Posts Tagged: Solar Radiation

The main component of the flat collector is a copper absorber with selective coating, which provides a high level of absorption of solar energy and low emission of thermal energy. Copper tube is installed at absorber and coolant flows through the former. It may be water or some non-freezing liquid, which takes heat from the absorber and simultaneously with circulating through the coil, it accumulates in the accumulation tank (the tank with water).

The absorber body is protected by a collector with a reinforced insulation that also minimizes heat loss. The amount of solar radiation that reaches the surface of the solar collector reaches its maximum only at noon when the sun is at its zenith. Speaking about morning and evening, sunlight falls on it at an angle, and the amount of absorbed solar radiation decreases.

Flat collectors do not work in winter, because even with a two-system` antifreeze, the maximum allowable operating temperature is about -5 ° C. With further lowering loses of heat reduce the result to a level of zero. The more solar collectors absorb solar energy and the less they lose it, the more efficient the system will work. Efficiency of the collector shows what percentage of solar radiation that falls on its base surface, can be converted into useful thermal output. This indicator is volatile and can be determined only in the specific operating conditions in a single moment in time. The lower the temperature to which you want to heat the water, the more efficiency is. Modern flat solar collector work with an average working efficiency of 50%, more obsolete models work with 20-40% of it.

And now we will compare flat collectors with those of high-vacuum tubes type. Their employment is based on a simple principle of a heat pipe, which is a hollow brass rod, soldered at both ends with the extension in the upper part. Non-toxic reagent is inside of it; it evaporates during boiling and in the form of vapor rises into the upper part – into the tip, where the temperature can reach 250 ° C. And it is condensed there, giving warmth, and condensate flows down the walls of the tube, and the process repeats then.

Heat removal can be carried out in different ways, for example, directly from the tip through the glass, soldered to the pipe through which the solar fluid flows. In a closed-circuit it can be freezing liquid-based glycol (warmth comes to storing tank), in an open system it may water (it goes directly into the boiler). Whatever it were, immediately after the absorption the heat is given to the coolant and does not go into the environment. This is the key difference between heat pipes and flat solar collectors.

The effectiveness of heat pipes with U-shaped tubes (the most simple, used in tubular systems) is a cut above that of flat collectors. Due to its cylindrical form, they work fine during the day, because their surface is always illuminated by the sun. This results in a stable energy at different angles of incidence of sunlight. The tubes are well protected from the adverse effects of nature (hail, wind and other things), but in any case, such systems also have weaknesses.

Be smart and use the help of solar power grants to convert your life to enhanced ecological balance with nature. Read about solar power grants, how to use them and where you can find these solar power grants.

P.S. Good info quickly enhances the quality of our life.

Due to this if you are properly armed with the info in your topic you can rest assured that you will always find the solution to any bad situation. So, please make sure to get back to this web site on a regular basis or - best of all - sign up to its RSS. In such an easy way you will have your hand on the pulse of the latest info updates here. Blogs can be helpful, you just need to understand how to use it.

There are several solar pool heater kits available in the market these days. They cost between $3,000 to $4,000 for the materials and labor. In terms of recouping your initial investment, you could probably get your money’s worth in energy savings, within two to seven years. This all depends on the fuel costs in your area.

Solar pool heaters are also more durable than heat or gas-pump pool heaters.

Before getting a solar pool heater system, you have to do a little research. One priority is to find out the solar resource of your location. The design and efficiency of your solar pool heater will depend upon the amount of solar energy reaching the site of your pool. Because the system utilizes direct solar radiation, you won’t need to have sunny weather all the time. As long as the sun continues to rise, it will be effective. Installers can perform a solar site analysis for you, to help you find the best spot for your solar pool heater.

Then you will need to find out the proper size for your solar pool heater collector. Factors that can determine this include the size of the pool, the length of the swimming season, the desired pool temperature, your area’s solar resource, and your collector’s efficiency. The surface area of your solar collector should also be equivalent to at least 50% to 100% of the surface area of your pool.

The efficiency of your solar pool heater will be determined by the collector’s thermal performance rating. The higher the efficiency, the bigger your savings on annual operating costs will be. A more highly efficient collector will also require a smaller surface area.

Before you purchase a solar pool heating system, be sure to shop around for various models. There are various collectors to choose from. Find out which of them best suit your requirements. You’ll have to compare the costs, with the savings you’ll achieve in the long run. Don’t just pick a system based on its estimated costs. There are various other factors to consider.

Check with the local building codes, subdivision covenants, and zoning ordinances that pertain to your pool location. You may be required to obtain a building permit for your solar pool heating installation. Some problems with building code could include excessive roof load, unacceptable heat exchangers, unlawful tampering with water supplies, or improper wiring. Zoning issues can be obstructions to the side yards, some protrusions on a roof might be illegal, and the distance of the system from the street or lot boundary. You’ll need to contact the local jurisdiction’s zoning and building enforcement divisions, and the community association, to find out more about the requirements.

These are a few things you need to know when you’re about to install a solar pool heater. Hopefully these can help you decide on the right model for your pool.

————————

Anna is a webmaster and a blogger who educates others on solar energy uses and cleaner living styles.

For more information on using solar power to heat your pool, see her articles on Solar Pool Heating Systems. To learn more about do-it-yourself projects you can try at home, visit her blog on DIY Solar Power.

Source Article: How to Choose a Solar Pool Heater

Users can now install solar panels in their homes and reduce their electric bills while preserving nature at the same time Although this technology gives countless of benefits, people are still hesitant to use this mostly because of the installation fee and its functionality.

Factors such as site location, house orientation, obstructions to the sunlight and the weather must be considered in setting up solar panels Even when these considerations aren’t optimal, there are solutions enabling you to utilize solar energy to power your home. Solar panels need about six hours of constant sunlight the year round, as the effectiveness of the solar panels depend on the sunlight it receives Solar panels work best if they are installed in an angle of orientation facing the sun.

There are two types of solar power, solar electric power which use photovoltaic cells to convert solar radiation into electricity, and solar thermal energy where the sun’s energy is used to heat water

A good solar hot water panel system is able to provide an average household with around a third of its annual hot water supply. While this may not sound much, it can reduce energy costs by a considerable amount With the integration of solar panels in addition to this hot water system, plus the addition of other renewable energy sources such as residential wind turbines, they can all work together in providing a renewable, cheap and clean source of energy for your home.

How home solar panels look on the roofs is another concern for some homeowners Photovoltaic panel designs, thanks to the latest technology, are now smaller and more compact. Advance technology makes these panels look like ordinary roof tiles, but still has the ability to convert solar energy into electricity and help in cutting back electric bills

One advantage of solar powered home systems is that energy can be stored in battery packs and chargers, so energy sources are still available even during fall and winter, when there are shorter periods of sunlight.

While it is possible for a household to run completely off photovoltaic electricity using solar panels, this is unlikely in most cases The costs involving the installation for a whole house with electricity from solar energy would be quite high for the average homeowner. Solar panels works best with traditional power supplies It is much more cost-effective and energy-saving than depending on fossil fuels alone. You will still depend on fossil fuels but the solar electricity can still provide substantial amount of power, enough to reduce future energy bills
Installation fees can be expensive, but with the constantly rising utility rates, having a supporting source of energy for your home is a good investment. Not only does it protect you from price hikes and power outages, but you will also be protecting nature by using a clean and unlimited source of energy. Solar energy can lower your fuel costs, particularly when used in conjunction with home wind turbine systems.

This article will describe how solar energy is created and cover some of its basic principles.

Solar energy consists of the light and heat emitted by the sun, in the form of electromagnetic radiation.

With today’s technology, we are able to capture this radiation and turn it into usable forms of solar energy - such as heating or electricity.

Although one could go into technical dissertations on the subject of electromagnetic radiation, how it is converted into solar energy, and the exact qualities of its electromagnetic rays, this is not something the average person needs or wants to know.

But in order to benefit the most from the use of solar power, there are a few facts you should know. Knowing these facts can assist you to make a sound decisions, when looking at the use of solar power as a clean energy source for your home, RV, or whatever the case may be.

- Available Solar Resource

The technical feasibility and economical viability of using solar energy depends on the amount of available sunlight (solar radiation) in the area where you intend to place solar heaters or solar panels.

This is sometimes referred to as the available solar resource.

Every part of Earth is provided with sunlight during at least one part of the year. (I say “part of the year” as the north and south polar caps are each in total darkness for a few months of the year.) The amount of sunlight available is one factor to take into account when considering using solar energy.

There are a few other factors, however, which need to be looked at when determining the viability of solar energy in any given location. These are as follows:

* Geographic location

* Time of day

* Season

* Local landscape

* Local weather

Because the Earth is round, the sun hits its surface at different angles, at different locations on the globe. This ranges from 0� (just above the horizon - a good example of this is the north pole during the winter) to 90� (directly overhead, at and near the equator).

When the sun’s rays are vertical (directly overhead), the Earth’s surface gets a maximum of solar energy. The more slanted the sun’s rays are, the longer they have to travel through Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the surface (becoming more scattered and diffuse as they go along).

The more scattered and diffuse the sun rays are, the less concentrated the solar energy is. Because the Earth is round, the polar regions never get direct sunlight, and they receive no sun at all during their respective winter months.

The Earth travels around the sun in an elliptical orbit. Because of its elliptical path, the northern hemisphere of the Earth is closer to the sun during one half of the year, and the southern hemisphere is closer during the other half of the year.

When one part of the Earth is closer to the sun, it receives more concentrated solar energy. This is the time of year that is referred to as “summer.”

But regardless of summer or winter, the 23.5� tilt of the Earth’s axis plays a larger role in determining the amount of sunlight striking Earth at a particular location. The tilting of the earth results in longer days in the northern hemisphere during one half the year, and longer days in the southern hemisphere during the other half of the year.

Areas such as the United States and Europe receive more solar energy between May and September - not only because days are longer, but also because the sun is nearly overhead during this season. The sun’s rays are far more slanted during the shorter days of the winter months. Cities such as Denver, Colorado, receive nearly three times more solar energy in June than they do in December.

- Diffuse and Direct Sunlight

As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, some of it is absorbed, scattered, and reflected.

The following is a general list of materials that cause the sunlight to be diffused:

* Air Molecules

* Water vapor

* Clouds

* Dust

* Pollutants

Sunlight affected in this way is referred to as diffuse solar radiation or diffuse sunlight.

Sunlight that reaches the Earth’s surface without being diffused is called direct beam solar radiation or direct sunlight.

The sum total of all diffuse and direct solar radiation in a given location is called global solar radiation. It is the total amount of sunlight hitting the Earth at any specific spot, both direct and diffuse combined.

Pollution and other atmospheric conditions (such as weather patterns) can reduce direct sunlight by 10% on clear dry days. They can reduce direct beam radiation by 100% on thick, cloudy days.

Note that the absence of direct sunlight does not imply total darkness, as some diffuse light will still get through.

- Measuring Sunlight and Solar Energy

Scientists measure the amount of sunlight available in specific locations during the different times of year.

They are then able to estimate the amount of sunlight which falls on similar regions at the same latitude with similar climates and conditions.

Measurements of solar energy are normally expressed as “total radiation on a horizontal surface”, or as “total amount of radiation on a surface tracking the sun”.

In this last case, the assumption is that one is using a solar panel that automatically tracks the sun.

In other words, the solar panel would be mounted on a tracking device so that the panel would remain at right angles to the sun throughout the day.

This system is primarily used for industrial setups, when it is used at all.

- Solar Energy Measurements

Radiation data (the amount of solar energy available at a given location) for solar electric (photovoltaic) systems is often represented as kilowatt-hours per square meter (kWh/m2). Direct estimates of solar energy may be expressed as watts per square meter (W/m2).

Radiation data for solar water heating and space heating systems is usually represented in British thermal units per square foot (Btu/ft2).

————————

Anna supports of clean living and the use of renewable energy in order to combat pollution and Global Warming, as well as the humanitarian and economic consequences of dependency on fossil fuels.

For more information on solar energy, visit Anna’s blogs, Solar Power and Alternative Energy.

You can also find a wide variety of solar power equipment, solar battery chargers, portable solar power, solar water heating, solar powered weather stations, solar fountains, solar lights, home solar panels, and more, at her Solar Power Store.

This article will describe how solar energy is created and cover some of its basic principles.

Solar energy consists of the light and heat emitted by the sun, in the form of electromagnetic radiation.

With today’s technology, we are able to capture this radiation and turn it into usable forms of solar energy - such as heating or electricity.

Although one could go into technical dissertations on the subject of electromagnetic radiation, how it is converted into solar energy, and the exact qualities of its electromagnetic rays, this is not something the average person needs or wants to know.

But in order to benefit the most from the use of solar power, there are a few facts you should know. Knowing these facts can assist you to make a sound decisions, when looking at the use of solar power as a clean energy source for your home, RV, or whatever the case may be.

- Available Solar Resource

The technical feasibility and economical viability of using solar energy depends on the amount of available sunlight (solar radiation) in the area where you intend to place solar heaters or solar panels.

This is sometimes referred to as the available solar resource.

Every part of Earth is provided with sunlight during at least one part of the year. (I say “part of the year” as the north and south polar caps are each in total darkness for a few months of the year.) The amount of sunlight available is one factor to take into account when considering using solar energy.

There are a few other factors, however, which need to be looked at when determining the viability of solar energy in any given location. These are as follows:

* Geographic location

* Time of day

* Season

* Local landscape

* Local weather

Because the Earth is round, the sun hits its surface at different angles, at different locations on the globe. This ranges from 0� (just above the horizon - a good example of this is the north pole during the winter) to 90� (directly overhead, at and near the equator).

When the sun’s rays are vertical (directly overhead), the Earth’s surface gets a maximum of solar energy. The more slanted the sun’s rays are, the longer they have to travel through Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the surface (becoming more scattered and diffuse as they go along).

The more scattered and diffuse the sun rays are, the less concentrated the solar energy is. Because the Earth is round, the polar regions never get direct sunlight, and they receive no sun at all during their respective winter months.

The Earth travels around the sun in an elliptical orbit. Because of its elliptical path, the northern hemisphere of the Earth is closer to the sun during one half of the year, and the southern hemisphere is closer during the other half of the year.

When one part of the Earth is closer to the sun, it receives more concentrated solar energy. This is the time of year that is referred to as “summer.”

But regardless of summer or winter, the 23.5� tilt of the Earth’s axis plays a larger role in determining the amount of sunlight striking Earth at a particular location. The tilting of the earth results in longer days in the northern hemisphere during one half the year, and longer days in the southern hemisphere during the other half of the year.

Areas such as the United States and Europe receive more solar energy between May and September - not only because days are longer, but also because the sun is nearly overhead during this season. The sun’s rays are far more slanted during the shorter days of the winter months. Cities such as Denver, Colorado, receive nearly three times more solar energy in June than they do in December.

- Diffuse and Direct Sunlight

As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, some of it is absorbed, scattered, and reflected.

The following is a general list of materials that cause the sunlight to be diffused:

* Air Molecules

* Water vapor

* Clouds

* Dust

* Pollutants

Sunlight affected in this way is referred to as diffuse solar radiation or diffuse sunlight.

Sunlight that reaches the Earth’s surface without being diffused is called direct beam solar radiation or direct sunlight.

The sum total of all diffuse and direct solar radiation in a given location is called global solar radiation. It is the total amount of sunlight hitting the Earth at any specific spot, both direct and diffuse combined.

Pollution and other atmospheric conditions (such as weather patterns) can reduce direct sunlight by 10% on clear dry days. They can reduce direct beam radiation by 100% on thick, cloudy days.

Note that the absence of direct sunlight does not imply total darkness, as some diffuse light will still get through.

- Measuring Sunlight and Solar Energy

Scientists measure the amount of sunlight available in specific locations during the different times of year.

They are then able to estimate the amount of sunlight which falls on similar regions at the same latitude with similar climates and conditions.

Measurements of solar energy are normally expressed as “total radiation on a horizontal surface”, or as “total amount of radiation on a surface tracking the sun”.

In this last case, the assumption is that one is using a solar panel that automatically tracks the sun.

In other words, the solar panel would be mounted on a tracking device so that the panel would remain at right angles to the sun throughout the day.

This system is primarily used for industrial setups, when it is used at all.

- Solar Energy Measurements

Radiation data (the amount of solar energy available at a given location) for solar electric (photovoltaic) systems is often represented as kilowatt-hours per square meter (kWh/m2). Direct estimates of solar energy may be expressed as watts per square meter (W/m2).

Radiation data for solar water heating and space heating systems is usually represented in British thermal units per square foot (Btu/ft2).

————————

Anna supports of clean living and the use of renewable energy in order to combat pollution and Global Warming, as well as the humanitarian and economic consequences of dependency on fossil fuels.

For more information on solar energy, visit Anna’s blogs, Solar Energy and Alternative Energy.

You can also find a wide variety of solar power equipment, solar battery chargers, portable solar power, solar water heating, solar powered weather stations, solar fountains, solar lights, home solar panels, and more, at her Solar Power Store.