Boiler Systems Becoming Increasingly Complex

Solar thermal ISH report

Boiler systems becoming increasingly complex

In boiler rooms the future lies with complex systems. That The step towards complete aluminium absorbers was demonstrated by this year’s ISH, the international has been taken by STI GmbH from Germany (see S&WE 3/2011, page 58) and the Polish collector sanitary and heating trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany. manufacturer Watt Sp. z o.o. from Sosnowiec (see also the Intersolar preview on page 134). There is also very two years, more than 200,000 visitors a trend towards using plastic as a tray material. Span- flock to Germany’s financial capital, Frankfurt ish company Orkli, S. Coop is going one step further Eam Main. However, it is not the financial world and is covering its Oksol-150 tank collector (see that draws the public but the hands-on products for S&WE 3/2011, page 56) with polymethyl meth the sanitary and heating trade that are showcased by acrylate plastic – otherwise known as plexiglass. the manufacturers at the international ISH trade fair. A greater emphasis is being placed on quality As part of the heating industry, large numbers of when it comes to insulating solar storage tanks. solar thermal companies also come to Frankfurt to Whereas most providers previously insulated their present their latest products. However, whereas large combined storage tanks with jackets made of business seems to be booming with heating tech soft PU foam, increasingly more are turning to some- nology as a whole, solar thermal has recently suf what more expensive fleeces made of polyester fered a setback with what have been two rather dis- fibres, which have a better transfer coefficient. appointing years. The cost pressures are enormous, Just two years ago, a whole range of providers and the collector manufacturers have responded by presented harmonised heat pump and solar thermal increasingly replacing copper with aluminium. This combinations. This year, only Kioto Clear Energy AG principally applies to the copper absorber sheets, from St. Veit/Glan in Austria presented such a system which are being increasingly pushed back. Until now, (see page 91). It is actually evident to everyone, how- laser welding was the process of choice for combin ever, that really large savings are only made when not ing copper tubes and aluminium sheets. Bosch just heat pumps but also pellet boilers or condensing Thermotechnik GmbH is now the first large German boilers are combined with solar thermal systems. company to venture into using ultrasonic welding for This is therefore reflected in many new products, this connection. whereby control systems for the boiler room are often

82 Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 Large crowds at Viessmann’s preconfigured for such complex systems. End cus- sonal use of the electricity generated by users. This is booth. In 2011, more than tomers can link such system controllers online with also the reason why Germany’s Stiebel Eltron GmbH 200,000 visitors once again Boiler systems becoming their computer, read out data and display the yield & Co. KG is marketing this combination, given the in- flocked to Frankfurt for the ISH. from the solar thermal system or the heat pump’s co- creased feed-in tariff in the EEG Act for personal con- Photo: Stephanie Banse efficient of performance. Different pump groups for sumption. charging and discharging storage tanks in complex So much for the most important trends from increasingly complex heating systems with several heat generators are Frankfurt. On the following pages we will be present- also available in various designs. ing the latest innovations in detail. It seems that the photovoltaics industry has also Eva Augsten, Jens-Peter Meyer discovered heat pumps. For example, German PV system provider Centrosolar appeared at the ISH for the first time. In addition to photovoltaic components, Overview on ISH trends heat pumps from its cooperation partner, Dimplex, Germany, could also be seen at its stand. The two Collectors: Aluminium wins the race page 84 companies plan to develop an overall system in time Storage tanks: Cosy sweaters for storage tanks page 88 for the Intersolar trade fair that combines heat pumps Solar controllers: Monitoring systems by smart phone page 92 with PV systems so as to increase the user’s own con- Accessories: Valves, sensors, pumps and pipes page 94 sumption of the solar electricity produced. This is all European heating companies: Solar alone is not enough page 100 because the German feed-in tariff now favours per-

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Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 83 Solar thermal ISH report: collectors

prismatic solar glass pane and the laser-welded cover strip made of anodised aluminium. A uniform fixing system was developed for the tray and frame, which Aluminium enables rapid installation with just one tool. The collector is simply slotted into the lower attachment rail and then screwed tight. Quick action hydraulic cou- wins the race plings are used to connect the collectors to one another, which can be installed without any tools. Has aluminium’s triumphal march in collector New collectors were also shown by the BDR construction now really got going? It very much Thermea brands, Remeha and De Dietrich. With the looks like it, whereby plastics are also playing an RemaSol NEO 230 solar collectors, the company above increasingly important role. all emphasised the efficiency, which has been im- proved through optimising the size and design. For mong the companies increasingly relying on example, η0 is now around 82.6 %. De Dietrich has aluminium is Bosch Thermotechnik GmbH from supplemented its PRO C range with its new C 250 V AGermany with its Buderus brand. For example, and C 250 H collectors. These models are also said to aluminium and plastics are the prevailing materials provide a greater output for a lower price. The simple with its new, award-winning flat-plate collector, the connection technology with plug connectors is aimed Logasol SKN 4.0. The new aluminium full-surface ab- at facilitating installation. The company utilises the sorber is welded ultrasonically to the copper harp “steamback” protection system in all its collectors, Collectors did not exactly form pipe array. The frame and rear panel are produced as which automatically switches itself on and empties the focus of this year’s ISH one piece in the form of a plastic tray, making it suit the collectors if required. stands. able for mass production. The collector cover made of Aluminium absorbers are nothing new for Max Photo: Messe Frankfurt / Petra Welzel solar glass is bonded to the tray. The fibreglass- Weishaupt GmbH from Germany. New, on the other reinforced plastic makes the collector not just more re- hand, is its WTS-F2 flat-plate series of collectors, sistant but also relatively light, weighing just 40 kg. which the company has specially developed for roof- The profiled tray with integrated hand recesses facili- mounted and flat-roof installation. The focus is on tates transport onto the roof. properties with a high domestic water requirement, Germany’s August Brötje GmbH, which forms part such as hotels, sports facilities and apartment build- of the BDR Thermea Group, has also switched to using ings, as well as on providing heating support. Inte- aluminium with its new SolarPlan FK 25 R C (frame) grated manifolds therefore enable up to ten collectors and FK 26 W B (tray) flat-plate collectors. It is not just to be connected hydraulically in series. The collectors the frame and tray models available from June 2011 are connected with metallic seals. The full-surface ab- that are made of aluminium, so are the company’s sorbers, which have a Mirotherm coating, are con- vacuum-coated full-surface absorbers. With the tube nected to the closely wound copper meander tubing heat exchanger Brötje is staying with copper, but in- using a laser double-weld. According to the manufac- stead of using harp pipe arrays, the company has now turer, the meander principle has proved equally effec- switched to serpentine-shaped arrays that are de- tive with both high flow and low flow operation. This signed to reduce stagnation in the collectors. The col- technology also offers considerable advantages with lectors’ appearance is determined by the opaque, the bleeding. The solar glass pane is bonded to the

84 Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 aluminium frame with permanently elastic, high qual- Hartwig Wallnöfer. Wallnöfer is still using copper and ity two-component adhesive, which is designed to markets its collectors in the high-end price segment. ensure that the inside of the collector is effectively protected against water ingress. Round collectors decorate Robust, simple and flexible – this is how Elco façade corners GmbH, the German subsidiary of the Italian Ariston Thermo Group, describes its new Solatron S 2.5 flat- APS Arosio GmbH from southern Germany showed a plate collector, which comes in roof-mounted, roof- round flat-plate collector from the Italian collector and integrated and flat-roof versions, and which can be storage tank manufacturer, Teknoenergy. The collec- installed horizontally or vertically. Quick action tor has in fact already been in the catalogue since hydraulic couplings for tool-free installation ensure 2010, but is not expected to receive its Solar Keymark that the collectors can be easily and quickly installed certification until this spring – presumably in April, ac- on the roofs and that the installation costs also re- cording to Urs Bogner, a sales manager at APS. APS main within budget with multi-row configurations. Arosio owns Teknoenergy’s exclusive sales rights for Elco is still using copper as its absorber material. The weather- resistant collector housing made of aluminium profiles with a full- metal base plate offers a resistant casing for the full-surface copper absorber with a highly selective coating. All the materials used can be later sorted according to type and can therefore be recycled. “It’s not new but for us it is the most important factor and is still unknown in Germany,” explains Hartwig Wallnöfer, respon- sible for Marketing und Sales at Wallnöfer H.F. GmbH from South- ern Tyrol. The family-run company equips its collectors with flat pipes on the absorbers so as to increase the contact surface for transferring heat. This enables Wallnöfer collectors to achieve an efficiency of 86 %. “Comparable collectors with round pipes have an efficiency of 79 %,” says

Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 Solar thermal ISH report: collectors

Germany. “The 2 m² copper-copper collector has been face area of 2.90 m², whereby Buderus has installed conceived as a ‘design element’,” he explains. “Two a Tichelmann tube system in the manifold of both collectors placed together effectively form a semi models. This enables the supply and return connec- circle.” They are designed to be installed, for example, tions for the solar piping to be connected on the on house corners. Bogner thinks this will be interest- same side of the manifold. Customers can decide ing for buildings where the roof is already covered themselves whether to put it on the left or right side. with photovoltaic modules but where a south-facing Junkers also offers models with six (VK 140) and corner can still be used for solar thermal applications. twelve tubes (VK 280). In addition, a compact ver- The collectors are already being sold in Italy and a sion without CPC reflectors is also available in the project is being planned with them in Dubai. Bogner form of the VK 230. This collector has 21 tubes, but states that the cost of the round collectors is “almost because they lie closer together and are shorter, the twice the price” of conventional formats, which means 2.37 m² collector requires less space than the VK that they are aimed more at builders of “representa- 280, which is 2.86 m² in size. The VK 230 can also be tive buildings” than private developers. installed horizontally. Nibe Industrier AB from Sweden is one of the Stephanie Banse, Joachim Berner, Ina Röpcke largest heat pump manufacturers in Europe. Two years ago, the Swedish company acquired solar ther- Further information: mal expertise when it took over Sol & Energiteknik APS Arosio GmbH: www.apsarosio.de August Brötje GmbH: www.broetje.de AB. In Frankfurt, the company presented a flat-plate Buderus (Bosch Thermotechnik GmbH): www.buderus.de collector. With the FP215 P/PL, a laser-welded ser- De Dietrich Remeha GmbH: www.dedietrich-remeha.de pentine absorber is installed in a black anodised col- Elco GmbH: www.elco.net Ezinç Metal San. Tic. A.S.: www.ezinc.com.tr lector frame made of aluminium. 20 mm rock wool Junkers (Bosch Thermotechnik GmbH): www.junkers.com and 20 mm polyisocyanurate (PIR), a polyurethane- Max Weishaupt GmbH: www.weishaupt.de based plastic, insulate the rear of the collector. Ac- Nibe Industrier AB: www.nibe.com Teknoenergy: www.teknoenergy.com cording to the company, not only does this provide Turco Group S.r.l.: www.turcogroup.it insulation equivalent to 57 mm rock wool insulation, Wallnöfer H.F. GmbH: www.wallnoefer.it its narrow profile enables an 81 mm thick collector design. Depending on the model, the FP215 can be installed vertically (P) or horizontally (PL). Quick action couplings enable several solar collectors to be connected together. The 215 label refers to the fact that it has a total length of 2.15 m². Weighing 33 kg, it is one of the lightest flat-plate collectors. The sur- rounding hand recess also makes it easier for installers to carry it. Ezinç Metal San. Tic. A.S., which is a collector and storage tank manufacturer from Kayseri in Cen- tral Anatolia, has invested the equivalent of US$ 1.5 million in a new production line for alu minium profiles. It is capable of producing around 2,400 tons of profiles per year, of which Ezinç requires 1,500 tons a year for its own collectors and fixing systems. “Having our own production gives us more flexibility in terms of the design. In addition, we want to pass on the cheaper manufacturing costs through our prices,” says Kutay Ülke, Export Manag- er at Ezinç. According to Ülke, Ezinç also wants to launch a new solar collector fixing system on the market in April. This is intended to be easier to install than the previous version while also being cheaper. Nothing much new happening with the tubes

Apart from the Italian company Turco Group S.r.l. (see S&WE 3/2011, page 56), only the two Bosch Thermo- technik brands Buderus and Junkers presented new vacuum tube collectors. The models shown use “wet- connection”, double-glass Sydney tubes with CPC aluminium mirrors as reflectors. The Logasol SKR6 New SolarPlan FK 25 RC frame collector has six tubes and a collector surface area of 1.46 m² from Brötje with an optimised fixing system and the Logasol SKR12 has twelve tubes and a sur- Photo: Stephanie Banse

86 Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 CEEC2011_SolarThermal_210x297.pdf 2011-4-13 15:59:15

CMY

K Solar thermal ISH report: storage tanks

Cosy sweaters Cartoon: Michael Hüter The new storage tank will also be marketed under for storage tanks their own brand name. The fleece is particularly soft and smooth on the tank side while becoming denser Insulation from soft fleece material is better at keeping storage tanks on the exterior side. However, Bruns employee Jörg Buchholz was reluctant to say where this special insu- warm than conventional soft foam – this was shown to be the trend of the lation comes from. It is designed to reduce the heat season at the ISH. dissipation by 20 % with a 1,000 L storage tank – that equates with the figures specified by Austria Email for ustria Email AG from Austria presented its new their new insulation. In addition, Bruns has developed heat storage tank with the new fleece thermal thick, round insulation caps that can be simply slotted Ainsulation material, Eco Skin, as the focal point on the unused connections. Together with the fleece, of its trade fair stand. In comparison with soft foam, the losses are reduced by about 30 % – with a 1,000 L the polyester fleece reduces losses by 21 %. This was storage tank, that amounts to a good 360 kWh per measured by the Institute for Thermodynamics and year or 36 L of heating oil. Thermal Technology (ITW) in Stuttgart, Germany. The Another storage tank manufacturer that packs its fleece not only has a better insulating effect than soft new Thermo One combined storage tank in a poly foam, it also fits better around the storage tank wall. ester fleece isaltmayerBTD GmbH & Co. KG from Ger- For example, there are no air gaps between the tank many. The fleece is made up of 50 % recycled materi- and the insulation that would create a chimney effect. al and comes from Greiner. The innards of the storage According to the datasheet, 70 % of it is also made tank depend on the customer needs, and can com- from recycled material. To ensure that the connecting prise an internal domestic water reservoir, stainless sleeves do not undermine the effect of the new insula- steel corrugated tube heat exchanger or both. Roland tion, Austria Email also took the opportunity to deve- Eichler, Technical Director and Product Manager, sees lop practical insulation caps for the sleeves. a trend towards large systems. He claims that in con- Gebr. Bruns GmbH from Germany, which is prin- trast to the overall trend, the sales of large-scale stor- cipally an OEM manufacturer, is also relying on fleece age tanks continue to grow, whereby these are with a PS jacket instead of soft foam with a PVC foil. frequently combined with external heat exchangers.

88 Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 Advertorial TRANSSEN COMPANY PROFILE Leader of the Brazilian market Transsen has not only more than 20 years of experience in the use of solar heat. The company has set standards in the Brazilian solar thermal industry. In addition to the product quality, customer support is put ﬁ rst – no matter if it’s a residential or large-scale project.

ranssen was founded in 1987 in Birigui city, São tions all over Brazil and giving incentives to Transsen’s Large-scale application on a Paulo state, in Brazil. It was one of the fi rst com- workers and their families to adopt sustainable practic- residential building Tpanies to exploit solar thermal energy in Brazil es and minimize waste through consumption reduc- and was the pioneer of most innovative steps in the tion, materials reuse and recycling. Brazilian market. For example it was the fi rst solar thermal manufacturer in Brazil to certifi cate its products in Adding value to the portfolio the Brazilian National Institute of Metrology, Standard- ization and Industrial Quality and to launch thermal Thermal tanks and collectors are tested and approved tanks with progressive insulation in poly urethane. in labs through hydrostatic tests and quality inspec- A milestone in Transsen’s history was the year tions, assuring more safety to customers. In addition, 2006, when the company changed from a family to a Transsen works with high quality raw materials and professional management. In that year, Susana Cintra, provides special features in its fl at plate collector President of Transsen, assigned three directors as her line. All the processes are guaranteed by ISO 9001 minority partners and they focused on the revenue in- certifi cation. In terms of services, Transsen is an ex- crease through the company growth in the industrial pert in adding value to its portfolio by providing tech- segment and expansion of the portfolio, for example, nical support pre and post-sales. launching heat pumps. As a result, between 2006 and The Brazilian company has customers with a vari- 2008, Transsen presented a net sales growth of 35 % ety of profi les, such as specialized stores in solar and consolidated its leadership in the Brazilian market. heating systems, construction material stores, hy- By now, Transsen has 200 employees and presented a draulic material stores, heating and air conditioning net sales growth of 30 % in 2010 compared to 2009. wholesalers, swimming pool stores, the government Transsen offers complete solutions in solar thermal (e.g. low-income housing programmes), industries energy, from products to support services, for different and the commercial / services sector (hotels, motels, applications – from residential to large-scale projects. gyms, hospitals, etc). Transsen currently exports to The company’s product portfolio covers fl at-plate col- most Latin American countries as well as to Africa and lectors for residential and industrial applications, swim- intends to enhance the distribution in this region. Fur- ming pool collectors from residential to olympic-size thermore it has a subsidiary in Peru. swimming pools, thermosiphonic compact kits suitable In the next few years, Transsen expects to en- for prefabricated houses, thermal tanks from 50 to hance its leadership in Brazil and expand its presence 10,000 litres, heat pumps, digital temperature control- abroad. Therefore the company focuses on innovation lers for residential and industrial applications and Lab to launch products that add value to Transsen’s port- Transsen, an exclusive remote monitoring programme folio and to expand its national and international dis- for solar heating systems. Furthermore, the company tribution network. In addition the excellence in cus- contributes to the community, implementing social and tomer services pre and post-sales has fi rst priority. environmental initiatives such as donation of solar These strategies aim to maintain the practice of heating equipment to Transsen’s mission to contribute to the change of the charity institu- energy matrix through high quality solar heating equipment and look for the constant improvement of products and services.

Contact: Aquecedor Solar Transsen Ltda. Rua Bento da Cruz, 127 Centro Birigui SP CEP 16200-053 Brazil Phone + 55 18 3649 2030 Fax + 55 18 3649 2032 Product portfolio: Porto Seguro ﬂ at-plate collector, Magnum ﬂ at-plate collector, thermal tank, swimming pool E-mail: [email protected] www.transsen.com absorber and heat pump

Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 89 Solar thermal ISH report: STORAGE TANKS

In developing its new Storacell Eco range of stor- prevents any cavities from forming. To enable the storage tanks for hot water and backup space heating, age tank (up to 1,000 L) to nevertheless fit through Junkers (Bosch Thermotechnik) has also replaced the 80 cm-wide doors, two sections of the insulation can previous soft foam insulation with fleece. The Stora- be removed. Since the storage tank is also treated cell Eco KWS combined stratified cylinder produces with a separating agent before the foam is applied, hot water using the instantaneous heating principle. the insulation can also be removed completely to en- A generously sized stainless steel corrugated pipe in able it to be recycled at the end of the storage tank’s the storage tank provides the drinking water. With a service life. 1000 L storage tank, this enables up to 23.2 L/min to The Italian collector and storage tank manufactur- be drawn off. Alternatively, there are two smaller ver- er Teknoenergy presented a solar tank in which the sions with 500 and 800 L storage capacities. The freshwater station is installed on the outside of the Storacell Eco CBSA works as a combined storage tank tank. The output varies between 20 and 40 L/min. according to the tank-in-tank principle and is available Teknoenergy grants a ten-year warranty for the stor- in five different sizes ranging from 500 to 1,500 litres. age tanks, and two years for the taps. A second, smaller drinking water storage tank is in- A range of new storage tanks was presented by stalled in the upper part of the buffer cylinder. This en- the Italian company Cordivari S.r.l. from Morro D’Oro. ables larger hot water volumes of up to 30 L/min to be Its Bolly Fit is a hot water storage tank for biomass and drawn off. solar heating systems with 200, 300 and 500 L volumes. A polyurethane coating reduces the heat loss- Everything there: buffer with es. The Easy Stratification combined storage tank is freshwater stations suitable for use in combined biomass-solar systems. If the sun begins to shine in the morning, the upper While the trend to polyester insulation is still very heat exchanger in the tank heats up first of all so that new, another trend has been developing for some it can quickly supply hot water. The 3-way valve does time: the trend towards freshwater stations. For exam- not switch on the heat exchanger for space heating, ple, the Hygienik-Solar system from IDM-Energie which is located in the lower part of the storage tank, systeme GmbH in Austria stores heating water and until later. A plate in the middle of the storage tank heats drinking water via an extensive stainless steel prevents the hot and cold water levels from mixing. plate exchanger. A stratification dividing plate pre- With its Puffermas, Cordivari also offers a buffer stor- vents the storage water from circulating. This sepa- age tank with external domestic water heating. The rates the Hygienik-Solar into two temperature areas: heat exchanger, which is fixed to the outside of the an upper one for water heating and a lower one for storage tank, receives its solar heat from the head of buffer heating. The Hygienik-Solar receives the energy the storage tank in order to heat up the drinking water from the solar collectors via a plate heat exchanger. A and then stratifies the cooled down storage tank wa- speed-controlled pump and a 4-way valve control the ter into the lower half of the heat storage tank in ac- heat transfer. They first of all supply solar heat to the cordance with its temperature. tank space above the dividing plate so that hot water Roth Werke GmbH from Germany offers pressure- is initially available. They then fill the heating buffer. resistant heat storage tanks made of plastic. Accord- IDM-Energiesysteme provides the Hygienik-Solar with ing to the company, they weigh two thirds less than capacities ranging between 825 and 4,500 L, and the conventional steel storage tanks. They are also corro- freshwater stations with outputs between 25 and sion-resistant. A stable, removable external jacket 140 L/min. made of rigid polystyrene foam insulates the heat A new stratified storage tank, which is designed storage tanks. The connection and supply pipes run as a heating buffer tank with 800, 1000 or 1,500 L inside the jacket. The Quadroline thermal storage tank volumes, is available from Spanish company Grupo is available in 325, 500 and 1,000 L sizes. Depending Empresarial Lapesa, S. L. from Zaragoza. They pre- on the equipment, they can be used as stratified or sented this at the trade fair with a piping set, fresh buffer storage tanks, as solar and combined storage water module and a solar separation system from tanks, or as water heaters. The company supplements Malotech. The separating systems are available in them with technology modules that, depending on three sizes (30, 60 and 120 kW). With small storage the system, are equipped with components such as tanks, a flat tube heat exchanger is installed directly freshwater stations, solar pump stations, circulation in the tank instead of the separating system. As with pumps, controllers and valves. The company encloses the model from IDM-Energiesysteme, there is also a the technology stations, including the thermal stor- separating panel in the upper third of the storage age tanks, in identical, square housings. tank. Nibe presented its UKVS 230 solar storage tank The correct charging with water is ensured by a for connecting to heat pumps. The Swedish heat pump stratified charging system consisting of a perforated manufacturer offers it with a 230 L capacity, whereby vertical pipe in the centre of the storage tank from it has designed its solar heat exchanger with a size of which water exits at the appropriate height in accord- 0.75 m² for a maximum collector surface area of 6 m². ance with the temperature. The storage tank is com- Nibe offers the UKVS 230 in two solar packages. Its pletely designed in black steel. Lapesa sprays the PU Solar Split system transfers the heat to an air-water rigid foam insulation directly on the storage tank. This heat pump, which can use the energy to operate a

90 Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 heating or cooling circuit. With its Solar 370/470 system concept, Nibe combines the solar storage tank with an exhaust air heat pump. Not only does this supply heat for hot water and space heating, it can also be connected to a controlled apartment ventilation system with heat recovery. Both system configurations are available for pre-assembled solar package solutions for two- to five-person households. With both systems, a charging unit contained in the package transfers the solar energy to the respective heat pumps. Finely tuned: heat pumps and solar

The Austrian company, Kioto Clear Energy AG, has invested five years and ¤ 6 million in developing their “Sonnenheizung” solar air heat pump system. Its first special feature is that the solar collectors are connected with the external air heat exchanger circuit for the heat pump. In winter, for example, this enables the system to use low-temperature heat from the solar thermal system. The second special feature is the system controller’s ability to evaluate the information that it continuously collects on user behaviour and the weather and to adjust itself correspondingly. The heat pump works with high efficiency pumps, an inverter- controlled compressor and also utilises hot gas for water heating. With a 6 kW heat pump output, a 15 m² collector surface area and a 1,000 L buffer storage tank volume, Kioto has designed the Sonnenheizung system for low energy houses. The company is plan- ning to present a system with 9 kW in autumn 2011. Coolwex, the American manufacturer of air-conditioning devices and heat pumps, has also started this year to market solar packages via its European subsidiary in Slovenia. The Coolwex Solar HS is a combined package for domestic hot water and backup space heating. Three versions are available with gross collector surface areas of 15, 20 or 25 m2 and which use Chinese heat pipe vacuum tube collectors. In addition, there is a tank-in-tank combined storage tank with 600, 800 or 1,000 L capacities, a Seltron solar controller and installation equipment. The Coolwex Solar DHW hot water solar systems have heat pipe collector surface areas between 5 and 10 m2 in size and 200, 300 or 500 L storage tanks. It is also possible to combine the systems with air, water or brine heat pumps from Coolwex.

Eva Augsten, Stephanie Banse, Jens-Peter Meyer, Ina Röpcke

Further information: altmayerBTD GmbH & Co. KG: www.btd-gmbh.de Austria Email AG: www.austria-email.com Cordivari S.r.l.: www.cordivari.it Coolwex: www.coolwex.com Gebr. Bruns GmbH: www.bruns-heiztechnik.de Grupo Empresarial Lapesa, S. L.: www.lapesa.es Junkers (Bosch Thermotechnik GmbH): www.junkers.com IDM-Energiesysteme GmbH: www.idm-energie.com Kioto Clear Energy AG: www.kioto.com Nibe Industrier AB: www.nibe.com Roth Werke GmbH: www.roth-werke.de Teknoenergy srl: www.teknoenergy.com

Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 91 Solar thermal ISH report: solar controllers Monitoring systems

company concentrates on stand-alone solar control- by smart phone lers used for retrofitting, including when the heating and solar thermal systems originate from different Whether Web boxes, data loggers or remote data monitoring modules, the market providers. offers increasingly more possibilities for monitoring solar power systems – both for For many years, various solar controller manufac- end customers and installers. turers such as Germany’s Resol GmbH, Steca Ele- ktronik GmbH and Sorel GmbH Mikroelektronik or TEM erman controller specialist Lamberti Ele- AG from Switzerland have also included solar stations ktronik GmbH & Co. KG presented its products in their product range. Conversely, German fittings Gfor the first time at the ISH, although the com- specialists are now also beginning to supplement pany has actually been producing heating controllers their range with own-brand solar controllers. Germa- for the past 40 years and solar controllers for the last ny’s PAW GmbH & Co. KG started last summer and is 15 years. Because, however, the company produced now being followed suit by Meibes System-Technik its controllers exclusively for Elco Klöckner, it never GmbH, which is also from Germany. Its new controller appeared in public. Lamberti is now opening up to the has an intuitive operating concept that navigates the market and in future no longer wants to work exclu user through the menu by means of graphic symbols. sively for just one company. The change in strategy re- The controller can control energy-saving pumps and is presents a completely new departure for the company equipped with a Web server. The controller can also in terms of marketing and sales: “We’re actually a be connected to a Web box in order to connect the start-up with 40 years of experience,” says Gerhard controller with the computer or to access it at any time Platz, one of the two managing directors of Lamberti. over the Internet, whereby the latest data can be Lamberti’s product range begins with the single- downloaded, for example, onto a smart phone. The circuit Latherm Sol Minimal controller with two sensor Web box can be accessed via LAN or WLAN. inputs and a relay output. The Sol Basis can control two circuits using four sensor inputs and two relay outputs. Actively involving end users The Sol Standard version can also control the hot water recharging and has a heat meter and RPM control Although being able to check the system status on for the pumps. The Sol Standard HE can control ener- your mobile phone at any time might seem like a gy-saving pumps. Lamberti also offers solutions for needless gimmick aimed at techno-geeks, TEM has a more complex systems. The Sol Maximal has eight lot more in mind with its RC7000 remote monitoring sensor inputs and four relay outputs while the Sol Plus module. “The system visualisation obliges the end has ten inputs and six outputs that can be expanded to user to take a more considered approach,” says Man- eight outputs using an expansion module. In terms of aging Director Hans Saba. When he sees the savings System controllers can do more accessories, Lamberti provides a data logger, a visual- made by his solar system graphically displayed before than regulate heating or solar isation programme and radiation sensors. his very eyes, he might think about optimising it fur- thermal systems. Lamberti does not equip its burner and heating ther. And this is where there is considerable potential, Photo: Messe Frankfurt / Petra Welzel circuit controllers with solar functions. Instead, the both in terms of technically harmonising the heating

92 Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 system and the user behaviour. The software that TEM provides the end customers certainly encourages an active response from them. End customers can photo- graph their systems, upload the photo and then have the measurement data displayed on the photo of their actual system. The remote monitoring also offers ben- efits for installers. They can monitor their customers’ systems and prepare service visits from home. For TEM, the trend is towards system controllers that control the entire heating technology. The SE controller series is equipped with the basic functionality to control various staged or modulating heat generators, solar thermal systems and wood-fired boilers. The controllers can regulate the heating circuit, the DHW preparation and the circulation. Further models are designed for pellet-fired boilers or heat pumps. If the basic solar functionality is insufficient because several storage tanks are to be controlled or because there are two collector arrays in an east-west direc- tion, a solar controller can be connected to expand the the basement, he can also determine the annual coef- Resol’s new SBS 2000 flushing SE function. The same applies when expanding the ficient of performance of his device. (Further control- and filling station won the system for pellet-fired boilers or heat pumps. The en- ler innovations that were shown in Frankfurt can be Design Plus award at the ISH. tire control system is then configured via a single us- found in the Intersolar preview on page 134). But it is not just looks that er interface. Jens-Peter Meyer count. Julia Braun from Resol Elster GmbH from Osnabrück, Germany, has been marketing shows how well the producing stand-alone solar controllers for years. Its Further information: station also works in practice. Elster GmbH: Merlin system controller system now also has solar Photo: Eva Augsten www.kromschroeder.de functionality, so the company has introduced yield Lamberti Elektronik: measurement and visualisation functions for solar www.lamberti-elektronik.de thermal systems. If the end user has a heat pump in TEM AG: www.tem.ch Solar thermal ISH report: Accessories

Everything revolves around pipes. Whether for heating or solar circuits, without pipes there are no hydraulics. Photo: Messe Frankfurt / Jochen Günther

Valves, sensors,

in corners, many manufacturers are now prominent- ly displaying them, including the Italian companies pumps ICMA S.p.a., Unival s.r.l., FAR Rubinetterie S.p.a., and I.V.R. Valvole A Sfera S.p.a., as well as the Swiss company IMT Armaturen AG. There were also several innovations. Caleffi S.p.a. from Italy is now producing special stainless and pipes steel ball valves for solar thermal systems. The valves can be used between -30 and +200 °C, and The range of components specially developed for withstand 50 % glycol in heat transfer fluid. The solar technology is continually increasing. company produces versions with half-, three- quarter- and one-inch connections. The handle is o solar station can function without high also highly insulated against heat so that you can quality components that meet the special still close the valve without any problems if the Nrequirements of solar technology. When it solar thermal system has just been in operation. comes to automatic bleeders and safety valves, the Giacomini S.p.a., which is also an Italian com- Italian manufacturers lead the way. Whereas in pre- pany, presented a new thermostatic service water vious years you really had to conduct a targeted mixer made of chrome-plated brass in three-quarter search of the ISH stands to find any solar compo- and one-inch sizes. The control range extends from nents at all, and then only to find them hidden away 38 to 60 °C.

94 Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 Savosolar full Al and full Cu direct ﬂ ow absorbers and collectors

Caleffi produces special ball valves made of stainless steel for the solar circuit. Photos (5): Jens-Peter Meyer

at INTERSOLAR 2011 Stand B2.123

www.savo-solar.ﬁ

Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 95 Solar thermal ISH report: Accessories

At Giacomini, visitors walk across genuine grass. The company has provided a perfectly staged presenta- tion of its latest innovations, such as the service water mixer shown here.

New providers of vortex sensors Co. KG from Germany has unveiled its vortex sensor range in Frankfurt. The new sensor is set to go into Vortex sensors can be increasingly found in solar mass production in August. Its core comprises a stations. In 2007, Grundfos Sensor A/S from Den- piezo sensor. This power sensor determines the fre- mark was the first company to introduce sensors quency of the Kármán vortex street that develops Tobias Diehl is a production that can measure volume flow and temperature or behind any impediment in proportion to the flow specialist at Sika. The company pressure and temperature in parallel. speed. The piezo sensor is encapsulated in a plas- offers its vortex sensors in two Other sensor specialists have now followed tic cover made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene sizes: DN15 and DN25. suit. For example, Sika Dr. Siebert & Kühn GmbH & (ETFE) and, sealed with O-rings, is installed in the flow channel. The sensor also simultaneously measures the temperature of the medium. The housing for the sensor is made of temperature-resistant PPS plastic. The sensor will be available in DN15 and DN25 sizes. The DN15 model measures a range between 2 and 40 L/min, while the larger model measures between 7 and 150 L/min. Huba Control AG from Switzerland introduced vortex flow sensors to its range three years ago and now produces three versions. Huba also en- capsulates the piezo element in ETFE while the sealing ring consists of EPDM. The housing for the company’s 200 and 210 models is also made of plastic. The flow sensors are available in sizes ranging from DN8 to DN25. The measurement range of the smallest sensor extends from 0.9 to 15 L/min and with the largest sensor from 9 to 150 L/min. The sensor for the 230 model is contained in a gunmetal housing. It is available in sizes ranging from DN10 to DN25. Whereas the 200 model only has one frequency output, the 210 and 230 models also convert the signal into an analogue signal with either 0 to 10 V or 4 to 20 mA. Huba also generally includes a tem-

96 Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 perature sensor. For customers who do not need the temperature measurement, there is also a model without a PT1000 temperature sensor. That reduces costs in terms of both the temperature sensor and the electronics. Highly efficient solar pumps

The new, highly efficient HEP ST pump fromRichard Halm GmbH & Co. KG in Germany was specially developed for solar thermal applications and has a correspondingly optimised pump curve. An infinite- ly variable output setting enables the pump to be manually adjusted to the solar thermal system. Al- ternatively, the additionally integrated 0-10 V input also enables control via a standard solar controller so that the energy dissipation caused by mechani- cal throttling is avoided. The pump achieves up to 50 % energy savings by using ECM (electronic com- mutated motor) technology. The integrated software start function protects the upstream electronics. The pump housing for the HEP ST has been cat- aphoretically coated to prevent corrosion. Inside the pump, a high-temperature resistant pump im- peller is deployed made of glass-fibre reinforced composite material. In addition, the product’s dur ability is enhanced by using a full-ceramic bearing. The integrated ventilation screw and angle plug connector facilitate installation and servicing. Heat transfer fluids with and without antifreeze

The Fernox company, which forms part of the Brit- ish Cookson Electronics Group, already offers corrosion protection additives and cleaning agents for heating circuits. It therefore seemed a natural step to also offer a heat transfer fluid for solar circuits. Fernox Solar S1 is an orange-coloured mixture of water and monopropylene glycol, which offers frost protection to -28 °C. “We use exclusively liquid corrosion inhibitors,” says Franz-Josef Zimmer, Sales Manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The highly volatile inhibitors are designed to protect the system if the heat transfer medium changes to a gaseous state at tempera- tures above 180 °C. S1 is available in 10, 20 and 25 L canisters. It should not be diluted with water or mixed with other heat transfer fluids. A further product is Fernox Solar Zero+, which is available in both ready-to-use and con- centrated forms. Zero+ does not contain any antifreeze mixture and is designed for use in frost-free areas and drainback systems. It does contain, however, corrosion inhibitors, which are designed to protect the system. The solar range is rounded off with Solar Cleaner C. This is an alkaline cleaning agent that was specially developed to remove glycol residue from the solar circuit. Fernox also offers heat transfer fluids for ground collectors for brine heat pumps as well as for circuits in air heat pumps and floorheating

Sun & Wind Energy 5/2011 Solar thermal ISH report: Accessories

Askoma places considerable value on quality. Coils made of high-quality stainless steel are designed to ensure a long service life. In addition, the actual heating element only begins after a 15 cm-long coil length. This ensures that the heating system does not lie within a flange support, which would create a build up of heat there. Also important are the large spaces between the coils, which prevent limescale deposits forming on them. Askoma also keeps the loads on the heating rods as small as possible with 8 to 9 W/cm2. The heating rods provide an output ranging from 2 to 9 kW. Slovenian solar controller specialist, Seltron, is offering new actuators. Its Promix AVC range is available with 5, 10 and 15 Nm torques. They have a rotating speed of 2 minutes for a complete run- ning angle of 90 degrees. Seltron produces 2-point, 3-point and 0-to-10 volt models. The 2-point operating mode is for simple open/closed functions. The second model comes with a 3-point operating mode that can adjust the valve opening to the left or right in finely tuned steps. The third model oper- ates motors within a range of 0 to 10 volts, whose degree of opening depends on the applied volt- age. Stephanie Banse, Jens-Peter Meyer

Goran Bencek explains the new Further information: Askoma AG : www.askoma.com actuators from Seltron. systems. Depending on the application, the Caleffi S.p.A.: www.caleffi.com frost protection ranges from -5 to -34 °C. Fernox (Cookson Electronics): www.fernox.com Askoma AG from Switzerland produces compo- Giacomini S.p.A.: www.giacomini.com Grundfos Sensor A/S: www.grundfos.com nents that are actually intended to be used as sel- Huba Control AG: www.hubacontrol.com dom as possible in solar thermal systems. These Richard Halm GmbH + Co. KG: www.halm.info are electrical heating rods that provide backup Seltron: www.seltron.eu Sika Dr. Siebert & Kühn GmbH & Co. KG: www.sika.net heating if the sun does not sufficiently shine.

With Fernox, a further provider has penetrated the heat transfer liquid market for solar thermal systems.

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