Thomas Edison 1931
Solar Thermal Panels
GHE Solar are solar hot water installers. Solar thermal systems otherwise known as solar hot water systems can be seperated into 3 main categories:-
| Homes | Commercial | Swimming pools |
To go straight to one of the above applications for solar thermal please click on the link. Alternatively if you would like to know how solar water heating works please continue to read on.
Click here find out about the renewable heat incentive (RHI)
An average 20 tube collector installation with a 210 litre vented cylinder and all the other necessary components would be suppplied and installed for around £4300. This size cylinder and soalr thermal system would serve 4 people.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
In simple terms solar panels are fitted ideally to a south facing roof at a 35’ pitch, this is an ideal but the panels still work at varying angles and orientations. The panels then collect the suns radiation and transfer the heat to a closed loop connected to a hot water store. From here the hot water collected from the sun goes to your taps via your existing system.
Each solar thermal system can easily be modified to work in conjunction with the three main types of hot water systems: vented, unvented and combination.
Solar thermal can be fitted on average in 2/3 days into a 4 bedroom house with minimum disruption.
Planning assistance
Planning is not normally required for domestic installations. In cases where this is necessary, GHE Solar has extensive experience and can work closely with you advising on your needs.
Please see Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) for financial incentives for Solar Thermal Panels.
Heat pipes for Solar thermal – they use the evaporating/condensing principal
Flat plate v evacuated tubes
There are two types of collector: Evacuated Tubes and Flat Plate.
Evacuated Tubes collectors are the most efficient solar solution currently available, In fact they are one third more efficient than flat plat collectors. Evacuated Tubes are heat pipes, which use the condensing/evaporating principal and self regulate to prevent the system from over heating. The self regulating properties of this type of system have efficiency benefits and enable a simpler installation (eliminating the need for heat sinks, drainbacks or similar safety devices).
Flat Plate collectors while not as efficient as tube collectors, they are ideally suited to areas where aesthetics are paramount, i.e. Conservation areas, listed building or areas of outstanding natural beauty. Flat Plates are considered to be more attractive. Unlike tube collector flat plate collector do not have any in built temperature regulations and therefore subject to over heating in the summer months. To prevent this over heating additional measures are required, namely drainback, where the panel is emptied of fluid once the temperature has been reached, or heat sinks where a domestic radiator is used to disperse excess heat.
GHE Solar recommends the use of a drain back as this eliminates wasted pumping energy.
