Solar water heater: what is it and how does it work?

Currently, there are many applications based on harnessing solar energy. Since it is an inexhaustible, abundant, and free source of energy. In our post Solar water heater: what is it and how does it work?, we introduce one of the most popular ones.

Using solar energy to heat water is ideal, whether for personal hygiene or for use in the kitchen. Regardless of its use, it represents significant savings, whether in fossil fuels, gas, or electricity.

Let’s take a look at its main features next.

What does the solar water heater consist of?

The solar water heater is also known as a solar water heating system. It’s a device that utilizes specially designed solar panels to sustainably and effectively heat water.

However, it’s important to note that the system needs to be supplemented. In this regard, you can use a conventional water heater, either gas or electric.

This is to ensure you have hot water during the night and on days with low solar exposure.

Components and operation

The elements and processes of the solar water heater are:

Solar energy collectors

These are the main elements of the solar water heater. They consist of solar thermal panels made up of plates or tubes containing liquid.

Another version of them incorporates vacuum tubes that efficiently absorb solar energy. They should be placed in a location that ensures they will receive plenty of sunlight.

Energy collection and heat transfer

When sunlight strikes the collectors, they absorb solar energy in the form of thermal energy. This energy is transferred to the liquid inside the collectors, raising its temperature.

Water pump for liquid circulation

As the water heats up to a specific temperature, it is transported to a hot water tank. This circulation is done automatically using an electric water pump.

Hot Water Storage Tank or Thermotank

This is where hot water is stored for later use, and it is thermally insulated to help maintain the water temperature for an extended period.

From all the information above, you can deduce that the operation of the solar water heater is quite straightforward.

Distribution of hot water

For this purpose, it is recommended that you install separate pipelines. This is to distribute hot water from the storage tank to different points such as faucets, showers, and more.

This way, you’ll need less construction work, and you can keep the original pipelines solely for supplying cold water to the system, making the cycle efficient and continuous.

There are many advantages to using a solar water heater. Among them is that by using solar energy to heat water, your fuel or electricity bills will be only a fraction. It also contributes to environmental conservation.

This concludes this article, but before we say goodbye. We’d like to invite you to read posts on various topics related to solar energy and AC/DC on energydcac. This way, you can learn more about this exciting and current subject. Don’t miss them!

Video to clarify your doubts about the solar water heater