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Residential solar hot water

Abstract

This report examines the feasibility of using solar energy to preheat domestic water coming from the city supply at a temperature of approximately 4{degree}C. Four solar collectors totalling 7 m{sup 2} were installed on a support structure facing south at an angle of 60{degree} from the horizontal. The system worked most efficiently in the spring and early summer when the combination of long hours of sunshine, clean air and clear skies allowed for maximum availability of solar radiation. Performance dropped in late summer and fall mainly due to cloudier weather conditions. The average temperature in the storage tank over the 10 months of operation was 42{degree}C, ranging from a high of 83{degree}C in July to a low of 6{degree}C in November. The system provided a total of 7.1 GJ, which is approximately one-third the annual requirement for domestic hot water heating. At the present time domestic use of solar energy to heat water does not appear to be economically viable. High capital costs are the main problem. As a solar system with present day technology can only be expected to meet half to two-thirds of the hot water energy demand the savings are not sufficient for the system to pay  More>>
Publication Date:
Jun 01, 1982
Product Type:
Technical Report
Report Number:
YEDT-3766-4-8; CE-02913
Reference Number:
CANM-90-005359; EDB-90-076461; ERA-15-030266
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; HOUSES; RETROFITTING; SOLAR WATER HEATERS; DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS; ENERGY EFFICIENCY; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; FEASIBILITY STUDIES; HEAT EXCHANGERS; MONITORING; RESIDENTIAL SECTOR; SOLAR COLLECTORS; YUKON TERRITORY; APPLIANCES; BUILDINGS; CANADA; EFFICIENCY; EQUIPMENT; HEATERS; NORTH AMERICA; RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS; SOLAR EQUIPMENT; WATER HEATERS; 140907* - Solar Thermal Utilization- Water Heating; 320106 - Energy Conservation, Consumption, & Utilization- Building Equipment- (1987-)
OSTI ID:
7177462
Research Organizations:
Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Yukon Territory Dept. of Economic Development and Tourism, Whitehorse, YT (Canada)
Country of Origin:
Canada
Language:
English
Availability:
CANMET/TID, Energy, Mines and Resources Canada, 555 Booth St., Ottawa, Ont., Canada K1A 0G1.
Submitting Site:
CANM
Size:
Pages: (51 p)
Announcement Date:
May 13, 2001

Citation Formats

None. Residential solar hot water. Canada: N. p., 1982. Web.
None. Residential solar hot water. Canada.
None. 1982. "Residential solar hot water." Canada.
@misc{etde_7177462,
title = {Residential solar hot water}
author = {None}
abstractNote = {This report examines the feasibility of using solar energy to preheat domestic water coming from the city supply at a temperature of approximately 4{degree}C. Four solar collectors totalling 7 m{sup 2} were installed on a support structure facing south at an angle of 60{degree} from the horizontal. The system worked most efficiently in the spring and early summer when the combination of long hours of sunshine, clean air and clear skies allowed for maximum availability of solar radiation. Performance dropped in late summer and fall mainly due to cloudier weather conditions. The average temperature in the storage tank over the 10 months of operation was 42{degree}C, ranging from a high of 83{degree}C in July to a low of 6{degree}C in November. The system provided a total of 7.1 GJ, which is approximately one-third the annual requirement for domestic hot water heating. At the present time domestic use of solar energy to heat water does not appear to be economically viable. High capital costs are the main problem. As a solar system with present day technology can only be expected to meet half to two-thirds of the hot water energy demand the savings are not sufficient for the system to pay for itself within a few years. 5 figs.}
place = {Canada}
year = {1982}
month = {Jun}
}