Solar Thermal Systems: Solar Heating R&D

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Sandia National Laboratories

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Presentation Outline
Description of solar thermal R&D activities in:
Low-cost passive solar hot water systems Polymer integral collector-storage (PICS) systems Low-cost active solar systems Cold-climate solar water heating systems Combined heating and cooling (CHC) systems

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Solar Thermal Systems Participants

National Laboratories
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Sandia National Laboratories

Industry
FAFCO (California) Davis Energy Group / SunEarth (California) DuPont Canada Inc. (Ontario) SRP (Arizona) Energy Laboratories Inc. (Florida)

Universities
University of Minnesota University of Colorado University of Central Florida

Solar Thermal Systems R&D Goals Near-Term (2006):

Mild-climate solar water heating systems that deliver energy at $0.04 -$0.06/kWh

Mid-Term (2010):
Cold-climate solar water heating systems that deliver energy at $0.05 - $0.06/kWh

Long-Term (2015-2020):
Solar space heating and cooling systems that deliver energy at $0.04 - $0.05/kWh
U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Solar Thermal Systems R&D

Low-Cost Passive Solar Thermal Systems

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Solar Water Heating

Common System Types

Passive Active

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Passive Solar Water Heating

Integral Collector-Storage (ICS) System
Gasket Glazings

Box
Insulation

Storage tanks

Innovative, Low-Cost Solar Water Heaters

Project Goal:
Cut the delivered, life-cycle energy cost of solar water heating systems in half by the year 2005.

Source: Solar Buildings Technology Program: 5-Year Strategic Plan, January 31, 1998

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Innovative, Low-Cost Solar Water Heaters

Hardware cost reduction

Polymer technology Parts integration

Installation cost reduction

Lighter collectors, flexible bundled piping Integrated balance of system

Marketing cost reduction

New construction: SWH as standard feature or option Do-it-yourself / Home improvement stores
U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Innovative, Low-Cost Solar Water Heaters Technical Challenges (Barriers): Polymer durability the key technical challenge System performance
Overheating protection Heat exchanger sizing and placement

Building code issues

Use of plastics, e.g., flammability Structural concerns, e.g., roof weight, wind loading

Manufacturing process design

Thermoforming and rotomolding temperature tolerances

Innovative, Low-Cost Solar Water Heaters Project Phases: Concept Generation / Exploratory Research Concept Development / Prototype Test Advanced Development / Field Test
Identification of general system configurations which could conceivably reach the projects cost goal Development of detailed designs for promising concepts and construction and evaluation of prototypes Development of second-generation prototypes and conducting limited field testing and evaluation Construction of manufacturing facilities and evaluation of near-final systems in real-world applications

Engineering / Manufacturing Development

Unpressurized Integral Collector Storage

Immersed heat exchanger

Glazing(s)

Insulation Thin-walled polymer vessel of water

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Supply/Return Piping

Davis Energy Group/SunEarth Design

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Davis Energy Group/SunEarth Field Test

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

FAFCO Design

FAFCO Prototype

Solar Thermal Systems R&D

Material Durability Testing

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Durability Testing

Outdoor

Accelerated Laboratory Chambers Ultra-Accelerated, Natural Sunlight

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

UV-Screened Polymeric Glazing Construction

Screening Layer (UV absorbers) Optional Bonding Layer (adhesive, etc.) Candidate Polymeric Glazing

Another Polymeric Element (e.g., absorber)

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

GE HP92WDB 20-mil thick PC Film

No Korad UV screen; 8.2 months Ci5000 exposure

With Korad UV screen; 10 months Ci5000 exposure

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Solar Thermal Systems R&D

Low-Cost Active Solar Thermal Systems

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Geographical Limitations of ICS Systems

Residential Solar Water Heating

Common System Types

Passive Active

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Active Solar Water Heating

Flat Plate Collector

Indirect Circulation Solar System

Active Solar Water Heating System R&D

DuPont Canada

University of Minnesota

Labs and Industry

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Low-Cost Solar Water Heaters for Cold Climates

Polymer Flat Plate Collector

DuPont / University of Minnesota Collaboration

Polymeric Absorber and Heat Exchanger Testing

Nylon 6,6 HTN Polybutylene Polypropylene Teflon Copper

Tensile strength testing Polyethylene Polypropylene

New In-situ optical device for measuring scale

University of Minnesota

Polymeric Absorber and Heat Exchanger Testing

Strength after aging in Hot, Chlorinated H2O

Strength after 300-1200 hrs in ORP=825 mV

Exposed/Unexposed Strength

For some polymers, hot chlorinated water significantly reduces strength. Alternate PB formulation (with additives) shows less degradation Loss of strength occurs very rapidly in nylon 6,6.

1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 PSU PB (no add) PB (w add) Nylon 6,6 HTN 60C >82C

Materials tested at U of MN in FY2003

Polymer Tube Scaling

NATIVE AFTER 540 Hr exposure to hard water

Teflon

1 m

10 m

1 m

Copper

1 m

10 m

1 m

Polymer Tube Scaling (cont.) Calcium carbonate accumulates on all polymers tested.
NATIVE AFTER 540 Hr exposure to hard water

Nylon 6,6

1 m

10 m

1 m

PB

1 m

10 m

1 m

Polymer Tube Scaling

3.00 2.50 CaCO3 (g/m2) 2.00 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 nylon 6,6 HTN PB Tube PP Teflon Cu

HX1 HX2 HX3

Results indicate nylon 6,6 enhances scaling. Mass of scale on PP, PB, HTN, Teflon and copper tubes are similar.

Solar Thermal Systems R&D

Combined Heating and Cooling Systems

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Solar Thermal Systems R&D Approach

Features of polymer-based SWH systems:

Year-round load: New materials: Simple systems: ; good system utilization ; lower cost ; higher reliability

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Solar Thermal Systems R&D Approach

Combined space heating and cooling systems

Year-round load: New materials: Simple systems: ; good system utilization ; lower cost ; higher reliability

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Combined Solar Heating & Cooling System

TRIPLE PLAY MODEL

TSKY GSUN GIR
T
= COMPUTED = SPECIFIED

COLLECTOR

CONTROLLER

PUMP HOUSE DIVERTER

T

QINT
DHW DRAW DHW HTR

TSET, HTG/CLG QSOL, HTG QAUX, HTG/CLG QAUX, DHW QSOL, CLG
WATER MAINS
T

HOT TANK

COLD TANK

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Albuquerque, NM
Unglazed Collector 126 ft2, T_HX = 5
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

CLG aux HTG aux DHW aux CLG Solar HTG Solar DHW Solar

Load (GJ)

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies

Albuquerque, NM
10 9 8 7 6 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 JAN

Madison, WI
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 JAN

Miami, FL

125

ft2

5 4 3 2 1 0 JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

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JUN

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AUG

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NOV

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10 9 8 7

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 JAN

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 JAN

250

ft2

6 5 4 3 2 1 0 JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

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10 9 8 7

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 JAN

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 JAN

500

ft2

6 5 4 3 2 1 0 JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

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NOV

DEC

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Combined Heating and Cooling Systems

Most Favorable Markets Unglazed Collector Space Heating & Hot Water Savings

Solar Thermal Systems R&D Goals Near-Term (2006):

Mild-climate solar water heating systems that deliver energy at $0.04 -$0.06/kWh

Mid-Term (2010):
Cold-climate solar water heating systems that deliver energy at $0.05 - $0.06/kWh

Long-Term (2015-2020):
Solar space heating and cooling systems that deliver energy at $0.04 - $0.05/kWh
U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies