AIA - In The Mix

Solar Domestic Hot

 Bob Ramlow
 Midwest Renewable
Energy Association Co-
founder, BOD member,
Workshop instructor
 Wisconsin Focus on
Energy Solar Thermal
Technical Lead
 Artha Sustainable Living
Center
 artha@wi-net.com
 Solar Water Heating

Greetings!
Overview
 What do they do?
 How do they work?
 Building design impact
 Benefits
 Solar Economics
 Solar Water Heaters

 Preheat incoming water

using free energy
 Can provide up to 75%
of annual domestic hot
water
 Require back-up water
heater
Water Basics

 Water expands when it

freezes
 Hard water can be hard
on your system
 Types of Collectors
Evacuated Tube

 Moderately high
temperature collector
 Collector design varies by
manufacturer
 Some tubes have moving
parts
 Glass tubes are fragile
 Do not shed snow and frost
as well as flat plate
collectors
 Types of Collectors
Flat Plate

 Proven Technology
 Durable
 Temperature operating
range perfect for SDHW &
space heating
 Collectors shed snow
 Repairable
 Competitively priced
 System Types
Drainback

 Drainback
 Advantages
 can withstand moderate freezing conditions
 not affected by hard water
 uses distilled water as the heat transfer fluid – most efficient and no fluid
degradation
 virtually maintenance free
 can be part of a combination system
 versatile installation options using flat plate collectors
 Disadvantages
 can be damaged under severe freezing or snowy conditions
 require careful pipe installation
 require a high-head pump and a vertical distance between the collectors and the
reservoir of less than 25 feet
System Types
Drainback
 System Types
Closed Loop Antifreeze

 Antifreeze
 Advantages  Disadvantages
 not affected by freezing  cost slightly more than other
conditions systems
 not susceptible to mineral
 slight loss of efficiency due to
buildup from hard water
heat transfer fluid
 no limit to the distance between
collectors and storage  fluid degradation under
 can be PV powered extended stagnation
 has most installation options
 proven technology
 virtually maintenance free
 most systems have only one or
two moving parts
 can be part of a combination
space heating/domestic water
heating system
System Types
Closed Loop Antifreeze
 Site Assessment
Defining the Solar Window

 Shortest day of the year

 December 21
st

 Longest day of the year

 June 21
st

 Solar collectors need full

sun from 9 AM until 3 PM
(FOE 10-2)
Site Assessment
Solar Window Illustration
 Site Assessment
Installation Location Considerations

 Access  Aesthetics
 Tree Growth  Neighbors
 Distance from House  Future Construction
or Collectors
 Topography
 Balance of System
(BOS) Placement  Roof Condition
 Pipe Runs
 PV Powered Pumps
Site Assessment
Collector Mounting
 Site Assessment
Collector Mounting – Roof Mount

 Advantages and
Disadvantages of
roof mounting
 Advantages and
Disadvantages of
ground mounting
Site Assessment
Collector Tilt

 Collector tilt is the angle

the surface of the collector
makes with the horizon.
 Fixed array
 Tilt and latitude
 Roof pitch and collector tilt
 Site Assessment
Collector Tilt

Roof Pitch Tilt Angle

0:12 0°
1:12 5° Example @
2:12 10°
System Use Tilt Angle
45° latitude
3:12 14°
Domestic hot water
4:12 18° Latitude 45°
Year-round usage
5:12 23°
6:12 27° Domestic hot water Latitude -
35°
7:12 30° Summer use only 10°
8:12 34°
Space Heating/
10:12 40° Domestic hot water Latitude +
12:12 45° combination 60°
15°
14:12 49°
16:12 53°
18:12 56°
20:12 60°
 System Sizing
Sizing Design

 Should not design a

system to cover the
entire annual load
 Aim for 75%
 100% of summer load
and 50% of winter load
 Check for weather
irregularities at the site
 System Sizing – First Step
Energy Efficiency and Load Reduction
Take quick showers instead of baths.
Install low-flow shower heads or use a flow
restrictor.
Lower the thermostat to between 120-130 degrees
Fahrenheit. You don’t need water hotter than that.
Wrap the back-up water heater in insulation if it is in
an unheated area.
Use cold water with the garbage disposal. Cold
water solidifies grease so the disposal can get rid of
it more effectively.
When washing dishes in the sink by hand, don’t let
the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash
water and the other with rinse water.
Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run
while you scrape them clean.
Whenever possible, wash only full loads. If your
washer has a water selector, use the lowest
practical level.
Install covers on pools and spas.
Insulate all of your hot pipes.
Upgrade your appliances: Energy efficient and
low water use dishwashers and front loading
washing machines save a lot of hot water.
Turn of the water while you shave.
 System Sizing
Simple Sizing Using Flat Plate and ICS Collectors

 Work backwards:  Alter simple figure

 Consumption of 20
gal/day
 Need 20 gal/day of
storage
 Need certain ratio of
collector area to storage
 Need 20 ft2 of collector
to heat 20 gallons of
water (in Wisconsin)
according to:
 Household’s water
consumption habits
 Size of household
 Geographic location
and amount of solar
radiation
 System type
 System Sizing
Simple Sizing Chart

Number of People
In Household 1 2 3 4 5 6
Type of System

Closed loop antifreeze

1-4’x10’ 1-4’x10’ 2-4’x8’ 2-4’x10’ 3-4’x8’ 3-4’x10’
or Drain-back
or 2-
Cool Climate
4’x8’

’
 System Sizing
Sizing Using Computer Modeling Software

 Three primary inputs

 Hot water load
 Meteorological data for
the site
 Solar collector
efficiency

 Sizing evacuated tube

collectors
 Free Sizing and Economic
Analysis Software
 RETScreen  Notes on the program:
International  Set security level to
 Free Download from medium when
Canadian Government downloading
 www.retscreen.net  Enable “macros” when
 Solar water heating running program
module  Some figures in metric
 PC only at this time
 Solar Ready

 Install 2 - 3/4” copper

pipes from attic to
basement
 Insulate pipes with high-
temp pipe insulation (250
degree)
 Cap both pipes top and
bottom and label them.
 Install 2 wire braded
thermostat cable from attic
to basement
 Environmental Benefits

 A typical solar water  Solar water heaters are

heating system will one piece of the puzzle
offset between 3/4 ton in reducing greenhouse
and 1 ton of CO2 per gas emissions
year - the equivalent of  Natural gas, just like
driving over 1,300 oil, is a limited
resource that is being
miles (@22mpg) depleated
Economics of SDHW
Life Cycle Costing

 Overall cost of
comparable systems
 Solar water heaters
have no operating costs
 Add initial cost plus
operating expenses
 Compare final cost
after a period of time
 Economics of SDHW
Electric with Federal Incentive - Graph
 Economics of SDHW
Natural Gas with Federal Incentive - Graph
 Cash flow makes the world go
‘round

 Solar water heaters save money

by replacing fossil fuel fired
heat sources
 Fossil fuel bills are reduced
 The amount saved can often
completely pay for the solar
heater
 Little or no cash-flow impact!
 Cash Flow
Impact with Federal Incentive

Electric Water Heater Solar Water Heater

Monthly Bill Monthly Savings Monthly Payment Cash Flow Impact per Month
1st year $35.83 $55.51 -$19.68
2nd year $39.42 $55.51 -$16.09
3rd year $43.36 $55.51 -$12.15
4th year $47.69 $55.51 -$7.82
5th year $52.46 $55.51 -$3.05
6th year $57.71 $55.51 $2.20
7th year $63.48 $55.51 $7.97
8th year $69.83 $55.51 $14.32
9th year $76.81 $55.51 $21.30
10th year $84.49 $55.51 $28.98
11th year $92.94 $0.00 $92.94