Best Practices & Case Studies: A HUNDRED SOLAR HEATED HOUSES LATER…

SolarLogic, LLC Bristol Stickney, CTO BSME, MM1, MM4 SOLARTHERMAL‘11 [email protected] DECEMBER 1, 2011 505.577.4633 Our Solar Heating Focus

 Active Hydronic Solar Combisystems  Large Groups of Collectors  Residential & Small Commercial  Existing and Conventional Buildings  New & Retrofit Less than 10,000 square feet. Residential Solar Hydronic Why Active Solar Hydronics?

 Closed loop solar hydronics is directly compatible with existing "hot water " systems.  Both new and retrofit heating systems can be augmented with solar heat, nationally and worldwide.  Conventional construction practices are compatible. (e.g. Radiant Warm Floors) Why Pressurized Glycol?

 Collector fluid does not have to drain ‘downhill’.  This allows Ground Mount and Wall Mount collectors as well as Roof Mounts.  It allows Multiple Banks of collectors with little restriction on their location.  Pumping power is reduced. Small Commercial Solar Hydronic The Solar Heating Opportunity

 Hundreds of thousands of "hot water " are installed in the US every year.  Most of them could easily benefit from supplemental Solar Hydronic heat collectors.  The backlog of hydronic heating systems installed over the past 20 years is an enormous market.  There are millions of homes and buildings that use hydronic ('hot water') heating systems. The Piping Problem: What is holding us back?  There are hundreds of different ways to configure the solar piping and controls.

 The proper design and control can be a daunting challenge to any mechanical installer.

 Too many confusing choices, too many “spaghetti diagrams”. The Solar Design Dilemma

Plenty of Choices from Suppliers Example: “Spaghett i Diagram” Typical Solar Heating Thought Process

 Solar Collectors  Solar Hot Water Tank  Solar Heated Floor  Hot Water Baseboards  Backup Boiler (and other heat sources).  Can we connect them all together?  Can we send extra heat to …the pool, spa, ice melt, more water tanks, hot air blowers, etc.? Primary Loop “Flow Center” Approach

Example: Glycol Direct SLASH-D: The Solution by Design

 We have Multiple Heat Sources and Multiple Heat Loads with Intermittent Availability

 We need a standard system of design and control so installers can "plug and play" solar heat.

 The Primary Loop “Flow Center” Configuration can fill this need. “ZIA Diagram” Primary/Secondary

Note: Temperature Priority Does Matter! Primary Loop Advantages

 Multiple Heat Sources

 Multiple Heat Loads

 Multiple Heat Storage Locations

 Each Connection Achieved with 2 Pipes

 Modular Piping Allows Modular Controls

 Allows Direct Solar Heating of Daytime Loads (Solar heat used 25% more effectively) Dual Primary Loop System Block Diagram

OUTSIDE INSIDE Heat Storage Boiler

DHW Collectors Glycol Water Side Side Heat (Boiler Fluid) Non-mass Exchanger zones Ice-melt zones

Indoor Pool and/or Spa Outdoor Pool Mass zones and/or Spa SLASH-D Program Output Sample From Chaos to Elegance From Wiring to Software

Intelligent Central Control

SLIC Control Functions Include…

 Two Stage Room Heat

 Solar and Backup DHW Heating

 Solar Heat Storage in Tanks or IN FLOOR

 Solar and Backup Heat for Pool and Spa

 Solar and Backup Ice Melt Zone

 Solar Overheat Control of Panels & Tanks

 NSRC (night sky radiant cooling), etc. More Best Practices: THINGS THAT WORK!

 Use Masonry Floors to Store Solar Heat

 Use Radiant Floor Tubing for Pool Heat

 Match the Collector Tilt to the Heat Load

 Use Two Stage

 PV Direct Solar Circulator Pumps

 Solar Overheat Control (NSRC, Dumping)

 Alternate Backup Heat Sources Solar Heat Storage in Masonry Floors

Insulated Mass Floors Provide Direct Solar Heat Banking Solar Pool Heat: Warm Concrete and Warm Water Match the Collector Tilt to the Heat Load CombiSolar Residential Installation - Taos CombiSolar Residential Installation – Jemez Spgs CombiSolar Residential Installation – Taos Two Stage Thermostats PV Direct Solar Circulator Pumps Solar Overheat Control

 Heat Dissipation to Masonry Floor, Water Tank, Pool or Ground.

 Heat Dumping Through Fin Tubes

 Night Sky Radiant Cooling Heat Dissipation to Masonry Floor Heat Dumping Through Fin Tubes Night Sky Radiant Cooling Night Sky Radiant Cooling vs. Heating Case Study: Placitas, New Mexico

Solar Savings: Retrofit in Placitas, NM Six Principles for Good Solar Hydronic Design

 RELIABLE

 EFFECTIVE

 COMPATIBLE

 ELEGANT

 SERVICEABLE

 EFFICIENT