scholarly journals Evaluation of a High-Performance Solar Home in Loveland, Colorado

Author(s):  
Robert Hendron ◽  
Mark Eastment ◽  
Ed Hancock ◽  
Greg Barker ◽  
Paul Reeves

Building America (BA) partner McStain Neighborhoods built the Discovery House in Loveland, Colorado, with an extensive package of energy-efficient features, including a high-performance envelope, efficient mechanical systems, a solar water heater integrated with the space-heating system, a heat-recovery ventilator (HRV), and ENERGY STAR™ appliances. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Building Science Consortium (BSC) conducted short-term field-testing and building energy simulations to evaluate the performance of the house. These evaluations are utilized by BA to improve future prototype designs and to identify critical research needs. The Discovery House building envelope and ducts were very tight under normal operating conditions. The HRV provided fresh air at a rate of about 75 cfm (35 l/s), consistent with the recommendations of ASHRAE Standard 62.2. The solar hot water system is expected to meet the bulk of the domestic hot water (DHW) load (>83%), but only about 12% of the space-heating load. DOE-2.2 simulations predict whole-house source energy savings of 54% compared to the BA Benchmark [1]. The largest contributors to energy savings beyond McStain’s standard practice are the solar water heater, HRV, improved air distribution, high-efficiency boiler, and compact fluorescent lighting package.

2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-234
Author(s):  
Robert Hendron ◽  
Mark Eastment ◽  
Ed Hancock ◽  
Greg Barker ◽  
Paul Reeves

Building America (BA) partner McStain Neighborhoods built the Discovery House in Loveland, CO, with an extensive package of energy-efficient features, including a high-performance envelope, efficient mechanical systems, a solar water heater integrated with the space-heating system, a heat-recovery ventilator (HRV), and ENERGY STAR appliances. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Building Science Consortium conducted short-term field-testing and building energy simulations to evaluate the performance of the house. These evaluations are utilized by BA to improve future prototype designs and to identify critical research needs. The Discovery House building envelope and ducts were very tight under normal operating conditions. The HRV provided fresh air at a rate of about 35L∕s(75cfm), consistent with the recommendations of ASHRAE Standard 62.2. The solar hot water system is expected to meet the bulk of the domestic hot water (DHW) load (>83%), but only about 12% of the space-heating load. DOE-2.2 simulations predict whole-house source energy savings of 54% compared to the BA Benchmark (Hendron, R., 2005 NREL Report No. 37529, NREL, Golden, CO). The largest contributors to energy savings beyond McStain’s standard practice are the solar water heater, HRV, improved air distribution, high-efficiency boiler, and compact fluorescent lighting package.


2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
John L. Sustar ◽  
Jay Burch ◽  
Moncef Krarti

As homes move toward zero energy performance, some designers are drawn toward the solar combisystem due to its ability to increase the energy savings as compared to solar water heater (SWH) systems. However, it is not trivial as to the extent of incremental savings these systems will yield as compared to SWH systems, since the savings are highly dependent on system size and the domestic hot water (DHW) and space heating loads of the residential building. In this paper, the performance of a small combisystem and SWH, as a function of location, size, and load, is investigated using annual simulations. For benchmark thermal loads, the percent increased savings from a combisystem relative to a SWH can be as high as 8% for a 6 m2 system and 27% for a 9 m2 system in locations with a relatively high solar availability during the heating load season. These incremental savings increase significantly in scenarios with higher space heating loads and low DHW loads.


Inventions ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Fatima Zohra Gargab ◽  
Amine Allouhi ◽  
Tarik Kousksou ◽  
Haytham El-Houari ◽  
Abdelmajid Jamil ◽  
...  

This paper aims to highlight the potential of solar water heater installations in Morocco. The project involves the comparison of active and passive solutions for energy efficiency in buildings. To this end, a numerical simulation model of solar water heater installations is created under TRNsys. Three hot water demand scenarios (Low, Standard, and High) were taken into account for the six climatic zones defined in the Moroccan thermal regulation of constructions. The same software (TRNsys) is used to model a pilot building consisting of 16 flats. Energy efficiency actions have been applied to the building envelope (insulation and glazing) and simulations are made for the six areas. The simulation results comparing energy and financial savings show the influence of subsidized gas prices on solar water heaters’ relevance despite significant energy savings. This work proves that solar water heaters will be a primary obligation for Morocco, taking into account changes in butane gas prices.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Ali. J. S. Alrafad ◽  
Abdihg S. Alrafad ◽  
Tarek. Hamad ◽  
Ahmed. Nassar

In our modern societies, One of the main and simplest signature traits is hot water as a convenient and efficient way of life either for industrial and domestic purposes, however, obtaining hot water in most cases will be through fossil fuel either by direct burning for the fuel for heating or indirectly by using electricity that generated by fossil fuel. Using solar heaters will limit the in some extent the usage of fossil fuel. A flat solar water heater of (165 to 175) cm3 has been constructed to be used as a model for educational purposes. The solar heater is made of local materials consist of galvanized iron pipes, glass surfaces, wool insulation, aluminum frame, and fixed iron base. Moreover, Thermocouples, pyranometer, and an anemometer were used to test the performance of the heater in four days in May for the angle of inclination of the complex 320 is on the horizontal. In conclusion, the daily average efficiency was around 57%. The temperature in the tank is about  62 0C at noon, which is sufficient for home use throughout the day.


Author(s):  
David Alejandro Arguello Bravo ◽  
Javier Martínez-Gómez ◽  
Esteban Francisco Urresta Suárez ◽  
David Rodger Salazar Loor ◽  
Gonzalo Guerrón

2013 ◽  
Vol 827 ◽  
pp. 99-104
Author(s):  
Bin Li ◽  
Xi Chen ◽  
Xin Hao Li ◽  
Lu Kuan Ma ◽  
Wen Bo Lu ◽  
...  

Now in general use in solar water heater, there is a long pipeline between water heater and tap, we have to empty the stored cold water before we use the hot water; and usually the water cannot meet required temperature due to the heating delay effect, thus the water also should be emptied, which leads to a waste of water resources. In order to solve this water wastage, we propose a device which can help to control the temperature and backflow of the water in water heater. The device accomplishes backflow of cold water automatically under the effect of gravity, and refluxed water will be stored in the recycle-water tank, thus ensuring the result that the water temperature satisfies the requirement. After the recycle-water tank is full, it will trigger the buoy to control the relay switch, then the water pump start to work to force the water into the water heater tank. Thus, realizing the recycling of water. This device can significantly save water resources in domestic water, and it has a broad market prospect.


1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (3) ◽  
pp. 188-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. A. Walker ◽  
J. H. Davidson

Entropy generated by operation of a two-phase self-pumping solar water heater under Solar Rating and Certification Corporation rating conditions is computed numerically in a methodology based on an exergy cascade. An order of magnitude analysis shows that entropy generation is dominated by heat transfer across temperature differences. Conversion of radiant solar energy incident on the collector to thermal energy within the collector accounts for 87.1 percent of total entropy generation. Thermal losses are responsible for 9.9 percent of total entropy generation, and heat transfer across the condenser accounts for 2.4 percent of the total entropy generation. Mixing in the tempering valve is responsible for 0.7 percent of the total entropy generation. Approximately one half of the entropy generated by thermal losses is attributable to the self-pumping process. The procedure to determine total entropy generation can be used in a parametric study to evaluate the performance of two-phase hot water heating systems relative to other solar water heating options.


Author(s):  
Ouhammou Badr ◽  
Azeddine Frimane ◽  
Aggour Mohammed ◽  
Brahim Daouchi ◽  
Abdellah Bah ◽  
...  

The Indirect Solar Water Heater System (SWHS) with Forced Circulation is modeled by proposing a theoretical dynamic multi-node model. The SWHS, which works with a 1,91 m<sup>2</sup> PFC and 300 L storage tank, and it is equipped with available forced circulation scale system fitted with an automated sub-system that controlled hot water, is what the experimental setup consisted of. The system, which 100% heated water by only using solar energy. The experimental weather conditions are measured every one minute. The experiments validation steps were performed for two periods, the first one concern the cloudy days in December, the second for the sunny days in May; the average deviations between the predicted and the experimental values is 2 %, 5 % for the water temperature output and for the useful energy  are 4 %, 9 % respectively for the both typical days, which is very satisfied. The thermal efficiency was determined experimentally and theoretically and shown to agree well with the EN12975 standard for the flow rate between 0,02 kg/s and 0,2kg/s.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. 112-116
Author(s):  
Anupras Shukla ◽  
Pushpraj Singh

In this paper, we are studying about solar water heater. The solar water heater are consisting of several components such as circular pipe, flexible pipe, and metallic container for water and circulating pump. We are analyzed the outlet temperatures of hot water using of various flow rate (in liters/ Minutes).


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Djamel Benmenine ◽  
Mokhtar Ghodbane

This study aims to conduct an experimental thermal examination of a parabolic trough collector in Ouargla region at Algeria, which will be used as a solar water heater. The solar collector was manufactured and then experimentally tested, as its theoretical optical performance was estimated at 75.06%, while the values of its true thermal performance are 10.61, 10.68 and 8.85 % for 13 May, 14 May and 15 May. Although its thermal performance is somewhat low, the studied PTC is effective in heating the water, whereas, using a volumetric flow of 0.011 l/s, about 317 liters of water can be heated daily at 42°C, knowing that the daily average consumption of hot water in a typical house is 250 liters because the Ouargla region is strategically located that receives huge amounts of solar irradiance


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