Unlike liquid-based solar thermal systems, air-based installations do not suffer when they are allowed to remain idle. This advantage works to your benefit when setting up control systems, as you only need to figure out how to switch the system on when it's needed and off when it isn't.
If you're installing a solar thermal space heating system and including a storage tank, you need to bear several important factors in mind, beyond the basics of materials and the practicalities of installation.
The best storage tanks are those with no joints or seams to provide weak points for leaks. Of course, since the water has to get in and out somehow, a totally seamless tank is impossible. In practical terms, your tank will need:
Before you choose a solar thermal system for your home, it's important to go through the steps of energy conservation. We've said it before and we'll say it again: improving your home's energy efficiency is less expensive and more effective than any new renewable energy installation in the short term.
A multi-tank installation usually costs a lot more than a single-tank design and requires a lot more equipment and piping. The advantage is that the layout is a lot more flexible and retrofitting can be much simpler with several small tanks, rather than trying to get one monster tank through doorways.
The ideal location for a solar thermal collector array is one in which the sun's radiation falls full and unobstructed on the collector surface between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., with the collector facing the noon sun directly. However, the perfect location isn't always available, so here are some pointers to help you decide whether a site is acceptable or not.
Pressurized solar thermal installations for space heating follow the same solar loop layout as similar systems for hot water. They can use single or multiple liquid tanks or they can use sand as a storage medium.
In air-based systems, it's very important to plan for a collector array of the right size for your needs. It's a difficult calculation for inexperienced installers because you need to strike a balance between the collector output, the amount of thermal mass inside the building and the rate of heat loss from the structure. If you're unfamiliar with calculating thermal mass and heat loss, it's going to be even tougher.
Setting up a solar thermal space heating system is only one side of the renewable energy heating coin. The other side is actually delivering the heat the installation generates to your home. Assuming you've chosen an appropriate system for your needs, you have captured the sun's energy and either stored it or have it ready to be dumped straight into the building. What next?
In most parts of the world, space heating systems are installed in every home. They provide warmth and comfort during the colder part of the year. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these systems rely on grid-tied, non-renewable power sources to provide that heat. In a bid to reduce our environmental impact – not to mention our operating costs – we can use the sun's power to provide space heating.
Like solar thermal hot water installations, there are many different options available for space heating. Before you consider them and work out which is best for you, it is important to be aware of the limitations and pre-installation suggestions outlined below.
