|
Solar water heating collectors are installed on the roof. This
picture shows two panels, side by side, which would be the typical
installation.
Depending on your personal needs, you can get 1, or 2, or 3,
or 4 solar water heating collectors installed. Solar water heating is
perfect for use with radiant
floor heating systems. |
 |
|
Using a standard water heater tank, the solar water system
is tied into the tank at the top and bottom.
Inside the small box in front
of the storage tank (the "Energy Pack") is a recirculating pump, heat
exchanger, expansion tank, and the control panel (see pictures at right).
Enerworks has a CSA Certificate of Compliance (Cert# 1721596) pertaining
to Class 2831 06 HEATERS. This is a Solar Plus Supplemental Domestic
Hot Water Add-on package system, to be used with a CSA-approved water tank,
with indirect Forced Circulation, model EWRA that consists of up to a
maximum 4 Solar collectors (Model COL-4X8-TL-SG1-SD10) and 1 model Energy
Pack controller heat exchanger.
The Energy Pack is rated at 120Vac, 0.25 Amps, 30 Watts, 1ph, 60Hz, 50 PSI
max for the recirculating pump at 1.2 L/m flow rate on the solar loop side
(closed system of propylene glycol + distilled water, 50/50 mix), 150 PSI
max on the potable water side. Equivalent energy contribution with a
simulated load (hot water consumption) of 300L/d at 55°C or less.
The solar water heating system is in addition to your current water
heating system. On cloudy days, or in -30°C weather, you will need a
supplemental water heating system. The solar system should provide you
about 50% of the total water heating energy consumption. As the solar
heat is free, this should cut your water heating bill in half. |
 
Installed in a home basement
Free-standing unit showing connections |
|
Solar panels "A" (between
1 to 4 panels, depending upon your needs) are placed on the roof (or beside
the house), where they are exposed to the sun.
The closed loop fluid is 50% US Food & Drug Administration approved food-grade propylene glycol (same as
used in ice cream, muffins, cake mixes, etc.) and 50% distilled water. This fluid goes around and around
in a closed loop, heated by the solar panel "A", then pumped
back through the heat exchanger in the Energy Pack "B", then back to the
solar collector. This closed loop circulating system transports the heat
from the roof-top solar collector, and carries it to the hot water storage
tank. |
The Energy Pack "B" contains a small gear pump, a stainless
steel flat plate heat exchanger, an expansion tank, temperature sensors, and
a micro-processor controller to run the system.
When you use hot water, the cold water from your well or town water supply
enters the Energy Pack "B", and gets heated by the hot propylene glycol
solution via the heat exchanger. This flows through your Solar Storage Tank
"C", then through your current water heating tank "D", then to the appliance
using the hot water (eg. shower, bath, dishwasher, clothes washer, etc.).
If you are not using hot water right now, then water from the solar water
heated storage tank is naturally re-circulated through the heat exchanger (thermo siphon),
heating it up, slowly increasing the storage water tank temperature all day
long. When you need the hot water, it's already heated and ready to
go.
If the solar water heating system pre-heats the water, your existing
water heater may not have to turn on because the water is already hot enough
from the sun. If the sun has only partially heated the water supply (eg.
a cloudy day), your current water heater only has a partial job to do,
saving you part of the heating expense. |
|
Photo: M Lea/Whig-Standard |
From
http://www.parteqinnovations.com/randi-invgall-harrison.html
Generating innovations in solar technology
For nearly 20 years
Dr. Stephen Harrison has been exploring
alternative energy solutions to reduce the environmental impact of
conventional energy sources. His patented innovations in solar hot water
technology resulted in the development of a solar domestic hot water heater
product now being sold on the North American market by EnerWorks Inc. of
London, ON.
The EnerWorks technology is currently saving a Queen's
University student residence thousands $ in utility costs. "Installing solar
power allowed the removal of one of two electric hot water tanks and helped
reduce our electricity bill in the house by 25 per cent," says Brent
Bellamy, General Manager of the Science '44 Co-operative Student Housing.
The company's product also supplies hot water to
North America's first large-scale, solar-based district heating project in a
52-home development near Calgary, Alberta, and last August EnerWorks
completed the
first commercial installation of its product at the Confederation Place
Hotel in Kingston, ON.
EnerWorks, Inc.
|
|
PS' preferred supplier for solar water heating is
Enerworks,
in Dorchester Ontario (near London ON).
Enerworks solar systems are
certified by CSA, and manufactured to ISO 9001:2000 quality assurance
standards.
For more information on these solar water heating systems, see
Enerwork's Website, or view the photos
above.. |
