DIY solar thermal collectors
[edit] Batch heater
The communal solar water heating system design makes use of a solar batch heater for heating the water for the showers. This batch heater would be a heater like the one shown to the right but automatic temperature control (set to eg 40°C) should be added. As such a open-source design for this temperature controller should be made. The automatic control can be created in practice by 2 tanks --> 1 with cold(er) water (eg 20° or so; ambient temperature) and 1 with warm water (this tank can be the batch heater itself). The tank with colder water needs to be shielded from the sun (eg by underground placement, ...). The 2 tanks can be connected to 1 large(r) tank that will be the primary buffer for the shower (here the water needs to be 40°). The valves of the (hot&cold) tanks will be automatically controlled by the temperature controller. The batch heater itself may be fitted with a electric coil for heating when the water cannot be heated enough by the sun; in not so sunny areas the batch heater can be improved by targeting light at it with parabolic dishes.
[edit] Evacuated tube collector
A evacuated tube collector is more suitable for circulating (pressurized) water heating systems. KWB's evacuated tube collector may be used, see [1]
- KWB's main site
http://www.kwb.be/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=121
- KWB's technical movie on how to construct thermodynamic solar panels
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nABkkK-32w
The Sietch's thermodynamic solar panel construction (which may be cheaper) http://www.thesietch.org/projects/solarthermalpanel2/index.htm
[edit] References
- ↑ https://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcwtr665_166h58cmk Original document]
