Active Closed Loop Solar Water Heating System

Here s how a solar powered water heater works.

Active closed loop solar water heating system.

It is the simplest and typically the least expensive active system to install. Closed loop solar water heater systems sometimes referred to as anti freeze or glycol systems include the heat collectors insulated piping a circulating pump an expansion tank a hot water storage tank a heat exchanger solar fluid usually a solution of water and nontoxic propylene glycol antifreeze a controller valves and gauges. Closed loop systems use a heat transfer fluid to collect heat and a heat exchanger to transfer the heat to household water. When the controller senses that the sun is shining and your tank needs a warm up it signals the pump to send water through the black collector panels.

Heat exchangers themselves are built into a closed loop system and transfer the heat gathered in the collector to the house s hot water supply. The heated water then flows into the storage tank before it s channeled into the heat exchanger. Hxs are utilized to transfer the heat from the fluid to the water stored in the tanks. Most new solar homes feature a variation of one kind or another.

Closed loop active antifreeze systems are the most versatile and failsafe of all the solar supplemental water heating systems. United states restricted mode. Indirect solar water drainback systems are also a indirect design that use a heat exchanger to separate the collector loop from the potable water. Installation of active closed loop solar water heating system duration.

There are a number of designs for heat exchangers. A common design is to supplement a conventional hot water heater by transferring the heat from the solar collector fluid into the hot water tank. China sunpark 2 733 views. Closed loop active systems pump htfs such as a mixture of glycol and water antifreeze through collectors.

Glycol or some equivalent antifreeze fluid fills. Active open loop solar water heating system. The drainback system components cost about 15 20 more than an active open direct loop solar water heating system for residential water heating. Closed loop solar heating system.

Instead of relying on glycol for freeze protection this system allows all the water in the array to drain back from the array and into a storage vessel in the solar loop when the pump is turned off. Active closed loop systems use electric pumps valves and controllers to circulate the heat transfer fluid usually a polypropylene non toxic unlike polyethylene glycol water antifreeze mixture through the collectors.