Solar Thermal System

Solar Thermal Technology is a technology where we use solar power to store heat energy in water containers.This is a low cost, environment friendly technology where solar collector catch the sun heat and pass it to container to boil water which is controlled and can be used for daily utilities.It has a huge application on northern countries like Canada , UK but it also has versatile use in other countries for multiple purposes like geyser or where heating is necessary.China and United States are the biggest consumer of these technology following by Germany & Turkey.

It can be use both in houses or business purposes.It can reduce utility bill over 69%.(Alhamdulillah).It can drastically reduced Carbon Footprint.

How This Works :
 

The basic principle of solar thermal heating is to utilize the sun’s energy and convert it into heat which is then transferred into your home or business heating system in the form of hot water and space heating.

The main source of heat generation is through roof mounted solar panels which are used in conjunction with a boiler, collector or immersion heater. The solar collector will use the sun's rays to heat a transfer fluid which is usually a mixture of water and glycol (antifreeze) which prevents the water from freezing. The heated water from the collectors is pumped to a heat ex-changer which would be inside the water tank in your home. The heat from the ex-changer will then heat the water inside the tank. After the liquid releases its heat, the water will flow back to the collectors for reheating. A controller will ensure that the fluid will circulate to the collector when there is sufficient heat available.

 The collector is the main component of a solar thermal system and would in most cases be installed on the roof of the property. The collector contains specially coated reinforced glass pipes to capture the radiation emitted from the sun, which can then be transferred into heat. The pipes themselves will be embedded in an insulated container to prevent heat energy being lost. The heat transfer fluid in the pipes will include eco-friendly antifreeze and will circulate through the collector and hot water tank.

In terms of the hot water tanks,there are two kinds that would be in operation. The first is used for heating drinking water and would normally consist of a steel tank filled with drinking water and a heat ex-changer. The second would be a combination tank which would supply both drinking water and hot water to the heating system. The tank that incorporates the duel system would in fact have two smaller tanks inside to keep the water separated for the different tasks. There would also be two heat ex changers which would connect to the collectors and the boiler. The solar water heating system would be connected to the lower ex changer and the boiler to the above ex changer.

The whole system can be operated from a solar thermal controller which can be automated. When the temperature at the collectors rises to a specific temperature above the temperature in the storage tank, the controller will automatically switch on the pump and the transfer fluid heated in the collector will be sent to the hot water tank. A typical collector storage tank can hold up to 30 gallons per person.


Advantages of Solar Thermal Energy

1) No Fuel Cost – Solar Thermal Energy does not require any fuel like most other sources of renewable energy. This is a huge advantage over other fossil fuels whose costs are increasing at a drastic  rate every year. Electricity prices are increasingly rapidly in most parts of  the world much faster than general inflation. Price shocks due to high fuel costs are a big risk with fossil fuel energy these days.

2) Predictable, 24/7 Power -Solar Thermal Energy can generate power 24 hours a day. This is made possible as solar thermal power plants store the energy in the form of molten salts etc. Other forms of Renewable Energy like Solar PV and Wind Energy are intermittent in nature. The electricity supply is much more uniform and reliable.

3) No Pollution and Global Warming Effects – Solar Thermal Energy does not cause pollution which is one of the biggest advantages. Note there are costs associated with the equipment used to build and transport Solar Thermal Energy Equipment.

4) Using Existing Industrial Base – Solar Thermal Energy uses equipment like solar thermal mirrors and turbines which is made in large scale at low cost by the existing Industrial Base and requires no major changes in equipment and materials unlike new technologies such as CIGs Panels.

5) Unlimited Source of Energy– Unlike fossil fuels, the sun’s thermal energy is in no short supply. According to BP’s 2007 Statistical Review of World Energy, the earth’s known oil reserves will last approximately 40 years; however, Britain’s Oil Depletion Analysis Centre criticizes that estimate, predicting a sharp decline in oil availability as soon as 2011. Alternative energy sources such as coal and natural gas exist, but both are considered “dirty” sources that will pollute the environment and the atmosphere. The sun, in contrast, offers a limitless supply of free energy. 

 

6) Cost-Effectiveness of Solar Thermal Power Plants - Although many solar applications are small-scale and exist in individual homes or offices, the potential exists to build solar thermal power plants to replace traditional oil- or gas-powered plants. According to Ferrostaal, a German solar contractor, solar power plants are already competitive in terms of cost with their fossil-fuel-powered competitors. They claim that solar thermal plants remain competitive when oil costs $70 per barrel. Should that price rise as high as $130 per barrel, solar thermal plants will be more economical than plants fueled by oil or natural gas.

Applications :

There are versatile applications of solar thermal system both home or industrial case where hot water is needed for cooking, washing or for chemical use etc.This is a great technology to reduce gas or oil based heating system which we use daily in our houses.This hot water from solar thermal system can replace your home gas based cooking system which is expensive or can save electric bill.(Alhamdulillah )


Hope This Post be helpful...... (JajakAllahu Khair)