People have been constantly thinking about the efficient use of solar energy. Therefore, over the past ten years in Europe, solar systems have been actively used, which allow you to heat the room due to sunlight. At first glance, this idea may not seem very plausible, but it is not. Today, a solar collector for heating is able to completely heat your home. Despite being a very expensive piece of equipment, it is being used more and more in the private sector.
General information
As noted above, today solar systems are only gaining their popularity. First of all, this is due to the distrust of consumers in such equipment. In principle, this is understandable, but if you understand this topic in more detail, it becomes clear that all this is real and quite effective. Another limiting factor is the high cost of installation and equipment. Indeed, a solar collector for heating costs a lot, but it pays off quickly enough. You probably thought that in places where bright sunlight rarely appears, it is pointless to use such a technique. But it is not so. The absorption capacity and power of the plates is usually enough to heat the house even on cloudy and rainy days. But, of course, the efficiency of work in sunny places is much higher.
Household collector device
The coolant can be water, air, antifreeze or any other liquid with a high heat transfer coefficient. After heating, the carrier circulates through the collector and transfers the accumulated energy to a special tank. From there, the consumer receives hot water. In the simplest version, water circulation is carried out naturally, which is achieved due to the temperature difference in the storage tank and the collector. In a more complex version, a pump is installed that provides forced circulation around the circuit. Of course, you need to understand that with an increase in the temperature of the coolant, the efficiency of the collector decreases, and if there is not enough power, then it makes sense to install an electric heating element that will bring the air to the desired temperature.
Freedom or not?
Solar collectors for the home make the owners completely independent. First, there is no need to use an electric or gas boiler. If the latter option is even more acceptable, then electricity prices in our countryare so large that it is problematic and expensive to heat a large house. The solar system, although dependent on electricity, consumes its minimum amount. This is due to the fact that solar energy is converted into thermal energy without the direct participation of electricity. Of course, in order not to be left without heating in the event of a power outage, it is recommended to install a generator and a rectifier. Many are currently considering solar collectors for the home as an alternative source of heat, as they are completely dependent on climatic conditions, which is not their strong suit.
Flat solar collector and its features
Such systems are among the most popular. Let's take a quick look at their design and how they work. We have an absorber - an element that absorbs solar energy. It has a special transparent coating, as well as an insulating layer. The absorber is connected directly to the heat transfer system. The color of the surface is usually black, which can slightly increase work efficiency.
The tubes that are needed to transfer the coolant are made of copper. In the event of a collector downtime, the water can be heated up to 190 degrees Celsius. Naturally, the higher the intensity and amount of solar energy, the higher the efficiency of such a solar system. Nevertheless, often a flat solar collector is equipped with optical devices for more efficient energy collection. The absorbent must have a high thermal conductivity, so ofteninstall copper and aluminum screens.
Air solar collector
This solar system is used to heat indoor air. By and large, this is an ordinary flat-plate collector, which is used for space heating. Air passes through the absorber. The process can take place both forcibly and by natural convection. But the absorber with installed forced ventilation looks more advantageous compared to the usual one. This is due to the fact that the excessive turbulence of the flow increases its thermal conductivity, which is what we need to achieve. But something supernatural should not be expected from such systems. They can warm the air up to 17 degrees above the outside temperature. The advantages of such a solar system include its simplicity and reliability. With proper care, an air solar collector can last more than 20 years. But it is not recommended to use such a system as the main heating.
About vacuum solar systems
This is one of the most costly solutions. The design of such a product is quite complicated, so installation is carried out only by specialists. Such a system allows you to achieve a coolant temperature of up to 300 degrees during downtime. Of course, it was very difficult for specialists to get such high performance. Firstly, we tried to reduce heat loss due to the multilayer glass coating and the creation of a vacuum in the system.
In our case, the solar tube is somewhat similar to a regular household thermos. Only the outer part is transparent, andon the inner tube has a special coating that allows you to capture solar energy. There is a vacuum between the tubes, thanks to which it is possible to achieve minimal heat loss. Ultimately, we can talk about the high efficiency of such systems compared to flat and air ones. At the same time, such a collector is able to function in low light conditions.
What are consumers saying?
We have already figured out a little about what a solar collector can be. Customer reviews almost always differ. Someone is very pleased with innovative systems, while others, on the contrary, regret the wasted money. But in general, the picture looks good. Approximately 75% of buyers speak well of the system. By the way, air collectors are rarely bought, at least in Russia, so nothing can be said about them. But vacuum solar systems have shown themselves to be reliable heat suppliers to the house. But here it is worth noting that a lot depends on the specialists who install such complex and expensive equipment. If something is done incorrectly, then the efficiency of the system will be lower. In Europe, the situation is somewhat different. People are happy to install solar systems, as their prices are somewhat lower there, and the prevalence is higher. However, they are very rarely used as the main source of heat, since it cannot be argued that the best alternative to gas or coal is a solar collector. Reviews, by the way, say that it is very expensive and not always advisable.
About the application inEurope and Russia
As noted a little above, an air solar collector for heating in a number of European countries has been actively used for several years. But solar systems have found their application in industry. In particular, we are talking about the textile and food industries, where such a solution looks particularly promising. So, by 2000, the total area of solar collectors was about 14 million cubic meters, while worldwide this figure reached 71 million m3.
In Russia, the situation does not look so good. The fact is that such systems allow heating approximately 100 liters of water per day with a probability of 80%. This is due to the small daily amount of solar radiation. The best regions for installing collectors were Transbaikalia, Siberia and Primorye, where the daily amount of solar radiation is higher than in the central part of Russia. In principle, there is a certain trend of a slight increase in demand.
About solar towers
Oddly enough, the idea of obtaining energy from the sun and its further use in industry was first proposed by Soviet scientists back in 1930. In fact, this is a large tower with a central receiver at the very top. The system was a certain number of heliostats, which were controlled simultaneously along two coordinates. However, this device was used as a reflector of sunlight directly to the receiver, which greatly increased the efficiency of such a system. Only now they began to build such towers in the USA. But only a couple of solar towers were built. Today, it is extremely important to correctly calculate the solar collector for heating. Only then can you count on the high efficiency of the installation.
Conclusion
So we talked with you about what a solar collector is for heating. Reviews, as you can see, differ depending on the correct installation and placement. One thing is for sure - this is a good solution, but only as an alternative source of heat. The fact is that you cannot fully rely on solar energy, for this simple reason, equipment that depends on climatic conditions is not very popular. Solar systems are gradually gaining popularity, if only because it is a completely waste-free and, most importantly, ecological way of heating and obtaining hot water. A self-made solar collector for heating is ineffective, so it is better to buy a quality product. Remember that such collectors require specialized regular maintenance and do not suffer mechanical damage. Therefore, if you are going to install such a luxury, be prepared to pay.
