Building energy performance 3 - heating tutorial 1

Simon Rouchier
October 19, 2021

A family of 4 uses 150 litres of domestic hot water (DHW) at 50°C

per day. Their single-family house has a heat loss coefficient of 120
W/K. They are located in Chambéry, where the minimal temperature
for sizing heating systems is -11°C and the total of heating degree
days is 2,700 °C.d annually. We want to propose a solution for a
combined solar system producing DHW and space heating.

1. Estimating the consumption

Estimate the total annual needs for space heating and DHW, in kWh.
We suppose that cold water comes at 10°C.

2. Sizing the system

Choose the surface of collectors and volume of storage.

• The suggested surface of collectors is 1 m2 for each 1,000 kWh of

total annual need.1 1
1 m2 of collectors receives about 1,500
kWh of solar irradiance annually. With
• The suggested storage volume depends on the climate zone: in an efficiency of 30%, 1 m2 can then
produce about 450 kWh a year
warmer climates, a larger volume of hot water can be produced
per square meter of collector.

Storage volume / collector area (litre/m2 )

Zone For DHW only DHW and space heating
H1 45 50
H2 55 67
H3 65 82
H4 75 100
Figure 1: Climate zones in continental
Calculate the energy capacity of the tank, if water is stored at France

60°C.

3. Solar coverage

The efficiency of thermal collectors (see Fig.2) is highest when solar

irradiance E is high and the temperature difference ∆T between
water and outdoor is low.

Figure 2: Efficiency of thermal solar

panels
 building energy performance 3 - heating tutorial 1 2

∆T ∆T 2
η = η0 − a 1 − a2 (1)
E E
For simplification, we will assume that the efficiency of the supply
loop, from collectors to storage, is 40%.
The following table gives the average outdoor temperature and
total solar irradiance during a few typical days.

Average temperature (°C) Solar irradiance (kWh/day)

-1 1.2
7 2.6
26 4.4
For each of these days, calculate: the space heating need; the solar
production; the solar coverage for DHW and space heating, and the
energy required from the auxiliary heating system.

4. Temperatures

The house uses low-temperature radiators, operating at 45/38/20°C.

We suppose that the house has 5 radiators of identical size and heat-
ing power. Calculate the flow rate into each radiator, and the return Figure 3: Control law of the water
temperature into the tank. temperature