eHouse Home Automation , Building Management – use of solar energy to obtain free heating.

There are many types of solar collectors and many forms of divisions and categories

• Flat
• Parabolic – focusing
• Vacuum
• Mercury
• Rotary – Tracking the sun

Manufacturing technology and the collector type affect the efficiency and performance , insulating medium , difference of the surface of the heat transfer to the entire surface of the collector .

We will do the media division on receiving heat from the collector:

• solar water (fluid flowing through the collector to heat liquid)
• Air solar collectors (collector cooling substance is atmospheric air)

Solar energy is a free source of heat , However, solar system cost quite a lot .

With solar investment planning should take into account at least 10-15year.

When designing the placement of the solar system, should be considered as a natural shade trees (which are growing) , buildings on adjacent parcels and possible service and convenience during installation.

It should take into account the fact, that in the summer the sun shines much more in relation to the earth's surface, than in the winter so the same obstacle can thwart the use of solar casts a shadow .

For example, large plots, agricultural , solar panels can be installed on the ground – on the north side of the plot , because we manage the layout of buildings and trees on home soil.

Installing collectors on earth takes place, however,

• allows the easy service (regular cleaning)
• assembly
• adjust the inclination of the angle relative to the season
• if we do not have an alternative cooling circuit in the summer when we go on vacation we can cover them
• energy losses proportional to the distance from the heated space
• possible mechanical damages due to physical contact to the ground

Deciding on collectors on the roof need to be taken into account when planning the building blocks, shape of the roof, so that the expanse of the solar system was on the south side, we can draw from it the most profitable.

When mounting the collectors on the roofs need to take into account the neccesarity for maintenance and cleaning, especially when we burn solid fuels in the house (boilers , fireplaces) and the collectors can accumulate a lot of soot .

Especially in the case of old farms , best large parcels of land to install solar on .

If we can not or do not want them to install directly on the ground , You can think of the performance sheds or woodshed for the installation of solar collectors on the roof .

Solar Air Collectors

Solar collectors in those type – medium heat is normal atmospheric air or other gas.

They are much less efficient in relation to the water because of the 20 times lower rate of heat transfer through the air with respect to water , with the result that the energy source is a low-temperature heating .

Not suitable for heating water .

They are ideal for heating foundations , air voids (ie between warming and Styrofoam on the outside of the building , in plaster – cardboard inside the building) .

Despite the low temperature (20-40C) have a number of great features at an optimal use of the available space heating:

• dry the walls of the building , mineral wool with dew and water vapor – the polystyrene , gypsum – cardboard and roof , reducing the heat transfer coefficients of building materials and reducing heat loss through thermal bridges
• prevent their acting to freeze the walls of pre-heating the outside
• significantly reduce the energy to escape from the building by a free-generating elements heating up the biggest losses as roofs , bevels , wall
• are simple and cheap to own performance and for example . downloading the hot air from the metal roofing – shingles on the roof of the world , Garage , buildings and fans crowding them into the heated space
• allow for the free pre-heating or space heating your basement , garage , Greenhouse , etc . at the same time ensuring their proper ventilation by forced air circulation

A very simple example of a cheap and effective “air collector” made yourself:

Establishment of the roof is made of metal roofing – tiles placed on full boarding .

Roof with minimal sun shining through the clouds even heats up , heating the space between the metal roofing – roofs and full roof truss formwork .

Even in February frosts of up to minus 20 degrees (winter frosts (daily) are in full sun and no cloud cover) .

On cloudy days the clouds prevent creating frost ” goose-down comforter ” over the area, so a relatively high temperature .

On sunny days in the winter despite the cold weather outside , roof heats up to 20-50 degrees .

The heat is normally escapes irretrievably up through the roof ridge .

To turn the heat used a string of air between the metal roofing gravity – roofing and sheathing sucking the air with a such as computer miniature fan 12V or 5V.

In the attic of a full boarding the ridge cut at 2m – diameter hole about 10cm or less at 1 meter .

Ventilation pipes are distributed in the insulation between the holes and the places that we want to heat (which can be, for example, the northern wall of the building – the space between the polystyrene and the wall) at the bottom of the wall at the same distance installing miniature Exhaust fans cooled down by the cold air outside wall .

In this system, we use the free energy for the taking heat of the roof and heating northern side of building , which is the coldest .

In addition, it is drained by dry and warm air .

Here we use the year one thousands kilowatts of heat energy , that runs forever in the ether , and it can work for us for free .

Of course, such an arrangement only makes sense while ensuring control fans regardless of the temperature measured directly in the combustion air intake locations .

It is necessary to control the use of room , that allows you to Heating Control for 7 independent heating zones programmed as .

The controller automatically turns on when you set up each fan , independently using the measurement of the associated sensor , pulling cold air from outside the building (or unheated garage) , and thus sucking warm from the heated metal roofing – Slate .

After cooling air under the metal roofing – tile fan is automatically switched off by the Microcontroller units .

The fan will be switched on again after the heating of the air in metal roofing – tile.

This controller is part of the – eHouse Home Automation .

Temperature threshold on and off the fan is set individually for each measurement input .

Operation of this ” air collector ” also has a sense of summer , wall drying and energy accumulating in the walls of the building which account for annual demand for energy will contribute to significant savings in periods of (spring,autumn) and during the heating season .

Drying reduces building heat loss (thermal transmittance decreases) , prevents fungi , mold , musty smell, allergens, which makes the building less healthy and require frequent repairs .

Solar Water

In solar water heat receiving medium (energy produced by the sun's rays) is a non-freezing liquid .

This can be a mixture of water and anti-freeze concentrate (such as coolant) based on polyethylene glycol or other chemical substance.

They have a much higher efficiency comparing to air solar system and can give much higher temperatures .

During the transitional periods (spring , autumn) and summer depending on weather conditions , can fully meet the demand for home heating and water heating , a relatively small area of €‹less than 10m2 for a single family house with an area of €‹200m2 .

To efficiently use energy from the water solar system storage is necessary to buffer the hot water with a capacity dependent on the active surface of the collector .

Additionally, due to the high efficiency , it is necessary to protect the collector from overheating when there is no receipt of hot water (for example during holidays , summer trips , power failure , etc . ) .

In these situations it is necessary to ensure that the collection (UPS emergency pump to ensure continuous operation) and alternative coolant flow to drain unused solar heat collector.

For this purpose, it is useful to perform the heat exchanger (pipe for floor heating) providing heat removal, in situations where a long time has no energy or hot water heater .

Some plants in this case, the solenoid valve will automatically open overflowing hot water to sewer , However, it is a few hundred kilowatts , which could be used in a more useful way .

Surplus energy from the solar water may be used for thermal energy storage materials of high thermal inertia of the concrete , the ground directly under the foundation .

Heating tens of cubic meters of concrete in the body of the building, up a few degrees will reduce expenses spending on heating at a later date .

In the case of heating slab or the ground directly beneath the floor due to the very large thermal inertia of the concrete , will allow you to use this energy in a few weeks , reducing the aggregate annual energy consumption of heating and subsequent escape of heat into the ground , as a result of thermal bridging or foundation slab .

To make the most of this energy can also heat the house of concrete elements as stairs , ceilings , poured concrete walls , basement floor , garage .

To use this energy, it is necessary for the construction phase distribution of water coils (pipes for floor heating) in the areas where we intend to store this energy .

Before proceeding to the subsequent stages of construction, it is necessary to check the tightness .

In case of damage or leakage of such a coil during the construction of the house, or the time , Unfortunately, it is not to be used and must be switched off so as not to flood the house or foundation .

The use of energy storage in the body of the building should also be carried out with the head of providing them with Control Automation and spreading in the place where the lowest temperature .

It is necessary to control the use of RoomManager , that allows you to control heating in rooms for 7 independent heating zones programmed .

The controller will automatically open, when you set up each segment for the solenoid coil, independently using the measurement of the associated temperature sensor (floor or concrete) , and heating it to the required temperature .

When heated to a preset temperature control solenoid valve closes the section ” underfloor heating ” directing fluid from the collectors to the other sections of heating .

After cooling, the block of concrete to set temperature lower controller solenoid valve opens again allowing more heat and energy storage .

These operations are performed automatically and independently for each segment of the heating control .

When using a large number of solar collectors and a control , and favorable climatic and atmospheric conditions can get coverage of the order of 60%-70% demand for home heating and hot water throughout the year .

Solar Farms

In this concept conceals objects containing a large amount (area) of any type of solar panel .

This could be farming or other economic objects , where a large percentage of the demand for heating is solar .

In some cases, the efficiency of the collector is not critical and may be much more advantageous to use a little more efficient collectors active surface but much cheaper .

Such applications may include reheating and heating a greenhouse , conservatories , business objects , Grocery stores where we do not have to keep room temperature , and only positive temperature while providing good ventilation .

The solar farms, solar effective area is calculated redundantly to ensure a high percentage of demand coverage at 85%-90% perennial energy.

During the over-heating energy is dissipated or stored in large tanks , pools , ponds , soil in greenhouses or in part by reducing the need for additional heating in winter .

For the storage of solar energy (heat) for some time used gel-filled buffers , which can store about 16 times more energy in relation to water , for the same per unit volume .

As part of the solar farm solar energy in the months of over-production can be blocked manually automation control or by the system control rollers , gateways , Gates or put the neighboring farms or facilities .
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