Man learned to use solar energy for his own needs quite a long time ago. Today, people use this knowledge, including for the manufacture of solar collectors, with the help of which the sun's energy is converted into heat. Such a device cannot be called complex enough, so you can make it yourself.
Vacuum manifold
The vacuum collector is the equipment that reduces heat loss more than others. This becomes possible due to the conditions that are maintained between the shell of the unit and the heater. The system consists of glass tubes that are devoid of air. The black tube located inside is heated, thanks to which the design is able to raise the temperature of the water to 300 degrees. Despite the high efficiency, the system does nothas the ability to self-clean from frost and snow.
Flat collector
A flat-plate collector differs from the one described above in that its heat loss is much higher. Such structures are able to be cleared without the help of a person from minor drifts of snow. The device looks like a transparent panel, inside of which there is a tube. The back wall has a heat-insulating layer. Water at the same time is able to heat up to 200 degrees. When exposed to strong winds, an impressive load can be carried out on the mount, which is also facilitated by non-streamlined shapes.
Air manifold
The air collector is a flat installation that uses air as a heat carrier. Such equipment is quite simple to make on your own, but it is worth considering that the unit has a low efficiency, and it cannot be used to heat water. The tubular collector consists of four tubes filled with coolant. Circulation becomes possible due to the temperature difference between the lower zone of the storage and the collector. Such a system differs from a flat one by a more impressive surface area, which is designed to absorb light. Moving systems are installations that rotate with the movement of the sun. For work, you can choose a design that unfolds completely, or a device that is equipped with a mirror, as well as a heating element. The master must also know about the principle of workcollector, which consists in the fact that solar radiation during operation heats the tube with the coolant, and then the heat passes into the battery. You can independently make vacuum collectors for heating from improvised means, but first it is important to familiarize yourself with the technology of work.
Making a simple solar collector
If a vacuum solar collector is to be made by hand, then a galvanized container intended for water should be prepared. Its volume can be from 100 to 200 liters. The container is to be placed on the roof. 100 liters of liquid can heat up to +60 degrees if the barrel is installed on the south side of the roof. The latter is to be covered with a metallic shiny sheet. The efficiency in this case will be much higher, since the heat exchange area with air is minimal. It is recommended to use such a simple solar collector in areas where the environment is maintained at the required level, it is best to operate such a system away from polluted areas. It is worth considering that in winter, such a unit is able to generate less heat.
Production of a collector from a radiator and metal-plastic pipes
If a vacuum manifold is to be manufactured, a more sophisticated technology can be used. Quite cheap materials can be used to carry out the work, but the water can be heated veryin a simple way. For manipulation, you will need steel boxes, fittings, metal-plastic pipes, glass, as well as radiators made of steel, in the amount of two pieces.
Work technology
In order to make a vacuum manifold, radiators should be placed in metal boxes on the roof surface. They are covered with glass, and their purpose is to reduce the period of water heating. When installing them, you must remember that the top is below the storage tank. This will allow the water to rise naturally into the tank. When making a vacuum manifold, you must remember that the circulation must be done in the usual way. The water wire pipes should be laid with a slight downward slope, turning the elements towards the radiators. A plastic container with a volume of 160 liters should be installed in the attic of the house. It connects to the radiators using metal-plastic pipes, which are mated with fittings.
Water with the highest temperature should be at the top of the tank. To do this, a tube with warm water must be connected to a container above the central part. Drainage valves are installed at the bottom of the radiator to drain water in winter.
Production of a collector based on a wooden frame
If you decide to make a vacuum solar collector with your own hands, you can use the technology below. For this it shouldprepare insulating material, black metal mesh, baffle, two fans, polycarbonate sheet and a wooden frame that has a plywood bottom.
Nuances of the work
In the bottom of the frame it is necessary to make two holes in the shape of a circle in order to be able to take in air. In the upper part, you need to make 2 holes, which will have a rectangular shape. They are necessary to remove hot air from the structure. At the bottom you need to lay insulating material. The accumulation of heat occurs with the help of a metal black mesh. Two fans should be installed in a round hole. The deflector support bars are installed in the structure, and then the deflector itself is fixed. It is required for the formation of air flow. If you decide to make such a vacuum tube collector, at the final stage the device is fixed to the wall of the building. As practice shows, the efficiency of this equipment is 50%. It can be used for space heating.
Features of collector installation
A vacuum solar collector for heating can be made independently, although it is possible, but the work differs in some degree of complexity. It is important to correctly determine the installation location in order to raise the efficiency as high as possible. The installation must be oriented to the south. The deviation is 25 degrees in both directions. It is important to eliminate all shading factors. The movement of the coolant must be directed from the bottom up. The equipment must not reachhot spots before and after installation. There should not be more than 3 collectors in one row. If you make a vacuum manifold with your own hands, and then it is planned to install it in a larger quantity than indicated above, then you need to build in a compensator and ensure linear thermal expansion.
Production of a collector from a refrigerator coil
If you plan to make the design described in the article yourself, then it will be important to find out what the vacuum manifold device is. You can understand this from the method below, which involves the use of a refrigerator coil. Among other things, you will need foil and slats, which will form the basis of the frame. Prepare a rubber mat, water tank or container. It is important to stock up on glass, as well as valves such as pipes and valves. Initially, it is necessary to flush the coil from freon. Next, the rack frame is knocked down. Its exact dimensions depend on the dimensions of the working unit. The mat must be adjusted to the existing rails, among which it is important to freely position the coil. On the rubber mat, which will act as the bottom of the frame, you need to lay a layer of thermal insulation. After the coil is strengthened with screw clamps. In the walls, the master must make holes through which the vacuum tubes will pass. A solar collector using this technology will turn out to be highly efficient. If there is a need to increase productivity, then the resulting joints can be sealed with sealant. The glass is fixed on top with adhesive tape. In order not to worry about strength,it is recommended to prepare aluminum plates by making special clamps from them.
Alternative vacuum manifold solution
It is important not only to choose the right vacuum tubes for the collector, but also to build the rest of the elements that will form the basis of the system. For the box in which the radiator will be installed, wooden 120 mm boards are suitable, which is their width; the thickness of the blanks should be 30 cm. For the bottom, you can use textolite, which is complemented by stiffeners. The bottom must be thermally insulated with foam plastic or mineral wool, which is covered with galvanized top. Next, two pipes are prepared, the diameter of which should be 1 inch. You will need 15 thin-walled pipes with a diameter within 0.5 inches. Holes should be drilled in thicker elements in order to mount thinner components perpendicularly. The design is welded into a single device. The heat exchanger is mounted on a galvanized sheet, reinforced with steel clamps. In order to increase the generation of heat, the surface can be painted black, while the external elements are painted white to reduce heat loss. At the final stage, glass should be installed to the walls of the box, having carried out high-quality sealing. The step between pipes and glass should be 12 millimeters. These parameters are extremely important to take into account, only then will it be possible to achieve the expected positive result, in which the efficiency of the installation will be at its best.
