Reliability and maintainability evaluation of freezing in solar systems

Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6534709

Chopra, P S; Wolosewicz, R M

Based on a review of 47 operational solar demonstration sites, approximately 30% of these sites experienced freezing problems. Some of these problems were caused by inattention to engineering details. Other problems resulted from a lack of knowledge of the specific requirements of solar systems. The information reviewed on 47 of the operational solar demonstration sites indicated that water-glycol systems should provide more reliable freeze protection than water systems as long as an adequate glycol concentration is installed initially and then maintained. If glycol make-up is required, a manually operated pump should be used. The water system freezing problems were due to several factors which the design of reliable water solar system should consider. These factors are listed.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6534709
• Report Number(s): ANL/SDP-TM-78-3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140901* -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Space Heating & Cooling
141000 -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
AIR
AIR HEATERS
ALCOHOLS
ANTIFREEZE
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
DRAIN-DOWN SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
FLUIDS
FREEZE PROTECTION
FREEZE-CYCLE SYSTEM
FREEZING
GASES
GLYCOLS
HEAT TRANSFER FLUIDS
HEATERS
HEATING SYSTEMS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MAINTENANCE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PUMPS
RELIABILITY
SOLAR AIR HEATERS
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR COOLING SYSTEMS
SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
VALVES
VENTS
WATER