Solar Thermal Space (Air) Heating

Solar Heating

Solar heating harnesses the power of the sun to provide solar thermal energy for solar hot water, solar space heating, and solar pool heaters. A solar heating system saves energy, reduces utility costs, and produces clean energy.

Solar Space Heating and Cooling

Just as solar energy can heat the water for a building, it can also heat and cool the air.

  • Space Heating

A solar space-heating system can consist of a passive system, an active system, or a combination of both. Passive systems are typically less costly and less complex than active systems. However, when retrofitting a building, active systems might be the only option for obtaining solar energy.

  • Passive Solar Space Heating

Passive solar space heating takes advantage of warmth from the sun through design features, such as large south-facing windows, and materials in the floors or walls that absorb warmth during the day and release that warmth at night when it is needed most. A sun space or greenhouse is a good example of a passive system for solar space heating.

Passive solar design systems usually have one of three designs:

Direct gain (the simplest system) stores and slowly releases heat energy collected from the sun shining directly into the building and warming materials such as tile or concrete. Care must be taken to avoid overheating the space.

Indirect gain (similar to direct gain) uses materials that hold, store, and release heat; the material is located between the sun and living space (typically the wall).

Isolated gain collects solar energy remote from the location of the primary living area. For example, a sunroom attached to a house collects warmer air that flows naturally to the rest of the house.

Active Solar Space Heating

Active solar space-heating systems consist of collectors that collect and absorb solar radiation combined with electric fans or pumps to transfer and distribute that solar heat. Active systems can now offer residential and commercial buildings with Solar Forced Air Heaters that provides heat in the form of hot air. Hot air can be provided as long as the sun shines. These systems will not eliminate the current (oil, electric or biofuel) heating system but could reduce the cost of operation by as much as 60%. With Active Solar Space Heating the entire in side of the building becomes the energy-storage system to provide some additional heat when the sun is not shining.

The two basic types of active solar space-heating systems use either liquid or air as the heat-transfer medium in their solar energy collectors.

Air-based systems heat air in an air collector. Air-based solar heating systems provides hot air in the Winter to heat internal spaces and during the Summer the same panels can redirect the suns energy away from the building reducing the amount of radiant heat entering the building therefore reducing the amount of energy needed for air conditioning. Liquid-based systems heat water or an antifreeze solution in a hydronic collector. Both of these systems collect and absorb solar radiation, then transfer the solar heat directly to the interior space or to a storage system, from which the heat is distributed.

Here is a summary of the many different types of active solar space-heating systems:

Residential and small commercial locations now have a very economical space heating system option. These space heating system is based upon the use of hot air collectors that are mounted on an exterior south facing wall or roof. This system can heat fresh outdoor air or inside recirculated air. These collectors are usually sealed units that utilizes a blower or fan to move the air in, across the heating panel and then out to heat the room.

Solar ventilation air preheating systems are generally used in commercial and industrial applications that require large quantities of ventilation air, including: a) buildings that require much outdoor ventilation, such as warehouses, large manufacturing plants, and airplane maintenance hangars; b) crop drying; and c) pre-heating of boiler combustion air.

Solar Thermal Space Heating Comodo
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