How Solar Thermal Systems Work
Diagram showing how the system works
Diagam showing a typical solar installation & heating
Solar thermal (heat) energy is a carbon-free, renewable alternative to the power we generate with fossil fuels like coal and gas.
Solar water heating systems use solar panels, called collectors, fitted to your roof. There are of two types of collectors; flat plate and evacuated tubes. There are benefits to both types of collector and the site requirements will determine which is most suitable.
In the solar collector, energy from the Sun is converted into heat energy; this heat is transferred to the fluid that is circulated through the collector by a small pump, which in turn is then circulated through the heat exchanger located in the bottom of the duel coil cylinder to extract the maximum available heat
Heat is transferred from the heat exchanger to the surrounding water within the cylinder. This water is then available as hot water from the hot water taps. The second coil is connected to the boiler in the same way as a conventional cylinder to provide backup water heating.
Hot Water Storage
As a matter of course we always install a Solar blending valve on the hot water supply to the hot taps, this ensures that the hot water temperature to the taps can never exceed safe limits and enables the hot water in the cylinder to be stored at higher than normal temperatures.
