Solar Collectors For Swimming Pools

you can significantly reduce the cost of heating swimming pools by installing a solar pool heater. They are cost competitive with both gas and heat pump pool heaters and have very low annual operating costs. In fact, solar pool heating is the most economical use of solar energy in many climates.

HOW THEY WORK

Most solar pool heating systems include the following:

· A solar collector is a device through which the pool water circulates and is heated by the sun.

· Filter - removes debris before water is pumped through the manifold.

· The flow control valve is an automatic or manual device that diverts pool water through a solar collector.

The pool water is pumped through a filter and then through the solar collector (s) where it is heated before returning to the pool. In hot climates, the manifold (s) can also be used to cool the pool during the peak summer months by circulating water through the manifold (s) at night.

Some systems include sensors and an automatic or manual valve to divert water through the manifold (s) when the manifold temperature is significantly higher than the pool temperature.

solar collectors for swimming pools are made from different materials. The type you need depends on your climate and how you intend to use the collector. If you will only be using the pool in temperatures above freezing, then you will probably only need an unglazed collector system. Unglazed collectors do not have a glass coating (glazing). They are usually made of durable rubber or plastic that has been treated with an ultraviolet (UV) light inhibitor to extend the life of the panels. Because of their inexpensive parts and simple design, unglazed manifolds are usually cheaper than glazed manifolds. These unglazed systems can even work in indoor pools in cold climates if the system is designed to divert water back to the pool when not in use. Even if you need to shut down the system in cold weather, unglazed manifolds can be more cost effective than installing a more expensive glazed manifold system.

An example of how a solar collector works.

Glazed manifold systems are usually made of copper tubes on a hardened iron coated aluminum plate, which adds to their cost.

Therefore, they can be used all year round in many climatic conditions. Glazed collectors can also be used to heat hot water all year round.

Both glazed and unglazed manifold systems must include frost protection if used in colder conditions.

SELECTING A SOLAR HEATER

A solar pool heating system typically low costs to purchase and install. solar energy in colombia provides a payback of 1.5 to 7 years, depending on your local fuel costs. They also tend to last longer than gas and heat pump pool heaters. The actual cost and return on investment depends on many factors. Therefore, before purchasing and installing a solar pool heating system, do the following:

· Rate your site's sunny resource

· Determine the correct system size

· Determine the correct orientation and tilt of the manifold.

· Determine the effectiveness of the system

· Compare system costs

· Check local codes, conventions, and regulations.

EVALUATING THE SOLAR RESOURCES OF YOUR SITE

Before you buy and install a solar pool heating system, you first need to consider the solar resource of your site. The efficiency and design of a solar pool heater depends on how much solar energy reaches your construction site.

Solar pool heating systems use both direct and diffused solar radiation . Therefore, even if you do not live in warm and sunny climates most of the time - for example, in the southwestern United States - there may still be sufficient solar resources on your site. Basically, if your construction site has unshaded areas and tends to face south, this is a good candidate for a solar pool heating system.

Your local solar system supplier or installer can perform a solar system analysis.

SELECTION OF A SOLAR POOL

There are many factors to consider when choosing a solar pool heating system:

· Pool size

· Length of the swimming season

· Average regional temperatures

· Desired pool temperature

· Sunny site resource

· Reservoir orientation and tilt

· Collector efficiency

· Using a pool cover .

solar collectors for swimming pools use worksheets and computer programs to determine system requirements and collector sizing.

Typically, the surface area of ​​your solar collector should be 50-100% of the surface area of ​​your pool. In cooler and cloudy areas, you may need to increase the ratio between collector area and pool surface area. The addition of collectors per square meter also lengthens the swimming season.

In any climate, it is usually possible to reduce the required collector area by using a pool cover.

You will also need a pump for the pool of suitable size for the solar system. If you are replacing your conventional pool heating system with a solar system, you may need a larger pump than your current one, or a separate smaller pump to move water from the pool to and through the collectors.

Collector orientation

Solar pool heater collectors should be geographically oriented to maximize the amount of solar energy they receive during the day and season. In general, the optimal orientation of the solar collector in the northern hemisphere is true south. However, recent research has shown that, depending on your location and reservoir tilt, your reservoir can look up to 45 degrees east or west of True South without significantly reducing its performance. You will also want to take into account factors such as the orientation of the roof (if you plan to install the collector on a roof), the local terrain that shades the collector daily or seasonally, and local weather conditions (foggy mornings or cloudy days) as these Factors can affect for the optimal orientation of your collector.

Collector tilt

The angle of inclination of the collector depends on the latitude and length of the swimming season (summer or all year round). Ideally, the collectors for heating only in the summer should be tilted at an angle equal to your latitude minus 10-15 °. The collectors for year-round heating should be tilted at an angle equal to your latitude. However, research has shown that not tilting the collector at the optimum angle will not significantly reduce system performance.