is 10.000 times what is used on earth

Geothermal Heat

Overall available conventional energy

Coal
Annual regenerative energy

Worldwide
annual primary
energy demand

carriers
Crude Oil
supply

Sun

Natural Gas

Usable
water power Uranium

Tides

Quaschning: Regenerative Energiesysteme : Technologie - Berechnung - Simulation. M: Carl Hanser Verlag GmbH Co KG, 2015.

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 11
Energy balance of the earth
Solar Radiation
Emission

Long wave
Upper atmospheric boundary Reflection radiation

Geothermal heat
Absorption in air
Tides
Gravitation and movement of
the planet
Reflection
Surface of the earth

Energy reserves
fossil biogenic

Continents Seas fossil mineral

Radiation

Evaporation
Convection

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien: Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte. Berlin Heidelberg New York. Springer-Verlag, 2013

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 12
Solar Energy
Available amount of energy

• Radiation on the surface of the sun: ca. 63,5 MW/m²

• Solar Constant: 1.370 W/m²

• Global radiation on the surface of the earth: ca. 20 W/m² (Dez) and 210 W/m² (Jul) on a location in southern Germany

Global radiation
=
Direct radiation + Diffuse radiation

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien: Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte. Berlin Heidelberg New York. Springer-Verlag, 2013

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 13
Jahresgang der Strahlungsleistung

Global radiation
Monthly mean radiation power

Direct radiation

Diffuse radiation
in W/m²

Time in months

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien: Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte. Berlin Heidelberg New York. Springer-Verlag, 2013

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 14
Solar Energy
Annual solar radiation in Germany Distribution of PV Plants in Germany

https://www.unendlich-viel-energie.de/ https://www.bfn.de/

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 15
Global Radiation Load Curve (Lastgang der Globalstrahlung)

Hourly
progression

Daily
progression

Yearly
progression

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien: Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte. Berlin Heidelberg New York. Springer-Verlag, 2013

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 16
Content of the lecture

1. Current status of the use of solarthemal energy

2. Solar energy supply
3. Passive solar energy use
4. Active solar energy use in buildings

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 17
Recap: Heat balance of a building
heat loss to the outside
air through transmision

21. Jun.

heat input of
heating sytem

21. Dec. heat loss to the

outside air through
ventilation

heat storage by
the materials
passive solar gains
through the windows

internal
gains

heat loss to the ground

through transmision
Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 18
Passive solar energy use

The goal of passive solar energy use

• Use naturally occuring solar radiation without active
technology to heat and/or light up buildings
• This can be done
• Using special types of windows and glazings
• Designing the building in a way which allows the
sun to enter only when desired

How it works
• Solar radiation enters the room and is absorbed by building materials, furniture…
 This heat then is available to the room
• This works best when the building envelope is thermically insulated, so the gained heat isn‘t lost
again so quickly

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 19
Funcionality of a greenhouse

Passive solar gains

• The sun enters the greenhouse in
a different angle, depending on the
21. Jun.
season
• A roof overhang prevents the sun
from entering during the hottest 21. Dec.

times in a year
• The indoor temperature can be
Green-
influenced by opening and closing house
windows from the greenhouse to the
outside and from the greenhouse to
the living room

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien:

Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte.
Berlin Heidelberg New York. Springer-Verlag, 2013
Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 20
 Temperature profile inside a greenhouse at summer

outside temperature 18 - 29°C

temperature in the greenhouse 18 - 41°C

living room temperature 19 - 21°C

Wi = Temperature greenhouse • The greenhouse acts as a buffer

E = Temperature outside
• It cools down to outside temperature at night
I = Temperature livingroom
and heats up to over 40°C during the day
Fb = Temperature floor
De = Temperature ceiling • The living room behind the greenhouse stays
at constant temperature

Kaltschmitt, Martin ; Streicher, Wolfgang ; Wiese, Andreas: Erneuerbare Energien : Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte. Berlin Heidelberg New York: Springer-Verlag, 2013.

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 21
Interaction of light, matter and energy

Definition of reflectance, absorptance and transmittance

𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
reflectance 𝜌=
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
absorptance 𝛼=
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
transmittance 𝜏=
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

Law of conservation of energy:

𝜌: reflectance [ −]  For opaque media: 𝜏 = 0

ρ+α+τ=1
α: absorptance [ −]
𝜏: transmittance [ −]

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 22
Interaction of light, matter and energy
Example: Transport of heat through a 1-pane-window

Conduction

absorption α ρ+α+τ=1

outside inside
emission

ρ+α+τ=1

Convection Source: LS Thermodynamik, TUM

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 23
Interaction of light, matter and energy
Example: Transport of heat through a 2-pane-window

Conduction Radiation exchange

Convection • incoming global radiation
• between the glass panes themselves
• between the glass pane and its
surroundings
Convection
• between the glass pane and its
outside inside
surroundings
• in the space between the glass panes
Conduction
• through the glass panes
• through the edging („Randverbund“)

Source: LS Thermodynamik, TUM

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 24
Interaction of light, matter and energy

Summary: Heat Flow through windows

U-value
• Gives the heat which is lost through the element depending on the
temperature difference
 the smaller the U-value, the less heat is lost to the outside
• Unit: W/(m²K)
• Can be lowered by
• Optimizing the edging-construction (conduction)
• Using gases with high density (convection)
• Using a Low-E (low emission) coating on the glass panes
(radiation)

outside inside

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 25
Interaction of light, matter and energy

Reducing the U-value: Thermal Insulation Glazing („Wärmeschutzverglasung“)

Thermal Insulation Glazing
Lower heat transport by convection
• Use gasses with a high density
• e.g. Argon, Krypton, Xenon
• The heavier gasses circulate slower between the glass panes, thereby
reducing the amount of heat being transferred from the inside glass pane
to the outside glass pane

Lower heat transport by radiation

• Apply a Low-E coating on the outside surface of the inside glass pane 
Increases the amount of radiation coming from the inside, which is being
reflected back in
• The coating applied consists of a very thin (only nanometers) layer of outside inside
metals, which act as reflectants

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 26
Interaction of light, matter and energy

Summary: Heat Flow through windows

SHGC - solar heat gain coefficient (Ger. „g-Wert“)
• Gives the amount of energy which is transmitted through the material and is
actually available to the room
 the smaller the g-value, the less solar radiation reaches the room
• Unit: [-]
• Can be influenced by shading or coating of the glass
• Consists of two parts
• the amount of radiation which passes via direct transmission through
the glass
• secondary heat dissipation to the inside by radiation and convection

outside inside

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 27
Interaction of light, matter and energy

Influencing the SHGC

Sun Protection Glazing
Sun protection glazing
• Apply a sun protection coating on the inside surface of the outside
glass pane  Increases the amount of radiation coming from outside,
which is being reflected back
• The aim of this protection coating is to reflect as much light as possible
in the infrared spectrum, while transmitting a maximum amount of light
in the visible spectrum  this way, light comes in but heat stays out
• The coating applied consists of a very thin (only nanometers) layer of
metals, which act as reflectants
• Often sun protection glazings also have a Low-E coating, so they act
as thermal insulation glass as well
outside inside

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 28
Shading of transparent building elements

Functionality of shading Well insulated roof

• High standing sun in the summer is blocked from reaching

transparent elements
 prevent overheating and reduce cooling load
• Low standing sun in the winter can enter the building
 support the heating system
Living space with
• This can be achieved by roofs overhangs or cantilevered heat protection
glazing to the south
ceiling slabs (= „auskragende Deckenplatte“)
optional
glazed
loggia

Storage masses

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare

Energien: Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit,
Umweltaspekte. Berlin Heidelberg New York.
Springer-Verlag, 2013

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 29
Shading of transparent building elements

Internal and external shading

• Internal shading: the radiation enters the inside, where it‘s absorbed e.g. by a curtain
 This leads to a heating up of the curtain, and ultimately the room itself
• External shading: the radiation is prevented from reaching the inside

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien:

Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte.
Berlin Heidelberg New York. Springer-Verlag, 2013

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 30
Heat storage capacity

Temperature profile of an internal wall

• Depending on the material of the wall different
amounts of heat can be stored at different speeds
• The wall heats up close to the surface on which
the sun shines, the temperature then drops the
further inside the wall you get
• Example: temperature variation of 6°C on the
surface of a 33cm thick wall of bricks
 after ca. 15 cm no more change in temperature
can be measured

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien: Systemtechnik,

Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte. Berlin Heidelberg New York. Springer-
Verlag, 2013

 The building mass can store heat, but only up to a point

 From then on, all additional heat only leads to a heating up of the room

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 31
Translucent insulation

Solar radiation Solar radiation

Heat input Heat input

Heat emission
Heat emission

Losses due to scattering

and reclection
Reflection
Massive wall Storage wall

Insulation Absorption layer

Air gap

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien: Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte. Berlin Heidelberg New York. Springer-Verlag, 2013

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 32
 Translucent insulation

Construction of a translucent insulation system -

Massive wall system
• The translucent insulation is installed in front of a dark
and preferably matt surface (so as much heat as
possible is absorbed by the surface)
 absorber plaster or paint
• On the absorber surface, sunlight is absorbed and
converted into heat. The surface is backed by a massive
wall (concrete, bricks…).
• The insulation is protected from the outside with a pane
of glass. Often “solarglass” is used, which is a glass that
lets as much radiation pass as possible.
 Solar radiation passes the solar glass and is transmitted
via reflection to the absorber surface
 The surface heats up and transmits the heat into the
massive wall and thus to the interior

Possible construction of a massive wall system: Best Practices in

Sustainable Building Design, J. Ross Publishing

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 33
Translucent Insulation

• Ger.: “Tansluzente Wärmedämmung (TWD)”

Solar
radiation • TWD allows solar radiation to pass through the
insulation material from the outside to the inside
Heat input
Losses due to
scattering and
• TWD functions as thermal insulation
reclection • the heat dissipation to the outside is strongly
impeded
Massive wall
• a large part of the solar energy is conducted as
Absorption layer
heat into the room behind the TWD wall
Air gap (optional)
 With TWD insulation buildings elements that would
Translucent insulation normally cause heat losses can be transformed into
elements that gain heat
https://www.baunetzwissen.de

• Materials used for TWD are glass, foam plastics,

translucent granulates and mineral fiber tubes
• The diameter of the tubes is around 3-5 mm

https://www.dbu.de

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 34
Translucent Insulation
Example for a massive wall system: Residential house in Herisau, CH

7: From inside to outside

• Interior plaster 15 mm
• Limestone wall 250 mm, painted black
• Air gap
• Glass pane 5 mm
• Translucent insulation 100 mm
• Plastic-prism pane
(to reflect high standing radiation
in summer)
• Glass pane 5 mm

Fassade with translucent massive wall system (south-east

orientation)
Fassaden Atlas, Edition Detail

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 35
Content of the lecture

1. Current status of the use of solarthemal energy

2. Solar energy supply
3. Passive solar energy use
4. Active solar energy use in buildings

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 36
Passive and Active Solar Energy Use

Passive solar energy use

Transparent building
envelope • Sun shines through windows
Uncontrolled
heat output
• Heat input depends completely on the sun

Storage • Controllable only by shading

mass

Active solar energy use

Collector Controlled
heat output • Sun shines on collector
Storage
internal/external • Heat input can be controlled exaclty
• Through storage heat is also available when
Collector cycle Heating cycle no sun is shining

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 37
Active Solar Energy Use

The goal of active solar energy use

 Use active technology to convert naturally occuring solar
radiation into electricity or heat

How it works – solar thermal heat production

• In a solar thermal system, a fluid circulates through a
collector, solar radiation is used to heat up that fluid
• The heated fluid can be used to help heat up other
systems (e.g. a heating system or hot water producion https://www.broetje.de/

system)
• The aim of active solar systems is to decouple the usable
amount of heat from solar radiation as far as possible
• The efficiency of such a system depends strongly on the
ability to store heat which is not used directly

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 38
Functional circuits of a solar thermal system
Solar system

A solar thermal system consists of

• Collector
• Solar Circuit
• Heat carrier medium
• Heat transport system (pipes)
• Pumps
• Heat exchanger
• Heat storage tank
• Measuring and control equipment

Weyres-Borchert, Bernhard ; Kasper, Bernd-Rainer: Solare Wärme: Technik - Planung - Hausanlage.. Stuttgart:
Fraunhofer Irb Stuttgart, 2015.

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 39
Essential components and materials – Flat plate collector

Cover Housing
transparent material Material
- single glass - Aluminum
Transparent cover with 1 - solar safety glass - Galvanized sheet steel
Direct
or more layers
radiation Heat carrier exit - plastic sheets or foils - plastic

fastening
- wood

Insulation
Frame with
Diffuse radiation Material
insulation
- Polyurethane
Selective coating of
the black surface Absorber - mineral wool
black - Glass wool
Absorber with channel system Material
- Metal (Cu, Al, Fe) Heat carrier
Heat carrier - Plastic Material
(Polypropylene, - Water (with antifreeze)
Heat carrier input EPDM, ...)
- Air

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien: Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte. Berlin Heidelberg New York. Springer-Verlag, 2013

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 40
Operating Principle – Flat Plate Collector
Solarglas

Absorber

Pipes with
solar liquid

Insulation

Frame

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien: Systemtechnik…. Berlin Heidelberg New https://www.solaranlage-ratgeber.de
York. Springer-Verlag, 2013

• Incoming electromagnetic radiation is mainly • Solarglas: transmits a maximum amount of

transformed into heat by the absorber radiation
• Heat losses occur: • Absorber: transforms radiation into heat
• by reflection on the glass cover and the absorber • Pipes: transport heat transfer medium, heat
• by convection on and within the collector up through contact with the absorber
• by emission from the glass and the absorber
• by conduction to the frame and the roof • Insulation: decreases heat loss to the roof
• Frame: decreases heat loss by convection
Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 41
Types of solar thermal collectors

Open absorber Flat-plate collector Air collector Vacuum tube collector

Lenz, Schreiber, Stark: Nachhaltige Gebäudetechnik – Grundlagen, Systeme, Konzepte, Detail Green Books 2010

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 42
Open absorber

https://www.mein-pool.eu/Pool-Solar-Exklusiv-Solarabsorber

• Absorber mat made out of plastic with an integrated piping system for the heat carrier
• High heat losses, especially because of cenvection (wind taking the heat away)
• Low costs for material and installation, but also low efficiancy

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 43
Flat plate collector
• Water warms up while running through
pipes beneath the absorber
• Absorber is placed in a frame and
protected from wind, rain…
• Used to produce hot water or to support the
heating system

https://www.solaranlagen-portal.com/solarthermie/kollektoren/flachkollektor

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 44
 Air collector
• Air warms up while running through
channels beneath the absorber
Solar safety glass
• Absorber is placed in a frame and
PV-Cell
protected from wind, rain…
Finned absorber
Ger. “Rippenabsorber” • Used to supply an air heating system or
Intake
opening
solar cooling
Insulation

Outlet
connection

https://www.solaranlagen-portal.com/solarthermie/thermische-solaranlage/kollektoren/luftkollektor

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 45
 Vacuum tube collector
• Water warms up while running through
pipes which are embedded in the
absorber
• Absorber is placed in vacuum tube, to
almost eleminate heat losses by
convection and conduction completely
• Used to produce hot water or to support
the heating system, but also when very
high temperatures are needed (e.g.
process heat or solar cooling)
https://www.solaranlagen-portal.com/solarthermie/kollektoren/roehrenkollektor

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 46
Storage collector
• A variation of the flat-plate collector
• Combines heat production with on-site heat
storage
• The storage tank on top of each module is
connected to the hot-water system of the
house
• Compact design and easier to install than a
flat-plate collector
• Higher convective heat losses, because the
storage tank is not protected from the wind,
also high weight (maily because of the water
in the tank)
• In winter the water can freeze  not suitable
https://www.solaranlagen-portal.com/solarthermie/thermische-
solaranlage/kollektoren/speicherkollektor for colder regions

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 47
Hybridcollector
https://www.solaranlagen-portal.com/solarthermie/kollektoren/hybridkollektor
Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang
• Combination of a flat-plate collector with a PV-
module
• The efficiency of the PV-module decreases
the hotter the module gets  high
temperatures of the PV-surface can be used
to produce hot water within one construction
• There are a lot of different types of hybrid
collectors available, none of which has yet
become established
• The collector is technically complex,
expensive and the efficiency of the hot water
production is lower than without the PV-
surface
| 48
 Functional circuits of a solar thermal system

A solar thermal system consists of:

• Collector
• Solar Circuit
• Heat carrier medium
• Heat transport system (pipes)
• Pumps
• Heat exchanger
• Heat storage tank
• Measuring and control equipment

Weyres-Borchert, Bernhard ; Kasper, Bernd-Rainer: Solare Wärme: Technik - Planung - Hausanlage.. Stuttgart:
Fraunhofer Irb Stuttgart, 2015.

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 49
Solar circuit

Heat carrier medium Heat transport system (pipes)

Requirements: • Pipes are mostly made out of copper or steel

• high specific heat capacity • Insulated to minimize heat losses, but still
10-15% of the heat gained by the collector
• low viscosity (good flow properties)
are lost in transportation
• no freezing or boiling in the operating
temperature range
• no promotion of corrosion
• no combustibility
• non-toxicity and biodegradability
 Water fulfils almost all of these requirements,
except for no freezing
 In Europe, a mixture of water and antifreeze
is used

https://www.erdgas.info/neue-heizung/heizung-optimieren/heizungsrohre-daemmen/

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 50
Solar circuit

Heat exchanger
• Transfer the heat generated by the solar
collector from the heat carrier medium to
another medium, while keeping them separate
• Heat transferred depends on
• the temperature difference between the
two media
• the surface of the heat exchanger
• the flow velocity on both sides of the heat
exchanger

https://www.solaranlage-ratgeber.de

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 51
 Functional circuits of a solar thermal system

A solar thermal system consists of:

• Collector
• Solar Circuit
• Heat carrier medium
• Heat transport system (pipes)
• Pumps
• Heat exchanger
• Heat storage tank
• Measuring and control equipment

Weyres-Borchert, Bernhard ; Kasper, Bernd-Rainer: Solare Wärme: Technik - Planung - Hausanlage..

Stuttgart: Fraunhofer Irb Stuttgart, 2015.

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 52
Heat Storage

Heat Storage
• Stores the heat generated by the collector
until it is used Solarthermal
Hot water
system
• Layered storage tanks:
• solar heat is introduced at the
bottom Oil
burner
• heat coming from a second heating Buffer
storage
system is introduced in the middle
• hot water can be taken out from the
top Fresh water

• Storage volume in a single family house https://www.heizsparer.de/heizung/warmwasseraufbereitung/warmwasserspeicher

• Hot water preparation: ca. 400-500 l

• Supporting the heating system: ca.
700-800 l

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 53
Energy flow of a solar thermal system
Flat plate collector of 6m² used for hot water preparation

the collector

Energy
Energy at

storag
at the
Energy at

e exit
storage
Usable heat, ca. 26%

entry
Energy in the

the
exit
Energy in the

absorber
Energy of solar radiation

Usable radiation

collector
Auxiliary energy (pump) ca. 1%
100%

Heat losses storage, ca. 7%

Heat losses pipes, ca. 3%

Heat losses to environment, ca. 23%

Heat losses absorber, ca. 5%

Heat losses cover, absorption, reflection, ca. 10%

Heat losses due to collector stagnation, ca. 25%

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien: Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte. Berlin Heidelberg New York. Springer-Verlag, 2013

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 54
Classification of solar thermal systems
without circulation open circulation closed circulation

Open natural circulation (Thermosyphon) Closed natural circulation (Thermosyphon)

Pressure relief valve
Hot
water Fresh water
Hot Expansion vessel Hot
water water

Heat ex-
changer

Fresh
Heat water
consumer Heat consumer
Fresh (pressureless (pressure
water tank) resistant tank)

Open forced circulation Closed forced circulation

Pressure relief
valve Expansion vessel
Hot
water

Heat
consumer
Heat consumer Heat exchanger (pressure
(swimming pool…) resistant
tank)
pump
Fresh water

Kaltschmitt, Streicher, Wiese; Erneuerbare Energien: Systemtechnik, Wirtschaftlichkeit, Umweltaspekte. Berlin Heidelberg New York. Springer-Verlag, 2013

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 55
Literature
Burkhardt, Wolfgang, Kraus, Roland. Projektierung von Warmwasserheizungen: 7. Auflage. München: Oldenbourg
Industrieverlag, 2006. ISBN 978-3-835-63092-5.

Franz Wosnitza, Hans Gerd Hilgers: Energieeffizienz und Energiemanagement, Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden 2012

DIN EN 12831:2003-08 Titel (Deutsch): Heizungsanlagen in Gebäuden - Verfahren zur Berechnung der Norm-Heizlast;
Deutsche Fassung EN 12831:2003

DIN EN 12831 Beiblatt 1 Berichtigung 1:2010-11 Titel (Deutsch): Heizsysteme in Gebäuden - Verfahren zur Berechnung
der Norm-Heizlast - Nationaler Anhang NA, Berichtigung zu DIN EN 12831 Beiblatt 1:2008-07

Institut für Bauforschung e.V. [IFB] (Hrgs.). (2010). U-Werte alter Bauteile: Arbeitsunterlagen zur Rationalisierung
wärmeschutztechnischer Berechnungen bei der Modernisierung. Hannover: Fraunhofer IRB Verlag.

VDI 2078 (Juni 2015), Berechnung der thermischen Lasten und Raumtemperaturen (Auslegung Kühllast und
Jahressimulation), Verein Deutscher Ingenieure, VDI-Gesellschaft Bauen und Gebäudetechnik (GBG), Fachbereich
Technische Gebäudeausrüstung VDI-Handbuch Raumlufttechnik

VDI 2078, Blatt 1 (Februar 2003), Berechnung der Kühllast klimatisierter Gebäude bei Raumkühlung über gekühlte
Raumumschließungsflächen, Verein Deutscher Ingenieure, VDI-Handbuch Raumlufttechnik

Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang | 66
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Renewable Energy Supply of Buildings

Technical University of Munich

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Institute of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Building | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang