The main task of a solar collector is to convert the energy received from the sun into electricity. The principle of operation and the design of the equipment are simple, so it is technically easy to make it. As a rule, the received energy is used for heating buildings. Making a solar collector for heating a house with your own hands must begin with the selection of all components.

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    Design and principle of operation

    Heating a house with the help of converting solar energy into electrical energy is used, as a rule, as an additional source of heat, and not the main one. On the other hand, if you install a high-power structure, and convert all the appliances in the house to electricity, then you can only get by with a solar collector.

    But it is worth remembering that heating with solar collectors without additional heat sources is possible only in southern regions. In this case, there should be a lot of panels. They must be positioned in such a way that they do not have a shadow (for example, from trees). Panels should be placed with the front side in the direction that is maximally illuminated by the sun throughout the day.

    Solar energy concentrators

    Although today there are many varieties of such devices, the principle of operation is the same for all. Any scheme takes solar energy and transfers it to the consumer, representing a circuit with a serial arrangement of devices. The components that produce electricity are solar panels or collectors.

    The collector consists of tubes that are connected in series with the inlet and outlet. They can also be arranged in the form of a coil. Inside the tubes is process water or a mixture of water and antifreeze. Sometimes they are filled with just air flow. The circulation is carried out by physical phenomena such as evaporation, change state of aggregation, pressure and density.

    Absorbers perform the function of collecting solar energy. They have the form of a solid black metal plate or a structure of many plates interconnected by tubes.

    For the manufacture of the housing cover, materials with high light transmission are used. Often this is either plexiglass or hardened species ordinary glass. Polymeric materials are sometimes used, but plastic collectors are not recommended. This is due to its large expansion from heating by the sun. As a result, depressurization of the housing may occur.

    If the system will be operated only in autumn and spring, then water can be used as a heat carrier. But in winter time her must be replaced with a mixture of antifreeze and water. In classical designs, the role of the coolant is played by air that moves through the channels. They can be made from a regular profiled sheet.

    Experience in operating a solar battery made independently (solar battery part 3).

    If the collector is to be installed to heat a small building that is not connected to autonomous system heating a private house or centralized networks, then a simple system with one circuit and a heating element at its beginning will do. The scheme is simple, but the feasibility of its installation is disputed, since it will only work in sunny summer. However, circulation pumps and additional heaters are not required for its operation.

    With two circuits, everything is much more complicated, but the number of days when electricity will be actively generated increases several times. In this case, the collector will process only one circuit. Most of the load is placed on a single device that runs on electricity or another type of fuel.

    Although the performance of the device directly depends on the number of sunny days per year, and the price is too high, it is still very popular among the population. No less common is the production of solar heat exchangers with their own hands.

    Temperature classification

    Solar systems are classified according to various criteria. But in devices that can be made independently, you should pay attention to the type of coolant. Such systems can be divided into two types:

    • use of various liquids;
    • air structures.

    The former are used most often. They are more productive and allow you to directly connect the collector to the heating system. Temperature classification is also common. within which the device can operate:

    DIY solar battery Part11

    The last type of solar systems works thanks to a very complex principle of solar energy transmission. The equipment needs a lot of space. If you place it in a country cottage, then it will occupy the predominant part of the site. To produce energy, you will need special equipment, so to make such solar system alone would be almost impossible.


    DIY manufacturing

    The process of making a solar heater with your own hands is quite exciting, and the finished design will bring many benefits to the owner. Thanks to such a device, it is possible to solve the problem of space heating, water heating and other important economic tasks.

    Materials for self-production

    An example is the process of creating a heating device that will supply heated water to the system. The cheapest way to produce a solar collector is to use wooden blocks and plywood as the main materials, as well as chipboard boards. Alternatively, you can use aluminum profiles and metal sheets, but they will cost more.

    All materials must be moisture resistant, that is, meet the requirements for outdoor use. Qualitatively manufactured and installed solar collector can serve from 20 to 30 years. In this regard, the materials must have the necessary performance characteristics for use throughout the entire period. If the case is made of wood or chipboard, then to extend the service life it is impregnated with water-polymer emulsions and varnish.

    Overview: Homemade a solar panel(battery).

    The necessary materials for manufacturing can either be bought on the market in the public domain, or you can make a design from improvised materials that can be found in any household. Therefore, the main thing you need to pay attention to is the price of materials and components.

    Arrangement of thermal insulation

    To reduce heat loss, insulating material is laid on the bottom of the box. For it, you can use foam, mineral wool, etc. modern industry provides big choice various heaters. For example, good option will use foil. It will not only prevent heat loss, but will also reflect the sun's rays, which means it will increase the heating of the coolant.

    In the case of using polystyrene foam or polystyrene for insulation, grooves can be cut for the tubes and mounted in this way. As a rule, the absorber is fixed to the bottom of the housing and laid on the insulating material.

    Collector heat sink

    The heat sink of the solar collector is an absorbent element. It is a system consisting of tubes through which the coolant moves, and other parts, usually made from copper sheets.

    The best material for the tubular part is copper. But home craftsmen invented a cheaper option - polypropylene hoses, which are twisted into a spiral shape. Fittings are used to connect to the system at the inlet and outlet.

    Improvised materials and means are allowed to use various, that is, almost any that are on the farm. A do-it-yourself heat collector can be made from an old refrigerator, polypropylene and polyethylene pipes, steel panel radiators and other improvised means. An important factor when choosing a heat exchanger is the thermal conductivity of the material from which it is made.


    The ideal option for creating a homemade water collector is copper. It has the highest thermal conductivity. But the use of copper tubes instead of polypropylene does not mean that the device will produce much more warm water. On equal terms, copper pipes will be 15-25% more efficient than installing polypropylene counterparts. Therefore, the use of plastic is also advisable, besides, it is much cheaper than copper.

    When using copper or polypropylene, all connections (threaded and welded) must be sealed. Possible arrangement of pipes - parallel or in the form of a coil. The top of the main structure with tubes is covered with glass. With the form in the form of a coil, the number of connections and, accordingly, the possible formation of leaks is reduced, and a uniform movement of the coolant through the tubes is ensured.

    Not only glass can be used to cover the box. For these purposes, translucent, matte or corrugated materials are used. You can use acrylic modern analogues or monolithic polycarbonates.

    In the manufacture of the classic version, you can use tempered glass or plexiglass, polycarbonate materials, etc. A good alternative would be the use of polyethylene.

    It is important to consider that the use of analogues (corrugated and matte surfaces) helps to reduce bandwidth Sveta. In factory models, special solar glass is used for this. It has a little iron in its composition, which ensures low heat loss.

    Accumulative tank of the installation

    To create a storage tank, you can use any container with a volume of 20 to 40 liters. A scheme with several tanks is also used, which are interconnected into one system. It is advisable to insulate the tank, otherwise the heated water will quickly cool down.

    If you look, then there is no accumulation in this system, and the heated coolant must be used immediately. Therefore, the storage tank is used for:

    • maintaining pressure in the system;
    • antechamber replacement;
    • hot water distribution.

    Of course, a solar collector made by oneself at home will not provide the quality and efficiency characteristic of factory-made models. Using only improvised materials, about a high coefficient useful action not worth talking about. In industrial designs, such indicators are several times higher. However, the financial costs will be much less here, as improvised means are used. A do-it-yourself solar installation will significantly increase the level of comfort in country house, as well as reduce the cost of other energy resources.

This publication presents the results of extensive research by blogger Sergey Yurko. Shown are 3 solar collectors made by the master with his own hands and the most efficient of them is the so-called 3-film collector, it heats water up to 60 degrees. There is a simpler 2 film, and it is able to bring water up to 55 degrees. The simplest and cheapest 1 film, but it only provides heating up to 35 or 40 degrees.

The cost of one square meter of these primitive collectors is about a thousand times cheaper than factory counterparts, and therefore the question arises: what is so good about branded collectors that they cost a thousand times more than primitive ones that anyone can make with their own hands in a few hours, spending meager money.

We will compare simple collectors with expensive factory models in terms of efficiency, economic feasibility and other characteristics. And far from always this comparison is in favor of factory devices. A video on the topic: we will make the simplest solar collectors and see what they are capable of. We will also find out in which cases it makes sense to abandon cheap solar heat from these primitive structures in order to pay hundreds or thousands of times more expensive to get the same effect from more expensive devices.

The personal interest of the author of the video in the topic is based on the assumption that factory solar collectors are an evolutionary dead end for solar thermal energy, since, for example, solar panels have fallen in price by more than a hundred times over the past few decades and the graph shows the process of price reduction.

The idea arises that the evolution of solar collectors has gone the wrong way and therefore it makes sense to return to the simplest technologies.

The black film is the only thing that the 1-film primitive collector consists of, that is, water is poured onto the film and it is obvious that during the sun this water will heat up. It can be bought at the market in any city. The master bought three square meters for 15 hryvnias. The cost of the collector is 15 euro cent per square meter.

But it makes sense to add one more - a transparent film that will cover the surface of the heated water. The heating temperature increases drastically as the second film stops the water from evaporating. It is sold in any greenhouse bazaar and because of this second layer the cost of the collector increases to 35 euro cents per square meter.

But there is also a 3 film version and the additional film is also transparent, it will increase the cost of the collector to 55 euro cents per square meter.


Function 3 films, like the glass of a factory flat collector, that is, a layer of air several centimeters thick is formed between the glass and the black absorber, the air is a heat insulator.

How many films are needed for good water heating?

Experimental measurements gave unexpected results, since it turned out that in our case the result of using the third film is not as effective as in the case of a factory flat collector - the water heating temperature increases, but only by a few degrees. Moreover, our three collectors can have different designs. For example, 2 film - a transparent polyethylene film, is sold in the bazaars in the form of a sleeve. Water is poured into the sleeve, and the role of the lower black film is played by the black surface of the roof of a high-rise building.


A similar study, but with a sleeve made of not transparent, but black film. If the second film is black, the option is preferable only if there is good water circulation through the system. The collector heated 100 liters of water to 66 degrees. You can notice several design complications, including a 3 cm thick polystyrene foam sheet. but experiments have shown that thermal insulation under the collector will increase the heating temperature, but not radically.

An experiment in August with water heating at an air temperature in the shade of 35 degrees showed that a film collector with good thermal insulation heated the water to 63 degrees and at the same moment another collector heated the water to 57 degrees, although there was no thermal insulation under it and its first film lay right on the ground.

Additional functions of the artisanal garden collector

It is also interesting to note that a single-film collector performs the function of collecting rainwater during rain, which may be relevant for some houses and areas. in addition, 1 film and 2 film collectors can act as a cooling tower at night, that is, they take heat from the water used for cooling systems. It can be used in the mode when during the day water circulates through them, which needs to be heated. and at night the collector cools the water of the tanks. during the day, water from them is used for heat extraction. causing it to heat up. and so the next night it must be cooled again by collectors.

It is interesting to note that the height of water in the collectors can exceed several centimeters. they are both solar collectors and a hot water tank. That is, they work like the well-known black barrel on a summer shower.

But it is obvious that after the disappearance of the sun, the water in the collector cools. For this case, a collector with three layers of film, in which the water cools slowly, may be of interest.

On the picture. The cost of factory thermal collectors is a thousand times more expensive than the self-made ones presented.

Statistics on measuring the efficiency of homemade and factory solar heaters

On August 1, I conducted an experiment to measure the performance of 2 film collectors. For sunny day measured the temperature of the water and entered in the table.


how efficient is a water heater with film

In the following table, the interpretation of the results obtained, in the column is the amount of heat that the collector actually produced.


Described in photo note as calculated from temperature measurements. In another column, the amount of solar radiation that hit the solar collector. and it is important to note that it depends on the angle of the sun above the horizon, more precisely on the sine of this angle.

Interestingly, in this time period, the production of heat by the collector was greater than the amount of solar radiation. but there is no paradox if you pay attention to the temperature difference. At this time, the air temperature was higher than the water in the collector, and therefore it was heated not only due to the absorption of solar radiation, but also due to heating from warmer air. but at other times the water was already warmer than the air. and than more difference temperatures, the greater the heat leakage from the water into the surrounding air. the less useful heat produced by the collector. It can be concluded that as soon as the temperature of the water reaches about 60 degrees, it will stop heating, since the mentioned heat leaks will be equal to the flow of solar energy into the collector.

In the rightmost column of the table, the measured heating power of the collector per unit area is recorded, it can be compared with the column with the heating power of one square meter of the factory collector under the same conditions. Described how to calculate the power. One square meter of the factory model has an advantage over the same area of ​​a home-made one only when working at high water temperatures. and if you need to heat water with a temperature above 60-70 degrees, then the handicraft collector will not be able to work at all. at the same time, 1 square meter of a homemade heat exchanger will produce noticeably more heat than one square meter of a factory one when the water temperature less temperature ambient air.

The results are explained by the energy characteristics of the 2 film collector.


And this is an assessment of the characteristics of other types of primitive heaters.

Approximate characteristics of the factory flat collectors presented in the passport.

On the Internet you can find such characteristics for almost any brand. The table shows that the branded heat exchanger has an advantage in this coefficient, due to which it is able to operate at high temperatures. but on the other hand, a self-made collector works much better than the factory one in case you need to heat water with a temperature below the air. For example, if you need to heat 10 degree water from an underground well during a 30 degree heat wave. the fact is that it is more correct to call the coefficient not heat losses, but the heat transfer coefficient. Since if the water in the collector is colder than the air, then there is no heat loss in the collector, but on the contrary, additional heat enters it from warmer air. This coefficient is interpreted in such a way that if the temperature difference between water and air increases by 1 degree, then the heat exchange through each square meter of the collector increases by 20 watts.

This characteristic (optical efficiency) shows the efficiency of converting solar radiation into useful heat under conditions when the temperature of the coolant in the collector is equal to the ambient temperature. The note describes why the simplest collectors have this indicator slightly better than the factory ones. But this is the efficiency of a new clean collector, and primitive ones are very sensitive to dirt. The text below describes how much dirt builds up in them during use.

Dirt and bubbles in simple homemade collectors

* A lot of various dirt comes into the water of a 1-film collector from the outside. In 2- and 3-film devices, this problem is expressed in dust deposits on the upper film, and after the rain or dew water dries, this dirt is grouped into opaque spots, which can significantly reduce the efficiency of the collector. But on the other hand, there are several simple ways to remove this dirt after rain.
* A lot of dirt also falls out of the water in the form of small flakes on the surface of the water or large flakes at the bottom. These precipitations are intensified by the heating of the water.
* Also accumulates " white coating” (at the top of the 1st and bottom of the 2nd film), which significantly reduces efficiency. It attaches to films very firmly, i.e. it is not removed by a stream of water (and it is rubbed off with a brush with great difficulty and not completely). Perhaps this is the precipitation of salts from heated water, perhaps these are the consequences of the decomposition of plastic films.
* Part of the dirt in the collector can be explained by the decomposition products of polyethylene due to UV radiation and high temperature. Typically, polyethylene decomposes into hydrogen peroxide, aldehydes, and ketones. Basically, these are gases or liquids that are highly soluble in water. those. they don't seem to fall out.
* Collector efficiency is also reduced due to a large number gas bubbles (up to several millimeters in diameter at the top of the 1st and bottom of the 2nd film), which are released when the water is heated (When heated, the solubility of gases in water decreases). It is interesting that when the collector is located on the ground, there are practically no bubbles on its 1st film (but they are on the bottom of the 2nd)
* Large bubbles may form under the 2nd film, as well as air in the folds. These areas quickly fog up, and this reduces efficiency.
* At the edges of the collector, the 2nd film may not be adjacent to the water: in such areas, the bottom fogs up and therefore poorly transmits solar radiation.
* In 3-film collectors, there may be fogging on the bottom of the 3rd film. This happens when the 2nd film is installed incorrectly (due to which steam from the collector can penetrate under the 3rd film) or because of its damage. In such cases, you need to install the 3rd film so that the wind slightly ventilates the space between it and the 3rd layer.

Pollution of water collectors due to the decomposition of polyethylene films

This decomposition will be due to the simultaneous effect of atmospheric oxygen, ultraviolet solar radiation and a temperature of 50-60 degrees. Polyethylene decomposes into aldehydes, ketones, hydrogen peroxide, etc.
When heated in the collector of each 1 cu. m of water polyethylene films will emit about 1 g of decomposition products (About 100 g of the 1st and 2nd films fall on 1 sq. M of the collector, and during their service they will release, according to very rough estimates, about 10 g of “decomposition products” and heat up about 10 cubic meters of water). But it is not clear how much of these 1 mg / liter will go into water, and how much will fly into the atmosphere, precipitate at the bottom of the collector and hot water tank, go into that “white bloom” (which I spoke about in the previous text), will not come out beyond the mass of polyethylene
In addition, it is not clear the beneficial effect on water purification due to its stay and heating in the collector (and there a lot of sediment falls out of it), as well as due to its stay in the hot water tank. Thus, according to rough estimates, 0.1-0.5 mg / liter of polyethylene decomposition products will enter the water, which will be distributed among dozens of chemicals. substances with concentrations of 0.001-0.1 mg per liter of heated water. Since this is not far from the MPC of harmful substances, consultation with the SES will not be superfluous. For example, according to the standard GN 2.1.5.689-98 “Maximum Permissible Concentrations (MAC) chemical substances in the water of water bodies for household and domestic water use”:
– There is a limit of 13 pcs. aldehydes - MPC from 0.003 mg / liter to 1 mg / liter, for example, formaldehyde MPC - 0.05 mg / liter, and the most stringent requirements for benzaldehyde - 0.003 mg / liter
– MPC for hydrogen peroxide – 0.1 mg/liter
– 3 pcs. exotic ketones also have limits with MPC 0.1-1.0 mg / liter

Conclusions:

1) If the water is "stagnant" in the collectors, then the concentration of "decomposition products" in it will be many times or tens of times greater. It might be better to throw away the water.
2) It is desirable to use thinner films (they will give less "decomposition products").
3) Films preferably as stabilized as possible. For example, greenhouse is preferable to ordinary (not tinted) polyethylene, it is stabilized against exposure to UV radiation. Another example: high-density polyethylene decomposes more slowly due to high temperature than low-density polyethylene.
4) The ratio of the area of ​​the collectors to the needs of the object (in hot water) is preferably as small as possible. That is, for example, with a daily requirement of 10 cubic meters. m of hot water, station with 50 sq.m. collectors gives pollution (concentration of harmful substances) of water ten times less than a station with 500 sq.m. collectors, including due to the lower temperature of water heating by collectors, which reduces the rate of polyethylene decomposition.
5) If the 2nd film of the collectors is black (rather than transparent), then water pollution should be several times less (since UV radiation only penetrates the top layer of the 2nd film).
6) You can think about such an option for the operation of a solar station when the collectors are heated
process water, which then transfers its heat through a heat exchanger clean water DHW.

What is better to use a film to collect solar heat - black or transparent?

The optical efficiency is noticeably reduced due to air bubbles and fogging of the second layer of the collector film. this is due to the fact that the efficiency of the actually operated device over the entire period of operation will be several tens of percent less. Therefore, it makes no sense to strive for expensive films with great durability, since after a few months of operation they will accumulate so much dirt that the films will want to be replaced. Due to such problems with a variety of dirt, we are inclined to believe that the 2nd film should still be opaque, but black.

This collector has a black film and there is no drastic reduction in efficiency due to dirt. But he has a problem - the sun heats only the thin top layer of water. Nevertheless, there are several options for solving the problem, which will be obtained after research.

It is important to keep in mind that the wind increases the heat loss coefficient of primitive collectors, and in the case of a single-film, this wind effect can be radical, since heat losses from the collector increase due to water evaporation and can reach the point that even on a perfectly sunny day, but with strong wind and low humidity 1-film will be able to heat water only a few degrees above ambient temperature. In addition, the coefficient k1 must be increased by several tens of percent if there is no thermal insulation under the collector and it lies directly on the ground, on the roof surface, etc.

Series 2 of this film compares primitive and factory manifolds on the topics of winter work, ease of connection, economic feasibility, applications in practice.

Second part (about work in winter)


3, 4 series (maintenance)


– Experiment with pouring water into a polyethylene film sleeve:

It has always been a dream to use solar energy for domestic needs. This idea has become especially relevant in the last fifty years, when new materials have appeared that make it possible to design quite effective structures. Tools have also appeared that can be used to manufacture complex technological structures at home.

The idea of ​​heating water with the help of the sun was realized in antiquity. Ordinary barrels, exposed to the sun or in the shade, absorbed the heat flux from environment. The temperature of the liquid increased with the increase in the intensity of solar radiation.

In the seventies and eighties of the XIX century, Joseph Stefan and Ludwig Boltzmann discovered the law of thermal radiation. They derived calculation formulas, on the basis of which the heat flux received from the Sun on the Earth's surface is determined. For objects located on Earth, the following formula is used:

Where σ \u003d 5.670367 10 -4, W / (m 2 K 4) - Stefan-Boltzmann constant;

F is the surface area of ​​heat absorption, m 2;

C 2 - the degree of blackness of the heat-receiving surface;

T 1 - temperature of the heat emitter, for the surface of the Sun it is considered that it is T 1 \u003d 6000 K;

T 2 - the temperature of the heat sink - this is the surface heated by solar radiation, (T 2 \u003d t 2 + 273), K;

where t 2 is the temperature of the heat sink (body on Earth), ° С;

ϕ is the angle of incidence of the sun's rays, °.

What is a collector and the purpose of solar collectors

A solar collector is a device that collects radiant energy and then transfers the accumulated heat to consumers. In practice, another term is used - solar collector.

According to the purpose, solar installations (solar installations) are divided into:

  • solar concentrators - devices that collect solar energy in a narrow stream. They are used for melting metal. At the Institute of NPO "Physics-Sun" (Tashkent), melting furnaces were developed and manufactured, in which temperatures of more than 5000 ... 5500 ° C were reached;
  • solar batteries - devices for converting radiation from the sun into electrical energy;
  • solar desalination plants - machines designed to obtain fresh water from water with a high content of mineral salts;
  • solar dryers - thermal devices in which moisture is removed from vegetables and fruits using solar energy;
  • solar heaters (air solar collector) – installations for transmission heat flow from infrared radiation to heat carriers.

How does a solar collector work

In addition to visible light, solar radiation also has an invisible infrared spectrum. It is he who endures thermal energy. Based on research, it was found that in the area temperate climate the intensity of thermal radiation at noon reaches more than 5 kW / m 2. On fig. 1 shows the dependence of the total insolation for 48 ° north latitude.

Rice. 1 Total insolation of solar radiation for different periods temperate zone Europe

Information to think about! Thermal radiation is divided into: direct and diffuse. Therefore, even on a cloudy day, the inflow of solar heat flux is felt. From the presented illustration it can be seen that the amount of incoming heat in summer and winter periods has significant differences. Therefore, when designing devices, the possible efficiency is taken into account, in accordance with the costs.

Schematic diagram of the solar collector is shown in fig. 2. Solar radiation enters the collector through a translucent barrier. On the receiving panel, painted in black, heat is absorbed. As a result, the black body is heated. The subsequent process of heat transfer occurs by convection. Heat is transferred from the heated wall to the flow of liquid (gas) moving through pipelines. The moving medium heats up.

Attention! To prevent heat loss, the collector enclosure is thermally insulated. Since the received heat is used inside to heat the flow, the intensity of the reflected radiation from the panel that receives the radiation is low.

A solar collector is an alternative source of thermal energy through the use of solar. Now this convenient device is no longer an innovation, but not everyone can afford to install it. If you calculate, buying and installing a collector that will satisfy the domestic needs of an average family can cost five thousand US dollars. Of course, the payback of such a source will have to wait quite a long time. But why not make a solar collector with your own hands and install it?

The standard device has the form of a metal plate, which is placed in a plastic or glass case. The surface of this plate accumulates solar energy, retains heat and transfers it for various household needs: heating, water heating, etc. There are several types of integrated collectors.

Cumulative

Storage collectors are also called thermosyphon. Such a do-it-yourself solar collector without a pump is the most profitable. Its capabilities allow not only to heat water, but also to maintain the temperature on required level for a while.

Such a solar collector for heating consists of several tanks filled with water, which are located in a heat-insulating box. The tanks are covered with a glass lid, through which the sun's rays break through and heat the water. This option is the most economical, easy to operate and maintain, but its efficiency in winter is almost zero.

flat

P represents a large metal plate - an absorber, which is located inside an aluminum case with a glass lid. A do-it-yourself flat solar collector will be more efficient when using a glass cover. Absorbs solar energy through hail-resistant glass, which transmits light well and practically does not reflect it.

Inside the box there is thermal insulation, which can significantly reduce heat loss. The plate itself has a low efficiency, so it is coated with an amorphous semiconductor, which significantly increases the thermal energy accumulation rate.

When making a solar collector for a pool with your own hands, a flat integrated device is often preferred. However, it does not worse cope with other tasks, such as: heating water for domestic needs and space heating. Flat is the most widely used option. It is preferable to make a do-it-yourself absorber for a solar collector from copper.

liquid

From the name it is clear that the main coolant in them is the liquid. A do-it-yourself water solar collector is made according to the following scheme. Through a metal plate absorbing solar energy, heat is transferred through pipes attached to it into a tank with water or non-freezing liquid or directly to the consumer.

There are two pipes attached to the plate. Through one of them cold water from the tank, and through the second, the already heated liquid enters the tank. Pipes must have inlet and outlet openings. Such a heating scheme is called closed.

When heated water is directly supplied to meet the needs of the user, such a system is called open-loop.

Unglazed ones are more often used to heat water in the pool, so assembling such thermal solar collectors with your own hands does not require the purchase of expensive materials - rubber and plastic will do. Glazed ones have higher efficiency, so they are able to heat the house and provide the consumer with hot water.

Air

Air devices are more economical than the above analogues that use water as a coolant. The air does not freeze, does not leak, and does not boil like water. If a leak occurs in such a system, it does not bring so many problems, but it is quite difficult to determine where it happened.

Do-it-yourself production is not expensive for the consumer. The solar panel, which is covered with glass, heats the air that is between it and the heat-insulating plate. Roughly speaking, this is a flat collector with space for air inside. Cold air enters inside and, under the influence of solar energy, warm air is supplied to the consumer.

The fan, which is attached to the air duct or directly to the plate, improves circulation and improves air exchange in the device. The fan requires the use of electricity, which is not very economical.

Such options are durable and reliable and easier to maintain than devices that use liquid as a coolant. To maintain the desired air temperature in the cellar or to heat the greenhouse with a solar collector, just such an option is suitable.

How it works

The collector collects energy using a light accumulator or, in other words, a solar panel, which transmits light to an accumulating metal plate, where the solar energy is converted into heat. The plate transfers heat to the coolant, which can be both liquid and air. Water is sent through pipes to the consumer. With the help of such a collector, you can heat your home, heat water for various household purposes or a pool.

Air collectors are used mainly for space heating or heating the air inside it. Savings when using such devices are obvious. Firstly, there is no need to use any fuel, and secondly, the consumption of electricity is reduced.

In order to get the maximum effect from the use of the collector and to heat the water for free for seven months a year, it must have a large surface and additional heat exchangers.

Engineer Stanislav Stanilov introduced the world to the most versatile solar collector design. The main idea of ​​using the device he developed is to obtain thermal energy by creating a greenhouse effect inside the collector.

Collector design

The design of this collector is very simple. In fact, this is a solar collector made of steel pipes welded into a radiator, which is placed in a wooden container, protected by thermal insulation. Mineral wool, polystyrene foam, expanded polystyrene can act as a heat-insulating material.

A galvanized metal sheet is placed at the bottom of the box, on which the radiator is mounted. Both the sheet and the radiator are painted black, and the box itself is covered with white paint. Of course, the container is covered with a glass lid, which seals well.

Materials and parts for manufacturing

To build such a homemade solar collector for heating a house, you will need:

  • glass to serve as a lid. Its size will depend on the dimensions of the box. For good efficiency, it is better to select glass with a size of 1700 mm by 700 mm;
  • frame under glass - it can be welded independently from the corners or put together from wooden planks;
  • box board. Here you can use any boards, even from the dismantling of old furniture or a wooden floor;
  • rolling corner;
  • coupling;
  • pipes for assembling a radiator;
  • clamps for mounting the radiator;
  • sheet of galvanized iron;
  • radiator intake and exhaust pipe;
  • tank with a volume of 200-300 liters;
  • aquacamera;
  • thermal insulation (foam sheets, expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, ecowool).

Stages of work

Do-it-yourself Stanilov manifold manufacturing steps:

  1. A container is knocked together from the boards, the bottom of which is reinforced with bars.
  2. A heat insulator is laid at the bottom. The base must be especially carefully insulated to avoid heat leakage from the heat exchanger.
  3. After that, a galvanized plate is arranged at the bottom of the box and a radiator is installed, which is welded from pipes, and fixed with steel clamps.
  4. The radiator and the sheet below it are painted black, and the box is white or silver.
  5. The water tank must be installed under the collector in a warm room. Between the water tank and the collector, thermal insulation must be arranged so that the pipes are warm. The tank can be placed in a large barrel, into which expanded clay, sand, sawdust, etc. can be poured. and thus insulate.
  6. An aqua chamber must be installed above the tank in order to create pressure in the network.
  7. Do-it-yourself solar collector installation must be carried out on the south side of the roof.
  8. After all the elements of the system are ready and installed, you need to connect them to the network with half-inch pipes, which must be well insulated in order to reduce heat loss.
  9. It would be nice to build a controller for a solar collector with your own hands, since factory devices are not used for long.

Size calculation

The calculation of dimensions in order to make a solar collector for heating with your own hands is primarily aimed at determining the load of the heat supply system, the coverage of which is assumed by this device. It goes without saying that the use of several energy sources in the complex is implied, and not just solar energy. In this case, it is important to arrange the system in such a way that it interacts with others - then this will give the maximum effect.

To determine the collector area, you need to know for what purposes it will be used: heating, hot water, or both. After analyzing the water meter data, heating needs and insolation data of the area in which the installation is planned, it is possible to calculate the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe collector. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the needs for hot water of all consumers that are planned to be connected to the network: washing machine, dishwasher, etc.

Selective coating performs perhaps the most basic function in the operation of the reservoir. A coated plate or radiator attracts many times more solar energy, turning it into heat. You can purchase a special chemical as a selective coating, or you can simply paint the heat storage tank black.

To make a selective coating for solar collectors with your own hands, you can apply:

  • special ready-made chemical;
  • oxides of various metals;
  • thin thermal insulation material;
  • black chrome;
  • selective paint for the manifold;
  • black paint or film.

Collectors from improvised materials

It is cheaper and more interesting to assemble a solar collector for heating a house with your own hands, because it can be made from various improvised materials.

From metal pipes

This assembly option is similar to the Stanilov collector. When assembling a solar collector from copper pipes with your own hands, a radiator is cooked from the pipes and placed in a wooden box, laid with thermal insulation from the inside.

The most effective will copper pipes, aluminum can also be used, but they are difficult to cook, but steel is the most successful option.

Such a homemade collector should not be too large to be easy to assemble and mount. The diameter of the pipes for solar collectors for welding the radiator must be smaller than the pipes for the inlet and outlet of the coolant.

From plastic and metal-plastic pipes

How to make a solar collector with your own hands, having plastic pipes in your home arsenal? They are less effective as a heat accumulator, however, they are many times cheaper than copper and do not corrode like steel.

Pipes are laid out in a box in a spiral and fixed with clamps. They can be coated with black or selective paint for greater effectiveness.

You can experiment with pipe laying. Since the pipes do not bend well, they can be laid not only in a spiral, but also in a zigzag. Among the advantages, plastic pipes are easy and quick to solder.

From a hose

To make a solar collector for the shower with your own hands, you will need a rubber hose. The water in it heats up very quickly, so it can also be used as a heat exchanger. This is the most economical option when making a collector with your own hands. hose or polyethylene pipe fit into the box and attached with clamps.

Since the hose is twisted in a spiral, there will be no natural circulation of water in it. To use a water storage tank in this system, it is necessary to equip it with a circulation pump. If this country cottage area and a little hot water leaves, then the amount that will flow into the pipe may be enough.

From cans

The coolant of the solar collector from aluminum cans is air. Banks are interconnected, forming a pipe. To make a solar collector from beer cans, you need to cut off the bottom and top of each can, dock them together and glue them with sealant. Finished pipes are placed in a wooden box and covered with glass.

Basically, an air solar collector made from beer cans is used to eliminate dampness in the basement or to heat the greenhouse. As a heat accumulator, you can use not only beer cans, but also plastic bottles.

From the fridge

Do-it-yourself solar hot water panels can be built from an unusable refrigerator or an old car radiator. The condenser removed from the refrigerator must be thoroughly rinsed. Hot water obtained in this way is best used only for technical purposes.

Foil and a rubber mat are spread at the bottom of the box, then a capacitor is laid on them and fixed. To do this, you can use belts, clamps, or the mount with which it was attached in the refrigerator. To create pressure in the system, it does not hurt to install a pump or an aqua chamber above the tank.

Video

You will learn how to make a solar collector with your own hands from the following video.