Solar Thermal Heating and Cooling, also known as Solar Water Heating and Cooling is a renewable and sustainable green energy which uses the heat from the sun as its energy source. Simply put, it uses the heat from the sun to create hot water. There are four main types of Solar Thermal Systems:
a. Hot water systems
b. Swimming pool and hot tub systems.
c. Radiant heating systems which are used to heat and cool your house.
d. Combi systems which are a combination of the three systems mentioned above.
Technology Needed
The technology for solar thermal heating consists of using:
a. Solar thermal panels or collectors on the roof to collect the sun’s energy. These panels work through the greenhouse effect where shortwave radiation is trapped inside collectors heating the water stored in the collectors and which also act to cool the water at night.
b. A pump which then pushes the heated water through the collectors to an insulated storage tank or other storage media.
c. a solar heated hot water storage tank.
This tank stores hot water which has been heated by the collectors. When needed the hot water then feeds into the water heater. At present, there are two types of tanks, one is the solar preheat tank that works with existing standard water heaters and the other which can be used as a
pre-heat tank or as a combi tank with either solar or electric or gas.
d. a boiler or hot water heater system, by which water not heated by the sun can be heated.
Smart Technology Comes to Solar Thermal Heating
By adding SLASH-D and SLIC to this component smart technology has finally come to Solar Thermal Heating. They were created by SolarLogic, LLC to provide innovative design and control solutions. SLIC replaces all conventional hardware, including setpoint and differential controllers, switching relays, transformers, zone valve controls and DHW recirculation controls. They operate an entire multi-source, multi-load hydronic heating system with intuitive smart technology. With this system, they have removed the complex wiring, design, separate controls, and programming from the installer.
SLASH-D programming works with your energy needs to come up with the perfect system design for you.
Through the SLIC controller, you can control how much heat you use and by what source. For example, you can heat the whole house, a room or your hot tub using solar hot water, or a combination of solar and heat from the auxiliary system or just heat from the auxiliary system. In addition, you can do all of this on your computer from any place in the world as long as you have internet.
Furthermore, SLIC and SLASH-D have even now increased the solar thermal systems available by adding: cooling and ice melt. By adding cooling to its list of “can-do” traditional expensive energy consuming cooling systems can be significantly reduced.
User-Friendly
Solar thermal heating and cooling have become more user-friendly with SLIC and SLASH-D. Finally, homeowners will have more control over their system thereby enabling them to save money. SLIC even automatically makes use of heat left in the system after each use, preventing further waste. Finally, it is solar thermal heating and cooling simplified.
For more information about SLIC and SLASH-D use the form on this website to contact us. You can also call us. We are always happy to discuss your solar thermal heating projects with you. 