Closed Loop System Solar Water Heater

The type of system affects overall system design and each type of system has strengths and weaknesses.

Closed loop system solar water heater.

The glycol is separated from the potable water by means of a heat exchanger that transfers the energy from the array into the storage tank. Fluid expansion tank and safety relief valve. Indirect closed loop solar glycol systems use propylene glycol as the heat transfer fluid in the solar array to overcome issues of freezing glycol can tolerate 60f in high concentrations and eliminate scaling. The primary difference between the two system types is that water is used for heat transfer in a drainback system and a glycol solution is used for heat transfer in a closed loop system.

Most new solar homes feature a variation of one kind or another. Glycol or some equivalent antifreeze fluid fills the collector and associated routing pipes. A special water heater tank incorporating a heat exchanger works in conjunction with one or more flat plate roof mounted collectors. A closed loop often referred to as a glycol or anti freeze system a drainback system.

Closed loop systems use a heat transfer fluid to collect heat and a heat exchanger to transfer the heat to household water. Sized for family load. Solar controller to automatically control the pumps. There are two main types of solar hot water systems.

Active closed loop systems use electric pumps valves and controllers to circulate the heat transfer fluid usually a polypropylene non toxic unlike polyethylene glycol water antifreeze mixture through the collectors.