Solar Thermal Energy
Is Solar Thermal Energy the Right Heating Solution For Your Business?
The sun generates immense amounts of heat, which is constantly coming into contact with Earth. What if we could harness that heat for our own use? For centuries people have devised ways to concentrate that heat to warm their spaces, their water, and themselves. Now, solar thermal technologies allow us to do this on a much larger scale. Solar thermal technology collects UV radiation from the sun and converts it into heat displacing the need for fossil fuels. This is not the same thing as photovoltaic solar panels, which create electricity.
Solar America Solutions’ SunQuest 250 Technology For Commercial Heating
- Solar thermal collectors (panels) on a roof, shade structure or other location absorb solar energy.
- Copper heating pipes transfer heat to the unit header and out of the thermal collector panel.
- Heat is conducted through a closed hydronic loop and into the building where it is delivered to a heat exchanger for direct use or to a storage tank.
- The solar-heated water is transferred to the end user through conventional boilers and water heaters precluding them from activating.
- This reduces the use of fossil fuels and emission of greenhouses gases, and saves the user money on energy costs.
Solar America Solutions’ SunQuest 250 solar thermal collectors utilize evacuated tube technology to convert ultraviolet (UV) rays into a renewable source of usable energy. This thermal energy can then be used in a number of commercial applications, such as high volume water heating, domestic hot water (DHW), and preheat make-up water for steam applications. Space heating is accomplished by tying into traditional HVAC equipment, boiler, or radiant floor systems.
A proprietary coating on the inside of the evacuated tube attracts UV rays creating friction and heat. Two other special coatings help evenly disperse the heat within the tube, reaching internal temperatures in the 300 to 400°F range. Within each tube are two heat pipes which transfer the heat up through the the unit header to interface with conventional heating systems.
A heat-transfer fluid, consisting of a mixture of water and food grade glycol, conducts the collected heat out of the SunQuest 250 collector panel, through a closed hydronic loop, and into the building. This loop is full of British Thermal Units (BTU’s). The fluid in the heat pipe always remains in the pipe; only the BTU’s are transferred across the system header. This allows each tube and its related components to operate independently of one another.
Our Solar Heating Solutions Use Various Types of Heat Exchangers
Once inside the building, the heat is transferred to the application using various types of heat exchangers. Solar tank, plate & frame, and shell & tube heat exchangers are all common methods. The controller on the hydronic loop is used to log the data and set the target temperature and flow rate. The water entering the boiler or hot water heater is preheated using the sun’s renewable energy; thus these systems will not fire or will remain on low fire. The solar heat is passed through conventional heating systems, producing incredible energy savings for your business.
Solar Heating Solutions That Save Money
As the liquid solution circulates in the closed loop it continues to be reheated by the collector throughout the day. In the evening, when UV rays are unavailable, traditional heating systems take over the BTU workload. The SunQuest 250 resumes thermal energy production at dawn the next morning, at which time solar picks up again as the primary heat source. To extend the hours of solar energy production, hot water storage tanks may be utilized. During the day they are preheated to around 190°F, and a mixing valve is used to pull out the required heat. Applications like this typically save customers 95% to 100% of energy costs.
How is the SunQuest 250 different from other solar thermal collectors?
Contact Solar UV Solutions Today!
Contact us today to learn how your business can start saving with solar thermal energy. We can answer all of your questions regarding business Solar Heating solutions today!