The term thermal solar power refers to systems that convert solar radiation into useful heat. This is also referred to as passive solar energy. It is a different type of system from solar power electricity, and whose usefulness should not be overlooked.
Thermal solar power can be used in as many ways as you can think. Designs exist from heating up your hot water tanks, to industrial steam generation and everything in between. Many of these systems are attractive because of their low cost and simplicity.
For most folks, thermal solar power will be limited to heating up a hot water tank, or storing heat for the workshop or house. These systems are inexpensive to incorporate, especially when designing a new home.
Other possibilities exist with pebble bed heat exchangers, which are designed to store excess thermal energy. These heat exchangers give our systems some operating flexibility. With this reservoir of heat, we can consider different applications for our thermal solar power system.
Applications for pebble bed heat exchangers include radiant heating in and around our homes. They can be integrated into greenhouses, saunas, or even in your family rooms. Pebble bed heat exchangers are made from natural materials, and can be an attractive feature in any home.
The typical operating temperature of a basic thermal solar power system will be somewhere between 100F and 200F. For high performance designs, up to 700F has been achieved for making high pressure steam. The exact temperatures we can obtain will depend entirely on the solar collector design and your system's needs.
At the core of any thermal solar power system will be the solar collector. This is the component directly responsible for generating your heat. The most common design is the flat plate absorber, which often have selective surfaces for high absorptivity and low emissivity of solar radiation. Other designs include evacuated tube collectors, and parabolic trough concentrating receivers.
The solar collector will transfer heat to a circulating fluid, whose flow is driven by a small pump. Depending on the system design temperature and operating environment, this fluid may be water, glycol, or oil. The circulating fluid is like the life blood of thermal solar power system by moving the energy to all the users.
Anyone interested in energy independence and self-sustainability should thoroughly investigate thermal solar energy. Most systems are fairly simple and rank very well in affordability. If you live in a climate with a good reputation for Sun, then there is a pretty good chance you could be using a thermal solar power system of some form.
Thermal solar power is a major branch of the solar market, with much room to grow in years to come. Solar hot water and pebble bed heat transfer systems are two good applications for most homes. We can store heat in our floors, a sauna, a greenhouse, or even use it to air dry our clothes. The possibilities for thermal solar power are as far as the imagination can go. With a new age emerging toward more natural lifestyles and self-sustainability, we expect to see several new designs in years to come. Everything begins first with harnessing the energy of the Sun.
Thermal solar power can be used in as many ways as you can think. Designs exist from heating up your hot water tanks, to industrial steam generation and everything in between. Many of these systems are attractive because of their low cost and simplicity.
For most folks, thermal solar power will be limited to heating up a hot water tank, or storing heat for the workshop or house. These systems are inexpensive to incorporate, especially when designing a new home.
Other possibilities exist with pebble bed heat exchangers, which are designed to store excess thermal energy. These heat exchangers give our systems some operating flexibility. With this reservoir of heat, we can consider different applications for our thermal solar power system.
Applications for pebble bed heat exchangers include radiant heating in and around our homes. They can be integrated into greenhouses, saunas, or even in your family rooms. Pebble bed heat exchangers are made from natural materials, and can be an attractive feature in any home.
The typical operating temperature of a basic thermal solar power system will be somewhere between 100F and 200F. For high performance designs, up to 700F has been achieved for making high pressure steam. The exact temperatures we can obtain will depend entirely on the solar collector design and your system's needs.
At the core of any thermal solar power system will be the solar collector. This is the component directly responsible for generating your heat. The most common design is the flat plate absorber, which often have selective surfaces for high absorptivity and low emissivity of solar radiation. Other designs include evacuated tube collectors, and parabolic trough concentrating receivers.
The solar collector will transfer heat to a circulating fluid, whose flow is driven by a small pump. Depending on the system design temperature and operating environment, this fluid may be water, glycol, or oil. The circulating fluid is like the life blood of thermal solar power system by moving the energy to all the users.
Anyone interested in energy independence and self-sustainability should thoroughly investigate thermal solar energy. Most systems are fairly simple and rank very well in affordability. If you live in a climate with a good reputation for Sun, then there is a pretty good chance you could be using a thermal solar power system of some form.
Thermal solar power is a major branch of the solar market, with much room to grow in years to come. Solar hot water and pebble bed heat transfer systems are two good applications for most homes. We can store heat in our floors, a sauna, a greenhouse, or even use it to air dry our clothes. The possibilities for thermal solar power are as far as the imagination can go. With a new age emerging toward more natural lifestyles and self-sustainability, we expect to see several new designs in years to come. Everything begins first with harnessing the energy of the Sun.
About the Author:
Walter Hull is a mechanical engineer with expertise in solar energy power systems. For a limited time you can get his free guide to solar energy from your own backyard.
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