Closed Loop Antifreeze Solar Water Heating System

If freeze protection is an issue than a closed system with anti freeze is a good idea.

Closed loop antifreeze solar water heating system.

Installation basics for sdhw systems in hp94 covered aspects of installation common to most solar water heating installations such as collector location and mounting pipe runs soldering and insulation and the control system. Very good articles on selecting the components for a closed loop solar hot water heating system suitable for cold climates. Closed loop active antifreeze systems are the most versatile and failsafe of all the solar supplemental water heating systems. Closed loop solar water heater systems sometimes referred to as anti freeze or glycol systems include the heat collectors insulated piping a circulating pump an expansion tank a hot water storage tank a heat exchanger solar fluid usually a solution of water and nontoxic propylene glycol antifreeze a controller valves and gauges.

The process of filling the plumbing system with this antifreeze while purging all the air out must be done systematically and in the right order. Scaling may also cause valve and pump failures on the potable water loop. The down side is two heat sources. All water heaters waste heat energy even when the burner is off and the unit is sitting idle between heating cycles.

Most new solar homes feature a variation of one kind or another. Glycol or some equivalent antifreeze fluid fills. Hydronic heating systems must be filled with water to provide the heat transfer fluid htf that makes them work. Installation basics for solar domestic water heating systems chuck marken and ken olsen.

In the case of the closed loop solar heating system the htf is typically a mixture of water and propylene glycol. Heat exchangers in the storage tank eliminate a pump but make eventual tank replacement more. Of closed loop anti freeze sdhw systems hereinafter referred to as closed loop sys tems. Propylene glycol and the new bio green are common antifreeze materials we have several options for exchanging the heat to the clean domestic hot water.

Covers closed loop antifreeze systems and drainback systems. Lots on installation detail. A special water heater tank incorporating a heat exchanger works in conjunction with one or more flat plate roof mounted collectors. Closed loop solar water heaters have few limitations with collector placement the collector loop is antifreeze filled and are permanently charged.