Solar collectors SOLARIFY SR-20

20 tube system, with a frame for flat roof mounting

Working principle of a vacuum solar collector

Vacuum glass flasks, due to their shape, are able to absorb more energy compared to a flat plate solar collector system (more than 93% of the sun's energy is absorbed, while the efficiency of the solar collector remains at ~83.2%). This energy is further converted into heat and, thanks to the vacuum, the heat is retained inside the glass flask. 

This energy is used to concentrate the heat produced in the copper heating tubes, which are located inside the flask. These are heated up to 200°C, heating the liquid in the flask to a vapour state. This heat then travels upwards to a copper heat exchanger in the manifold. There it is transferred to the non-freezing heat exchanger, the liquid in the copper tube is cooled and drained down. The process repeats.

The non-freezing heat transfer fluid is circulated from the solar collector to your boiler or multi-purpose tank via a circulation pump. The operation of the circulation pump depends on a solar control unit to which two temperature sensors are connected, one in the tank and one in the solar collector. As soon as the tank detects a temperature below that which the solar collector can produce, the pump switches on and starts circulating the non-freezing heat transfer medium. The moment the temperature in the tank exceeds the temperature produced, the circulation pump switches off. Note that an incorrect choice of solar collector system will affect the heating of the water: too few solar collectors in relation to the tank will lead to an inability to produce hot water, too many will lead to premature boiling of the tank, which may lead to damage to the tank.

Recommended amount of solar collectors for hot water and multifunctional tanks:

*suboptimal mounting position (partly shaded, suboptimal angle)

Solar collectors can be mounted on the roof, on the ground, or on a flat roof or building facade. The most efficient operation is achieved when mounted facing south, at a 45° angle. But, as already mentioned, thanks to the wide absorption angle compared to flat collectors, they will maintain their operational efficiency even in sub-optimal mounting locations.

Solar collector SR-20 technical data: