Active Solar Techniques : Solar

Water Heating

MODULE 5
• Solar water heating (SWH) is the conversion of sunlight into heat
for water heating using a solar thermal collector. A variety of
configurations are available at varying cost to provide solutions in
different climates and latitudes. SWHs are widely used for residential and
some industrial applications.

• A sun-facing collector heats a working fluid that passes into a storage

system for later use. SWH are active (pumped) and passive (convection-
driven). They use water only, or both water and a working fluid. They are
heated directly or via light-concentrating mirrors. They operate
independently or as hybrids with electric or gas heaters. In large-scale
installations, mirrors may concentrate sunlight onto a smaller collector.
SOLAR WATER HEATING
 Active solar domestic water heating
• There are five major components in active
solar water heating systems:
• Collectors to capture solar energy.
• Circulation system to move a fluid between the
collectors to a storage tank.
• Storage Tank
• Backup Heating system.
• Control system to regulate the overall system
operation.
 Solar water heating systems include storage tanks and solar collectors.
There are two types of solar water heating systems: active, which have
circulating pumps and controls, and passive, which don't.

• Active Solar Water Heating Systems

There are two types of active solar water heating systems:
• Direct circulation systems
Pumps circulate household water through the collectors and into the
home. They work well in climates where it rarely freezes.
• Indirect circulation systems
Pumps circulate a non-freezing, heat-transfer fluid through the collectors
and a heat exchanger. This heats the water that then flows into the
home. They are popular in climates prone to freezing temperatures.
 A : Passive system, tank above collector
B : Active system, with pump and controller with photovoltaic panel
 Simple thermosiphon
• Convective movement of the
liquid starts when liquid in the
loop is heated, causing it to
expand and become less dense,
and thus more buoyant than the
cooler water in the bottom of
the loop.
• Convection moves heated liquid
upwards in the system as it is
simultaneously replaced by
cooler liquid returning by gravity.
Ideally, the liquid flows easily
because a good thermosiphon
should have very
little hydraulic resistance.
 Heating Water: Active System

Active System uses antifreeze so that the liquid does not freeze
if outside temp. drops below freezing.
 Two types of Active Solar water Heating
System.
• Direct or Open Loop systems.
• Indirect or Closed loop Systems.
 Direct or Open Loop Active Solar water Heating
System systems.

• Direct Systems
• Direct or open loop systems circulate potable water through the
collectors. They are relatively cheap but can have the following
drawbacks:
• They offer little or no overheat protection unless they have a heat
export pump.
• They offer little or no freeze protection, unless the collectors are
freeze-tolerant.
• Collectors accumulate scale in hard water areas, unless an ion-
exchange softener is used.
• Until the advent of freeze-tolerant solar collectors, they were not
considered suitable for cold climates since, in the event of the
collector being damaged by a freeze, pressurized water lines will
force water to gush from the freeze-damaged collector until the
problem is noticed and rectified.
Direct systems: (B) Active system with pump and controller driven by a photovoltaic
panel

hot water naturally rises into the tank through thermosiphon flow
 Indirect active systems (closed loop systems) :
• (C) Indirect system with heat exchanger in tank; (D)
Drainback system with drainback reservoir. pump is
driven by mains electricity.
• Indirect or closed loop systems
use a heat exchanger that
separates the potable water
from the fluid, known as the
"heat-transfer fluid" (HTF), that
circulates through the collector.
• The two most common HTFs are
water and an antifreeze/water
mix that typically uses non-
toxic propylene glycol.
• After being heated in the panels,
the HTF travels to the heat
exchanger, where its heat is
transferred to the potable water.
• Though slightly more expensive,
indirect systems offer freeze
protection and typically offer
overheat protection as well.
• Direct[edit]
• Direct systems: (A) Passive CHS system with tank above collector. (B) Active system with
pump and controller driven by a photovoltaic panel.
• Direct or open loop systems circulate potable water through the collectors. They are relatively
cheap. Drawbacks include:
• They offer little or no overheat protection unless they have a heat export pump.
• They offer little or no freeze protection, unless the collectors are freeze-tolerant.
• Collectors accumulate scale in hard water areas, unless an ion-exchange softener is used.
• The advent of freeze-tolerant designs expanded the market for SWH to colder climates. In
freezing conditions, earlier models were damaged when the water turned to ice, rupturing
one or more components.

• Indirect[edit]
• Indirect or closed loop systems use a heat exchanger to transfer heat from the "heat-transfer
fluid" (HTF) fluid to the potable water. The most common HTF is an antifreeze/water mix
that typically uses non-toxic propylene glycol. After heating in the panels, the HTF travels to
the heat exchanger, where its heat is transferred to the potable water. Indirect systems offer
freeze protection and typically overheat protection.
 Swimming Pool Water Heating

Most solar pool heating systems include the following:

• A solar collector -- the device through which pool water is circulated to be heated
by the sun
• A filter -- removes debris before water is pumped through the collector
• A pump -- circulates water through the filter and collector and back to the pool
• A flow control valve -- automatic or manual device that diverts pool water
through the solar collector.
• Pool water is pumped through the filter and then through the solar collector(s),
where it is heated before it is returned to the pool. In hot climates, the collector(s)
can also be used to cool the pool during peak summer months by circulating the
water through the collector(s) at night.
• Some systems include sensors and an automatic or manual valve to divert water
through the collector(s) when the collector temperature is sufficiently greater than
the pool temperature. When the collector temperature is similar to the pool
temperature, filtered water simply bypasses the collector(s) and is returned to the
pool.
Solar Pool Heater