Flat plate hot water solar collector design Phase 11

[garyk]

This is a follow up on my previous thread, Flat plate hot water solar collector design.

I want to state again i want cheap, effiecient, easy design, and outstanding results. With off the shelf products made in Thailand.

After finishing the desing of the collector. I decided it was time to pressureze the system for distribution purposes.

First I added a filtration system to the incomming water. As you can see in the pic it is simple and very cheap. With an open system filtration is very important for smooth and trouble free operation.

Second i wanted to pressureize the system for obvious reasions. This turned out to be the simplest problem to solve. I researched the pumps here and decieded on a cheap cheeeeeeeep pump. Water temp and run time taken into account i think the middle of the line Thai pump was the best buy. I have no problem with it and it supplys two showers at once.

I have made several design changes the the system you see here. I bought a new 120 ltr. tank with a bottom drain. previously the drain was on the side. So i had to completly re-design the valve assembly.
I like the bottom drain. It affords me the opportunity to run all pipes under the collector and tank.

My final thread on this small unit will be the controls to automate the filling of the tank and safty controls for the pump. I have already drawn up the schematic but now researching the parts avalibility here in Thailand.

This system is currently running a very very good collector area to water output ratio. About 2.4 gal / ft.^2. Or I think it is good.

As I have no internet access here at the house it is hard to get on the internet. So please excuse me if i do not write back.

[baldrick]

info on the plate would be good

price and where.

[Takeovers]

info on the plate would be good

price and where.

It's self made.

Look at this thread

I answer for garyk, because he is not frequently online.

[More Volts Igor]

I and many others would love construction details of the collector and plumbing arrangements.

Have you made any quantitative measurements of output (volume of water / temperature rise measurements)?

[garyk]

Finally got a phone card to access the internet... Didn't know

I haven't done any tests other than filling a 120 ltr tank with hot water. I plan on taking the plate area to water ratio up to about 2 gal. U.S. to 1 Ft^2. Now i am running 2.7 Ft^2 to 2 U.S Gal. And on a cloudy day it is giving me outstanding results. But for commercial use i want even better for customer satisfaction. If i get to that point.

I think these would sell in the Guest house industry here. And to home owners who can set the units on the ground close to the house. So i am going to persue that avenue now. I think it is a sensible design. The local air cond. man or plumber would not be intemidated by it, and can be serviced easily by either.

It looks like now I can price these units out at about 39,000 bhat for a 200 ltr. system. The smaller units 120ltr. at 29,000 bhat.

Another interesting thing is i can send these units out as a kit. If anyone is interested in a kit to put togeather them selfs. Very simple. I can cut and have everything ready down to supplying a wrench and glue. I have done this in the past and many people including, myself really enjpy the process.

Now i will finish my design and testing and make them public.

My background is energy managment and mechanics. Anyone out there with EMS background? I have worked for Siemens, Kreuter, Honeywell. On the EMS side. I hopefully will be here for a while give me a shout.

[Marmite the Dog]

I saw a place in France that used a 1,000 litre tank so there was always hot water and it kept its heat better when it cooled down.

Do you think there is any advantage for a tank of this size?

[mrsquirrel]

Anyone out there with EMS background?

If you mean Environmental Management Systems, me. Been a few years though since I've put my mind to it though.

[dirtydog]

^^Need more collectors to keep the temperature up high, with a 120 liter tank though as soon as someone showers or bathes then the tank is going to be fed with cold water bringing down the overall temperature quite dramatically.