Vermes
Advanced Member level 4
This is a construction of solar collector – the perfect renawable energy source, an ideal solution for everyone who cares about the environment and want to save money.
Construction:
Stand of this collector is made of 4cm x 4cm wooden blocks, two on edge, so they act as a 8cm high frame. Underside can be made of chipboard of floor panels. So prepared „cuvette” was covered inside with 5cm thick mineral wool. A galvanized sheet with 1cm copper pipe was put on that. The copper pipe was squeezed to the sheet with aluminum foil, which was also a form of isolation.
Galvanized sheet and pipes:
**broken link removed**
Then everything was painted black. Two 5mm thick tempered glasses were put on so prepared construction. The entire collector weighs over 50kg.
How it looks like:
**broken link removed**
Tank:
Capacity of 120 liters. The tank was made of steel.
**broken link removed**
And how it looks with thermal isolation (wool + styrofoam). Temperature drop when water in the collector is colder than water in the tank is 2 degrees Celsius.
**broken link removed**
Automatics:
Way of conection of the collector with the tank allows you to not use pumps, because the collector is placed below the tank, and this allows gravity to work (warm goes up). But in this picture you can see used pump, which is unnecessary:
**broken link removed**
The operation of the collector depends on two simple temperature comparisons (sensors placed on top and bottom of the tank and at the collector outlet) and on their result – driver controls the pump. Main element of the controller is AT89C4051. Program was written in Bascom. In addition to pump control, LCD support was implemented (displaying three temperatures, information about the pump state and operation mode – auto/manual). Manometer, which is equipped with outputs for electrovalves, checks the pressure in the installation. It prevents from changing the changes by adding or subtract water in the installation.
After only 3-4 sunny hours during the day are enough to heat up the entire tank up to 40 degrees Celsius on the bottom and 50 degrees on the top. Maximum temperature at the output is approximately 60 degrees Celsius.
**broken link removed**
Link to original thread (useful attachment) – Kolektor słoneczny.
Construction:
Stand of this collector is made of 4cm x 4cm wooden blocks, two on edge, so they act as a 8cm high frame. Underside can be made of chipboard of floor panels. So prepared „cuvette” was covered inside with 5cm thick mineral wool. A galvanized sheet with 1cm copper pipe was put on that. The copper pipe was squeezed to the sheet with aluminum foil, which was also a form of isolation.
Galvanized sheet and pipes:
**broken link removed**
Then everything was painted black. Two 5mm thick tempered glasses were put on so prepared construction. The entire collector weighs over 50kg.
How it looks like:
**broken link removed**
Tank:
Capacity of 120 liters. The tank was made of steel.
**broken link removed**
And how it looks with thermal isolation (wool + styrofoam). Temperature drop when water in the collector is colder than water in the tank is 2 degrees Celsius.
**broken link removed**
Automatics:
Way of conection of the collector with the tank allows you to not use pumps, because the collector is placed below the tank, and this allows gravity to work (warm goes up). But in this picture you can see used pump, which is unnecessary:
**broken link removed**
The operation of the collector depends on two simple temperature comparisons (sensors placed on top and bottom of the tank and at the collector outlet) and on their result – driver controls the pump. Main element of the controller is AT89C4051. Program was written in Bascom. In addition to pump control, LCD support was implemented (displaying three temperatures, information about the pump state and operation mode – auto/manual). Manometer, which is equipped with outputs for electrovalves, checks the pressure in the installation. It prevents from changing the changes by adding or subtract water in the installation.
After only 3-4 sunny hours during the day are enough to heat up the entire tank up to 40 degrees Celsius on the bottom and 50 degrees on the top. Maximum temperature at the output is approximately 60 degrees Celsius.
**broken link removed**
Link to original thread (useful attachment) – Kolektor słoneczny.