subject: All About Thermal Solar Panels [print this page] Solar panels for collecting heat can either be used for water heating or space heating. Usually, "thermal solar panels" speak of solar systems used for heating the air inside a building such as a home or shed. More and more people are starting to distinguish the usefulness that these systems produce like reducing the expenses for keeping each home or building cozy , low costs and maintenance-free of the systems.
The U.S. market now has lots of do-it-yourself kits, instruction booklets, or professionally-installed systems that can be acquired by individuals who aspire to construct a system by themselves. The common items that are purchased in the market are flat plate collectors and evacuated tube collectors.
Flat plate of material at the center of the panel (behind the glass or clear front piece into which the sun shines) is where the flat plate collectors got its name. For maximum heat absorption, the flat plate is mostly darkly colored (black or close to it). The transparent outer cover through which sunlight passes is absorbed by the flat plate and creates a greenhouse effect inside the panel. This gets transmitted into the building and replaces the cool air inside the structures to a warmer one.
Evacuated-tube collectors appear similar to panels with cylindrical tubes running their length. These collectors are fused to a heat pipe. Usually it's made up of glass (or another semi- or completely clear tube). The heat pipe is where the heat is collected and transferred to heat air or water. There are numerous reasons why the tube is vacuumed instead of placing it there with no pressure inside. The vacuum inside the tubes decreases heat loss and friction which in turn allows the sunlight to heat the tube more effectively .
Thermally-conductive metal is frequently used in both kinds of collectors. This is usually aluminum or copper. Certain European designs are testing with polymer-based collectors and have had fine outcomes so far.
Both kinds of panels are generally installed the similar technique on a structure for internal heating. Air is transported from the building to the panels for heating. Generally the panels are mounted to an outer wall, rooftop, etc. A hole for transport of air is normally required but apart from this, no other intrusion into the structure is required.
Whether the built-in efficiency enhancers are in just included or installed, generally professional units include these in their packages already. Ducts, which can close when the sun goes down or when temperature within the collector drop to a particular point to preserve interior heat and prevent the solar heater from becoming a heat sink, are one of the things included in the package. Another thing that is included in the package is a fan that can be collected to duct work for air transfer throughout a home, etc.
Designs for home-built units can vary. A root material, where pennies are glued and spray painted black, is used in the simple construction. At times the material used is wood or cardboard. Air holes are cut at top and bottom of the plexiglass or plastic cover once it is put on top of of the pennies. As pennies collect solar heat and heat the air around them, these holes allow airflow through the simple units (warm air rises out, cool air is pulled in).
A much better , more complex design can beginning from that classroom demonstration model. These appear more like the professionally-manufactured units and are often indistinguishable. These DIY versions will use anything from old copper piping to empty soda cans glued together and painted black as their collector.
