Solair heater program: solair applications study. Final report
General Electric has designed and tested a low-cost solar system using a vacuum tube solar air heater under ERDA Contract E(11-1)-2705. This contract extension has been provided to evaluate various applications of this solar collector. The evaluation identified attractive applications, evaluated corresponding control procedures, estimated system performance, compared economically insolation and insulation, and evaluated the repackaging of off-the-shelf equipment for improved cost effectiveness. The results of this study prompted General Electric's marketing group to do a detailed commercialization study of a residential domestic water heating system using the Solair concept which has been selected as the most attractive application. Other attractive applications are space/domestic water heating and a heat pump assisted solar system/domestic water heating where the heat pump and the solar system function in parallel. A prime advantage of heated air solar systems over liquid systems is cost and longer life which results in higher BTU's/dollar. Other air system advantages are no liquid leakage problems, no toxicity of freezing problems, and less complicated equipment. A hybrid solar system has been identified that can improve the market penetration of solar energy. This system would use the existing mass of the house for energy storage thereby reducing solar cost and complexity. Adequate performance can be obtained with house temperature swings comparable to those used in nighttime setback of the thermostat. Details of this system are provided.
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co., Philadelphia, PA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-02-2705
- OSTI ID:
- 5624906
- Report Number(s):
- COO-2705-3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
EVACUATED TUBE COLLECTORS
EVALUATION
USES
SOLAR AIR CONDITIONERS
PERFORMANCE
SOLAR AIR HEATERS
SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
SOLAR WATER HEATERS
SOLAR-ASSISTED HEAT PUMPS
ABSORPTION REFRIGERATION CYCLE
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
DESIGN
HEAT STORAGE
SOLAR AIR CONDITIONING
SOLAR SPACE HEATING
SOLAR WATER HEATING
THERMAL INSULATION
AIR CONDITIONERS
AIR CONDITIONING
AIR HEATERS
APPLIANCES
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
ENERGY STORAGE
EQUIPMENT
EVACUATED COLLECTORS
GAS APPLIANCES
HEAT PUMPS
HEATERS
HEATING
HEATING SYSTEMS
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR COOLING SYSTEMS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR HEATING
SPACE HEATING
STORAGE
WATER HEATERS
141000* - Solar Collectors & Concentrators
140901 - Solar Thermal Utilization- Space Heating & Cooling
140907 - Solar Thermal Utilization- Water Heating