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A BASIC HEAT EXCHANGER | |
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A BASIC / SIMPLE EXPLANATION | |
The fluid filled pipe from the solar panel enters the water tank and coils round many times. The heat from the pipes is transferred to the water in the tank. A small device in the tank stirs the water to help with the transfer of the heat from the fluid pipes. |
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MORE DETAILED INFORMATION AND DIAGRAM - THE HEAT EXCHANGER | |
Solar heat transfer fluid (a mixture of propylene glycol and water) collects the heat from the sun, as it circulates through the piping, inside the solar panel. It then enters the heat exchanger. As the transfer fluid circulates in the heat exchanger coil, the heat is transferred to the surrounding water. The heated water is used in showers, hot water taps or stored in an insulated hot water cylinder for later use. | |
HEATING WATER THROUGH SOLAR POWER | |
One common use of solar power is to heat domestic
water. Although a typical system is expensive to buy, it pays for itself
over a period of five to ten years. Also owning and using a system such
as this shows that the owner is serious about saving energy and
protecting the environment. |
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Often solar panels (sometimes called collectors) are placed on the roof of a building where the sun’s rays are not blocked out by trees or other obstructions. Solar panels are quite expensive to manufacture and at the moment they are not widely used in countries such as the UK. Why do you think this is so? |
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TYPICAL SOLAR COLLECTOR AND HEAT EXCHANGER | |
TYPICAL ARRANGEMENT OF SOLAR COLLECTORS AND HEAT EXCHANGERS ON A ROOF | |
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