Monday, September 16, 2013

Introduction to Active Solar Energy


shows components of a close loop solar water heater


Active solar energy water heating systems
use pumps so that water is circulated well within the system. There are several applications that you can try depending on your setup. Here are some tips.

The Advantages


solar air conditioner in a window
Active solar energy can provide people with many benefits. It can be used on your present home regardless of the current design or orientation. Active solar energy can produce a lot more solar thermal energy compared to passive solar energy. The heat energy created can be used easily all throughout the house. Electricity requirements are also reduced thereby boosting your savings.

The Components


There are three main components in active solar energy. First is solar energy collection which involves the use of solar collectors. The most basic collector is the flat-plate collector. This is an insulated box covered with glass. Inside the box, you will see black absorber plates that absorb solar energy and transform it into heat. The heat energy is moved to a fluid, air or water that will flow through the collector. This will ensure if the system is air-based or liquid-based. Solar energy storage can be done using thermal mass or water tanks for liquid based systems. Air-based systems will have to rely on rock bins to contain the heated air. Solar energy distribution is the third component which is based on the kind of system.


The Types


There are 3 types of active solar applications that you can readily use in the home namely active solar pool heating, active solar space heating and active solar water heating. Active solar space heating can heat air inside the house by using pumps, blowers and fans that will distribute and gather heat. The systems can be either air-based or liquid-based. Air-based systems use rock bins or thermal mass, while liquid-based systems use thermal mass or water tanks.

Active solar water heating can heat water in the home with the use of pumps. There are two kinds of solar water heating systems namely direct and indirect systems. Direct systems heat the current household water in solar collectors. Water is pumped to a tank after heating. Indirect systems use heat transfer fluid. The fluid is heated in solar collectors, then pumped to a storage tank. This is also known as a closed-loop system.

The Third Type


swiming pool with the solar heating panel
Active solar pool heating involves the use of pumps to properly circulate the water in the pool via solar collectors to heat and then return to the pool. The pool becomes a storage medium for heated water so you do not need any more water storage tanks. If you use active solar pool heating, you can extend the swim periods of the family and reduce the heating costs of maintaining the pool. Active solar energy is a smart option for individuals who want to save more in heating costs.

Related Post: Swim Time Solar Heating System




Solar power: an introduction (video)


Published on Mar 9, 2011
How solar energy can be used to heat water (solar-thermal) or generate electricity (solar-PV), and where they can be used. This is part of PlanLoCaL (http://www.planlocal.org.uk), a project from the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), that helps communities influence local planning policy and contribute to a low-carbon and renewable energy future (http://www.cse.org.uk).



Thank you for taking your time to read my post "Introduction to Active Solar Energy". You might be interested in some of my post listed below. You could go to my Solar page, where I have solar products that i have been looking at. There is my esolar page that is powered by Amazon. Or maybe you can find something interesting in the related articles. Take your time and check out my site. With some feedback I could make it better
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