Thermodynamic Solar Panels

Thermodynamic may sound complicated and incomprehensible, in fact the first sentence in Wikipedia under Thermodynamics is: a branch of natural science concerned with heat and its relations to energy and work.


It continues with: It defines macroscopic variables (such as temperature, internal energy, entropy, and pressure) that characterize materials and radiation, and explains how they are related and by what laws they change with time. All this may sound perfectly normal for scientists, but for the majority of us it may be a little (wee) bit difficult to grasp.

But it can come down to a simple principle of capturing and exchanging energy, in this case heat, and the result is hot water at 55 degrees for domestic use, all year round, anytime.

Also known as Eco Thermal, Thermodynamic hot water, is made of three components: thermodynamic block, water heater (tank) and solar panel.

The solar panel is made of aluminium sheet which goes trough different stages of high technology processes and it is coated with an anodized layer. Because of its size and treatments it can perform under very bad weather, including hail. It has small dimensions (1m. wide by 2m. high and only 8kg of weight approx.) and can be fitted almost anywhere.


The Thermodynamic block is the component responsible for the exchange of energy captured by the solar panel and transferred to the water.

It is connected to the water tank and the principal parts are: the condenser, the compressor and the exchanger.


The water tank is where the heated water is stored. There are three different capacities: 200litre (ideal for up to four people), 250litre (up to five people), 300litre (six people). It is an insulated vertical tank, made of steel with an enamelled coating.


INSTALLATION

For the best result, you should consider the orientation, the best tilt of the panel and the minimum distance between the solar panel and the water tank. The place where to put the water heater tank should have electrical power, a cold and hot water source and sewage. Regarding the orientation of the panel, it can be fitted south, east or westwards, not northwards. The ideal inclination is between 30 and 90 degrees on roofs or walls.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

 

 

It absorbs not only the direct solar radiation, but also the heat which is present in the air, wind and rain. An ecological fluid refrigerant circulates through the solar panel which captures the heat, it turns into gas, it passes through a compressor increasing in temperature, the heated gas is then passed into the heat exchanger where the heat is transferred into the water tank. After, the cooling gas is reverted back into liquid which runs back in to the panel and the process begins again.

Investing in Thermodynamic hot water system can reduce your gas or oil bill by up to 50%.
Raffael Forlano is a solar energy expert for Edinburgh and Lothian, he represents Solar Electricity Systems. With over 2000 installations in Scotland, one of UK leading specialists. We provide industry leading warranties and our customer care response time is second to none.
 

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