COMPLETE COMMERCIAL SOLAR THERMAL SOLUTIONS TECHNICAL GUIDE COMPLETE SOLAR THERMAL SOLUTIONS KINGSPAN SOLAR CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 5 PRODUCT RANGE 31 SOLAR RADIATION ACROSS THE UK & IRELAND 6 SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEMS PRODUCT OVERVIEW 32 HOW IT WORKS: SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEM 7 KINGSPAN SOLAR HEAT PIPE COLLECTORS 34 BUSINESS CASE KINGSPAN SOLAR DIRECT FLOW COLLECTOR 38 • WHY SOLAR THERMAL ENERGY? 8 KINGSPAN SOLAR FRAMES 40 • IS MY BUILDING SUITABLE? 10 VARISOL, AWARD WINNING SOLAR COLLECTORS 42 • MARKET SECTOR APPLICATIONS 12 FLAT PLATE SOLAR COLLECTORS 44 ENGINEERING, SERVICE & SUPPORT 14 UNIQUE FEATURES OF KINGSPAN SOLAR TUBES 46 COMMITTED TO GREEN BUILDINGS 16 • TUBE DESIGN 46 CASE STUDIES 19 • BENEFITS 47 EVACUATED TUBE COMPARISONS 50 • FIN-IN-TUBE COPY / SINGLE-WALLED TUBE 50 • SYDNEY TUBE / DOUBLE-WALLED TUBE 55 KINGSPAN PUMP STATIONS 56 SYSTEM TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS 59 CONTROLS & MONITORING 79 SIZING GUIDELINES 60 SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEM CONTROLS, COMPONENTS & MONITORING 80 COLLECTOR LAYOUT & ITS EFFECT ON THE SYSTEM 72 COMPLETE SOLAR THERMAL SOLUTIONS KINGSPAN SOLAR INTRODUCTION CERTIFICATION & WARRANTY STATEMENT 87 KINGSPAN 97 HEAT PIPE COLLECTORS INSULATED PANELS 98 • HEAT PIPE COLLECTORS 88 BENCHMARK 99 • DIRECT FLOW COLLECTORS 89 INSULATION 100 • VARISOL HEAT PIPE COLLECTORS 90 PRODUCT RANGE • VARISOL DIRECT FLOW COLLECTORS 92 INSULATED DOOR COMPONENTS 101 • HAIL IMPACT TEST CERTIFICATION 93 ACCESS FLOORS 101 • WARRANTY STATEMENT 95 CONSIDERATIONS SYSTEM TECHNICAL CONTROLS & MONITORING PLEASE VISIT: www.makethesunwork.com CERTIFICATION & WARRANTY STATEMENT KINGSPAN This document is not for use as a design tool, it is for guidance only and designs should be reviewed by our technical team. All solar thermal systems should be fully designed by a competent engineer. Kingspan Group plc or any of its companies do not take responsibility for any systems designed using the following details. We recommend that you review your design with us. All descriptions and specifications of products and procedures in this manual are current at the time of printing. However, Kingspan Environmental is continually involved in product testing and improvement, and specifications and procedures are subject to change. We reserve the right to amend specifications and procedures without prior notice. Regulations and Standards The solar thermal system should be installed in compliance with current building regulations, all local standards and Health & Safety regulations. These regulations are statutory documents and take priority over all recommendations within this document. For installation and operating procedures, please refer to the Installation and Operating manuals provided with the product. For system design assistance, please contact our technical support team: +44 (0) 28 38364500. COMPLETE SOLAR THERMAL SOLUTIONS KINGSPAN SOLAR KINGSPAN Kingspan Environmental is part of Kingspan Group, global leaders in sustainable building products for energy and water efficiency. With manufacturing and 25+ 14million distribution operations worldwide, Kingspan is recognised years knowledge and experience evacuated tubes throughout the construction industry for innovation, to support your business installed worldwide design, quality, technical expertise and service. Kingspan Environmental offer an array of products and services that provide renewable energy, + water management and environmental solutions. 25 40 offices across countries in Our Kingspan Solar thermal package solutions, Europe which we operate have been used on prestigious buildings across the globe with great success. Kingspan Solar offer complete solar thermal solutions for commercial, industrial, institutional and residential applications. Our evacuated tubes use the original and best technology and have been successfully on the market for over 25 years. We pride ourselves on not only our world class product, but on the design, engineering, and technical service we provide our customers every time. 2 COMPLETE SOLAR THERMAL SOLUTIONS KINGSPAN SOLAR TOTALLY INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS KINGSPAN ENVIRONMENTAL HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF INNOVATION FOR MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS. Thought leaders in sustainability for the built environment, our ‘gold standard’ products feature in the world’s most sustainable buildings and are tried and tested in more than 60 countries. And because we manufacture and design our own world-class components, delivery is quick and reliable. RENEWABLE ENERGY Inspired thinking is at the heart of our renewable energy offer. High performing wind turbines, solar thermal tubes and panels, hot water systems and heat pumps capture, store and transform natural energy from the sun and wind into reliable and highly effective heating and cooling for water and buildings. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT WATER MANAGEMENT Our high performance environmental Our pioneering brands, Klargester for wastewater and containers are at the forefront of plastics stormwater attenuation, and Kingspan Water for rainwater technology while our award winning telemetry harvesting, offer a portfolio of proven and ground breaking solutions offer affordable level measurement water management technologies. gauges and integrated energy management systems. www.kingspanenv.com As well as remarkable products, we offer world class www.kingspansolar.com consultancy and environmental services, whether it’s a www.kingspanwind.com Kingspan system or not. 3 COMPLETE SOLAR THERMAL SOLUTIONS KINGSPAN SOLAR BRISTOL LIDO OUTDOOR POOL, BRISTOL, UK 4 COMPLETE SOLAR THERMAL SOLUTIONS KINGSPAN SOLAR INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION SOLAR RADIATION ACROSS THE UK & IRELAND 6 HOW IT WORKS: SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEM 7 BUSINESS CASE • WHY SOLAR THERMAL ENERGY? 8 • IS MY BUILDING SUITABLE? 10 • MARKET SECTOR APPLICATIONS 12 ENGINEERING, SERVICE & SUPPORT 14 COMMITTED TO GREEN BUILDINGS 16 CASE STUDIES 19 5 COMPLETE SOLAR THERMAL SOLUTIONS KINGSPAN SOLAR SOLAR RADIATION ACROSS THE UK AND IRELAND SOLAR RADIATION IS A GENERAL TERM FOR THE ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION EMITTED BY THE SUN. It can be captured and converted into useful forms of energy, such as heat, using solar thermal collectors. The technical feasibility and economical operation at a specific location depends on the available solar radiation. The energy from the sun acting on the earth’s surface, over a 15 minute period, is more then the earth’s total energy requirement for a year. The amount of yearly global radiation on a horizontal surface may reach over 2,200 kWh/m2 in sunny regions. In Northern Europe, the maximum values are 1,100 kWh/m2 and are 943 kWh/m2 in London and 990 kWh/m2 in Rosslare, Ireland. The supply of solar radiation in UK and Ireland differs by a factor of 10 between summer and winter, e.g. Rosslare: 6.36 kWh/m2/day in June; 0.64 kWh/m2/day in December. Global radiation comprises direct and diffuse radiation. As sunlight passes through the atmosphere, some of it is absorbed, reflected and scattered by air molecules, clouds and dust particles, this is known as diffuse radiation. The portion of radiation that hits the earth’s surface without any change in direction is known as direct radiation. In the UK and Ireland, diffused radiation makes up between 40% (May) to 80% (December) of the total solar energy available in a year. 6 COMPLETE SOLAR THERMAL SOLUTIONS KINGSPAN SOLAR HOW IT WORKS: SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEM FACTS Solar thermal technology transforms direct and diffuse A 1 solar radiation into useful heat using a solar collector, which should face as closely as possible INTRODUCTION to the south at an angle perpendicular to the sun. E PROCESS 2 D All components work together to heat water from sunlight: 1 Sunlight hits the solar 4 C collector and heats thermal B transfer liquid passing through it. 2 A pump circulates the heated F thermal transfer liquid from G the solar collector to the 3 water tank coil, where its heat transfers to water within the tank. 3 The pump returns the cooled thermal transfer liquid to the Solar collector A solar collector for reheating. the efficiency and quality of the collector determines the 4 When needed, a back-up heat performance of the whole source, such as a boiler, system. on-demand water heater, or electrical immersion Pump station B element, boosts the tank C Hot water storage tank water to the desired D Back-up heat source temperature before it is distributed to its end use. E Hot water distribution system The differential temperature controller monitors and F Solar controller regulates the circulation rate G Expansion tank of the thermal transfer liquid, based on weather and hot water demand. The expansion tank regulates system pressure as the thermal transfer liquid expands and contracts. 7 COMPLETE SOLAR THERMAL SOLUTIONS KINGSPAN SOLAR BUSINESS CASE: WHY SOLAR THERMAL ENERGY? THE SUN - AN UNLIMITED ENERGY RESOURCE Every year the sun provides over 8000 times as much energy as we consume worldwide. A well designed solar thermal system can provide up to 70% of a buildings annual needs. This is why solar thermal systems are one of the most cost-effective and environmentally-friendly renewable energy solutions available – reducing fuel bills and greenhouse gas emissions. Solar thermal energy enjoys many economic and environmental advantages over other forms of energy currently used, including: REDUCE YOUR ENERGY BILLS SUPERIOR SYSTEM PERFORMANCE MARKET-BASED INCENTIVES Cost effective: economical, mitigates Provides up to 96% solar energy Government incentives, for example future energy shortages and price absorption with 5%