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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Solar project description for Area Health Education Center

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5496360

The solar energy system provides space heating and hot water for the 65,000 square foot, six story educational building in Charlotte, North Carolina, owned by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority. The building is used for medical research and teaching by health care personnel, and has a library, classrooms, and offices. The 171 aluminum flat plate collectors face south at a 35/sup 0/ angle to the horizontal and have a single LEXAN polycarbonate glazing. The 4020 ft/sup 2/ (gross area) of collectors were manufactured by the General Electric Company. Solar heated water for use in space heating and service water is stored in an underground 6000 gallon hot water tank. Overheat protection is provided by a heat rejector system on the penthouse. Freeze protection is provided by a 50% aqueous solution of ethylene glycol in the piping loop to the solar collectors. Space heating can be provided by circulating the antifreeze solution directly to an air handling unit from the collectors or from a storage loop heat exchanger. A 240 kW electric resistance coil in the air handling unit is used for any additional heating required. (MHR)

Research Organization:
Mueller Associates, Inc., Baltimore, MD (USA); Ehrenkrantz Group, New York (USA); PRC Energy Analysis Co., McLean, VA (USA)
OSTI ID:
5496360
Report Number(s):
SOLAR/2010-79/50
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English