Solar Geysers And Sustainable Energy Resources
The issue of solar geysers and other types of sustainable energy sources in households, continue to be in news reports and the subject of conferences and other types of lobbying for environmentally friendly power. In a land like South Africa which relishes a good amount of sunlight, solar powered energy is a good idea and Eskom even provide for a rebate on such setups to encourage people to install solar geysers. But is the situation as easy as just adding solar geysers and live contentedly ever after?
Consider Upington. The heat range in Upington is calculated at the airport, where in summer it can reach 40 degrees Celsius and higher. Around town with its tarred roads and tin roofs, it is claimed by citizens to reach 50 degrees Celsius. It is a renowned fact that a German vehicle company test all of their SA destined models in Upington in summer months to ascertain if the vehicles will endure extreme heat situations. Now, when it gets that scorching (and you are unable to control the heat of the sun by thermostat) what happens in a solar geyser procedure? Will it merely boil over or will it blow up or can it be regulated? Don't forget this unit installation sits on your roof structure in Upington! Let's on the flip side consider Sutherland, it being the coldest part of the country in the winter months. How on earth are you to persuade your ten year old boy that despises to bath at the best of times, to bath when the geyser located on the roof is frozen?
So it would appear that the issue of putting in solar geysers is not so simple after all and that you need to do your homework on these before you take up your spanners to fit one. There are three varieties of solar heaters, being: direct solutions, indirect devices and evacuated tube solutions. So, what design is fine for Upington and which is OK for Sutherland? To start with let's understand what an evacuated tube is. Evacuated pipes absorb solar energy and convert it into heat which then heats water. These are dual glass tubes made of very strong glass. The outer tube is see-through and allows the sun's rays to pass through while the inner tube is protected with a chemical that soaks up the sunlight very effectively. During the manufacturing process air between the two pipes are pumped out leaving a vacuum and through a heat process the two tubes are merged together, leaving a vacuum - so it functions like a vacuum flask keeping the water warm.
Direct systems contain one or more solar power panels or evacuated tubes. Water is pumped into the panels or tubes, gets heated and stored in the geyser. The problem is that in Sutherland the water can freeze in winter which results in cold water and possible damage to the system. So a direct system won't work in Sutherland. Indirect systems also include things like solar panels or evacuated tubes, but instead of pumping water direct into the panels, anti freeze circulate the panels. When the liquid is hot it moves into the geyser, where after it flows into a sleeve on the geyser. The anti-freeze stops the water from freezing and assists it to stay warm. Definitely the system for Sutherland!
Evacuated tubes warm the water too high for Upington, resulting in burst geysers, so the direct system with solar energy panels will be better suited.
Consider Upington. The heat range in Upington is calculated at the airport, where in summer it can reach 40 degrees Celsius and higher. Around town with its tarred roads and tin roofs, it is claimed by citizens to reach 50 degrees Celsius. It is a renowned fact that a German vehicle company test all of their SA destined models in Upington in summer months to ascertain if the vehicles will endure extreme heat situations. Now, when it gets that scorching (and you are unable to control the heat of the sun by thermostat) what happens in a solar geyser procedure? Will it merely boil over or will it blow up or can it be regulated? Don't forget this unit installation sits on your roof structure in Upington! Let's on the flip side consider Sutherland, it being the coldest part of the country in the winter months. How on earth are you to persuade your ten year old boy that despises to bath at the best of times, to bath when the geyser located on the roof is frozen?
So it would appear that the issue of putting in solar geysers is not so simple after all and that you need to do your homework on these before you take up your spanners to fit one. There are three varieties of solar heaters, being: direct solutions, indirect devices and evacuated tube solutions. So, what design is fine for Upington and which is OK for Sutherland? To start with let's understand what an evacuated tube is. Evacuated pipes absorb solar energy and convert it into heat which then heats water. These are dual glass tubes made of very strong glass. The outer tube is see-through and allows the sun's rays to pass through while the inner tube is protected with a chemical that soaks up the sunlight very effectively. During the manufacturing process air between the two pipes are pumped out leaving a vacuum and through a heat process the two tubes are merged together, leaving a vacuum - so it functions like a vacuum flask keeping the water warm.
Direct systems contain one or more solar power panels or evacuated tubes. Water is pumped into the panels or tubes, gets heated and stored in the geyser. The problem is that in Sutherland the water can freeze in winter which results in cold water and possible damage to the system. So a direct system won't work in Sutherland. Indirect systems also include things like solar panels or evacuated tubes, but instead of pumping water direct into the panels, anti freeze circulate the panels. When the liquid is hot it moves into the geyser, where after it flows into a sleeve on the geyser. The anti-freeze stops the water from freezing and assists it to stay warm. Definitely the system for Sutherland!
Evacuated tubes warm the water too high for Upington, resulting in burst geysers, so the direct system with solar energy panels will be better suited.
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