In the entire world, the most common application of solar energy is heating. Solar water heaters are devices that heat for household, industrial and commercial needs using solar energy. A solar water system with capacity of 100 litres per day can annually save up to 1500 units of electricity.
The Components
A solar heating system comprises of a flat plate solar collector, connecting pipes (which carry water from the collector to the tank, and to the end user), and a storage tank.
- The collector contains copper sheets comprising of copper tubes welded together (coated with a black coating for highly absorbance) with an insulating material at the back and a toughened glass sheet on top. A flat box houses the entire assembly.
- In some models, the copper sheets are replaced by evacuated glass tubes. In such models, insulating box and cover sheet are not present.
Its Working
The Solar Water Heater system is usually installed on an open ground or the roof. The collector is placed such that it faces the sun. This system is connected to a continuous supply. It flows through the tubes gets heated by absorbing the sun’s heat. The thus heated is stored in a tank for future use. The insulation in the storage tank keeps it hot overnight. Thus, the absorption of solar radiation by the black surfaces helps in heating, and the insulation of the pipes and the storage tank helps in keeping hot.
Its Uses
- Water heated can be used for cleaning, washing and bathing.
- By using this, you can save electricity spent by an electric geyser. It also saves cost used on power generation. Thus, you can contribute to the nation’s economy as well by going solar.
- It ensures that you have uninterrupted supply even if there are power cuts in your area.
- They are non-polluting. By going for this you can prevent carbon-dioxide emission. Thus, it has environmental benefits too.
- They have a life span of 15-20 years.
Types of Heating Systems
These systems are of three types. These include the flat plate collectors, evacuated tube collectors, and concentrating collectors. The most common type used in residential settings in our country are the flat plate collectors. In comparison to its counterparts, it is cheaper. Evacuated tube collectors are not commonly available, but have been proposed for residential systems. For industrial use and power generation, concentrating collectors are useful.
These solar systems are increasingly being used in india. Annually, over 20,000 heating systems are installed in residential settings all over the country. If you too would like to install one in your home, industrial or commercial settings, check at online stores. You may even get free installation offers.
