Solar panels with vacuum tubes

Service Description

Solar panels with vacuum tubes

Thermic solar panels are used to heat the domestic water. They provide around 60-80% of the hot water necessary in winter and in the summer they provide the 100% necessary. Thermic solar panels can be with vacuum tubes or flat tubes. We invite you to read below about the characteristics of solar panels with vacuum tubes.

This type of solar panel is composed of parallel arranged tubes, each having a different inner glass tube. The two concentric tubes and the space between them it is vacuum – from where the name of this type of panel comes. The inner tube is covered with an absorbent material, being surrounded by a copper tube through which thermic agent circulates. The vacuum between the two tubes, through which the tube of copper crosses, helps to maximize the yield, eliminating any heat loss.

They are made of a very strong material called borosilicate. Inside them, the tubes contain reflectors that capture and condense the sunlight.

Vacuum Tube Heat Pipe

Solar panels with conductive tubes Heat Pipe (HP)

The solar energy is converted into heat energy through the heat transfer to Heat Pipe system, using the “wings”. The thermic agent from the inside of the copper tube boils at 25-30°C, being converted into steam. They come to the condenser, where the heat is transferred to the heat exchanger and then to the thermic agent and the steam becomes liquid again, returning to the base Heat Pipe tube. Basically, as long as there is sunlight, inside the Heat Pipe tube there is a continuous movement.

Composition and principle of operation

Vacuum tube consists of two concentric glass tubes: outer tube is made of highly resistant borosilicate glass (it can withstand to the impact with hail up to 3 cm in diameter); the inner tube of borosilicate glass, being coated with a special layer (Al-N / Al), highly absorbent and with a minimum coefficient of reflection of the light. The vacuum between the two tubes is maintained by the use of a barium getter, and the bottom of the tube is protected by a layer of barium. It is an indicator of vacuum, getting white if the tube is cracked somehow (its original colour is silver) and showing us if the tube works.

Inside the concentric glass tubes, a conductor tube is inserted, which provides the heat transfer (from hot to cold). The thermic conductor tube is made of copper, and it is filled with a substance called thermic agent, which boils maximum at 30 Celsius degrees, changing from liquid to gaseous (steam).

The thermic tube serves to take the heat from the steam which returns back into a liquid state, at the end of the tube called condenser (heat transfer area). Here, the vaporized substance releases the heat received from evaporation. During the operation of thermic tube, the transfer cycle from hot to cold and vice versa is continuously.

At the end of the tube called the condenser, the substance condenses and releases the absorbed heat to evaporation. During the operation of the thermic tube, this cycle occurs continuously, the heat is transferred from the warm body to the cold body. The condenser is inserted into the solar collector body, being immersed in thermic agent, the latter one being the cold body which receives the heat and the vacuum tube part which is given by the warm body.

The entire collector system consists of boiler, circulation pump, expansion tank and solar controller.

Advantages

The solar panels with vacuum tubes are most effective in capturing the solar energy, the layer of borosilicate glass and the vacuum from inside serving to give a yield of 96% (solar energy that falls on the panel, confronted by the energy captured by the panel).

These panels can provide 70% -80% of the necessary hot water in winter and 100% during the warm season, when the insulation level increases considerably.

Uses

Most often, this type of solar panel is used for heating the domestic water, contribution to heating (radiators or floor) or even the pool water!

Solar panels with unpressurised collectors provide up to 70% of the necessary hot water during the summer, while the pressurized collectors provide performance up to 100% at any time of year.

Solar panels with vacuum tubes Superconducting .   Composition and principle of operation

Inside the vacuum tube is placed a thermic tube, on which the small plates are attached to capture the solar light. The tube is assembled with all its components, forming a whole: borosilicate glass tube, light-gathering plates, degasser, aluminium cut-out and the condenser.

The operating principle is the same as in the vacuum tubes with Heat Pipe conductive tubes, relying on the heat transfer from a warm body to a cold body. The thermic pipe, which acts as warm body, is closed at both ends and contains a thermic agent which boils at low temperatures of 25-30 Celsius degrees. It passes from gaseous into liquid ceding the heat from the thermic tube to solar collector (boiler). Depending on the method of heat transfer, the collector can be pressurized or unpressurised. Find out the differences between the two types of collectors.

Vacuum Tube Superconductor .  Advantages

Such type of panels has a high efficiency degree in terms of capturing the solar energy, operating at good yield even if in cloudy days. Due to the vacuum insulation, the heat losses are minimized, while the absorption level is maximal (because of the cylindrical structure of tubes, the sun’s rays always fall at right angles on their surface). These panels are resistant to mechanical shocks (hail) and they have a minimum lifespan of 15 years.

House Refurbishment in London. New Build in London.

Flat Refurbishment in London. New Build in London.

House Extension and Refurbishment in London.

Loft Conversion and Refurbishment in London.

House Renovation and Refurbishment in London.

Office Refurbishment, Shop Refurbishment in London.

Bathroom and Kitchen Refurbishment in London.

Electricians and Plumbers in London. Refurbishment London.

Kitchen Furniture Fitting in London. Cleaning in London.