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Introduction
Solar thermal heating is a renewable energy technology that is well proven and readily available
and has considerable potential for many different applications for building sector. A variety of
types of systems are available and suitable for many applications.
High-temperature systems
High temperature systems are
especially used in certain industrial
applications where over-heated water,
steam or high quantities of power are
needed.
Solar Parabolic Troughs consist of
curved mirrors which form troughs that
focus the sun's energy on a pipe. A
fluid, typically oil, is circulated through
the pipes which is used to drive a
conventional generator to create
electricity.
Solar Parabolic Dish systems consist of a parabolic-shaped concentrator (similar in shape to a
satellite dish) that reflects solar radiation onto a receiver mounted at the focal point at the center.
The collected heat is utilized directly by a heat engine mounted on the receiver which generates
electricity. Solar Central Receivers or "Power Towers" consist of a tower surrounded by a large array
of heliostats. Heliostats are mirrors that track the sun and reflect its rays onto the receiver, which
absorbs the heat energy that is then utilized in driving a turbine electric generator.
Solar water heaters and solar space heaters are constructed of solar collectors, and all systems
have some kind of storage, except solar pool heaters and some industrial systems that use energy
"immediately." The systems collect the sun's energy to heat air or a fluid. The air or fluid then transfers
solar heat directly to a building, water, or pool.
Benefits
Although solar water-heating systems all use the same basic method for capturing and transferring
solar energy, they do so with such a wide variety of specific technologies that one almost needs to
learn a whole language of terms for distinguishing different collectors and systems. The distinctions
are important though, because various water-heating needs in various locations are best served by
certain types of collectors and systems.
Flat collectors demonstrate a good price-performance ratio, as well as a broad range of mounting
possibilities (on the roof, in the roof itself, or unattached).
In order to reduce heat loss within the frame by convection, the air can be pumped out of the
collector tubes. Such collectors then can be called evacuated-tube collectors. They must be re-
evacuated once every one to three years.
Evacuated-tube collectors
In this type of vacuum collector, the absorber strip is located in an evacuated and pressure proof
glass tube. The heat transfer fluid flows through the absorber directly in a U-tube or in
countercurrent in a tube-in-tube system. Several single tubes, serially interconnected, or tubes
connected to each other via manifold, make up the solar collector. A heat pipe collector
incorporates a special fluid which begins to vaporize even at low temperatures. The steam rises in
the individual heat pipes and warms up the carrier fluid in the main pipe by means of a heat
exchanger. The condensed liquid then flows back into the base of the heat pipe.
The pipes must be angled at a specific degree above horizontal so that the process of vaporizing
and condensing functions. There are two types of collector connection to the solar circulation
system. Either the heat exchanger extends directly into the manifold ("wet connection") or it is
connected to the manifold by a heat-conducting material ("dry connection"). A "dry connection"
allows to exchange individual tubes without emptying the entire system of its fluid. Evacuated tubes
offer the advantage that they work efficiently with high absorber temperatures and with low
radiation. Higher temperatures also may be obtained for applications such as hot water heating,
steam production, and air conditioning.