TP – 1277 An Introduction to Central Solar Water Heating Systems for Professional Engineers

Description

Solar thermal systems are commonly used for the domestic water heating, space heating, (industrial) process heating, and even for cooling of goods and buildings. The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) 2007 SEC. 523 requires that “if lifecycle cost-effective, as compared to other reasonably available technologies, not less than 30% of the hot water demand for each new Federal building or Federal building undergoing a major renovation be met through the installation and use of solar hot water heaters.” In the United States, different types of solar water heating systems are available and primarily used for standalone buildings. Different design guidelines are available from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) for small size systems. These systems are relatively complex and application of solar based heating in the United States is often limited by economic considerations when compared to traditional heating systems and local cost of fossil fuels. In recent years, numerous innovations in solar thermal technologies have resulted in cost effective large scale systems including integrated solar supported heating networks.