The working principle of solar water heaters is mainly to use solar collectors to absorb the energy of sunlight and convert it into heat energy to heat water. The specific process is as follows:
1. Solar collectors absorb solar energy
Solar collectors are usually installed on roofs or other sunny places. Collectors are mainly of two types: flat plate type and vacuum tube type.
Flat plate collector: composed of heat absorbing plate, transparent cover plate, insulation layer and shell. Sunlight shines on the heat absorbing plate through the transparent cover plate. The heat absorbing plate is generally coated with a black heat absorbing coating, which can efficiently absorb the heat of sunlight. The heat absorbed by the heat absorbing plate is quickly transferred to the water or other heat transfer medium flowing through the internal pipe of the heat absorbing plate.
Evacuated tube collector: composed of several vacuum glass tubes. Each vacuum glass tube has a heat pipe or direct water inside. Sunlight shines on the outer wall of the glass tube, and the heat is transferred to the heat absorber in the glass tube through the high light transmittance of the glass tube. The heat absorber transfers heat to the water or heat transfer medium in the tube.
2. Circulation Heating
Natural circulation: In this way, after the water in the collector is heated, the temperature rises and the density becomes smaller, thus generating upward momentum. At the same time, the relatively cold water in the water storage tank will flow downward and enter the collector due to its high density. This forms a natural circulation, which continuously transfers the heat from the collector to the water storage tank, so that the water in the water storage tank gradually heats up.
Forced circulation: The circulation pump is used to push the water or heat transfer medium to circulate between the collector and the water storage tank. The circulation pump can be controlled as needed to ensure that the water can be effectively heated under different lighting conditions and water demand.
3. Water storage tank stores hot water
The hot water heated by the collector flows into the water storage tank for storage. The water storage tank usually has a good insulation layer to reduce heat loss and ensure that the hot water can maintain a high temperature for a period of time for users to use at any time.
When the user needs to use hot water, turn on the hot water tap, the hot water in the water storage tank will flow out, and the cold water will automatically be replenished to the water storage tank to prepare for the next heating.
If you want to know how solar water heaters work, welcome to contact Haining Delan Technology, we will do our best to help you!
