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Retrofitting Conventional Electric Domestic Hot Water Heaters to Solar Water Heating Systems in Single-Family Houses-Model Validation and Optimization

Bernardo, Ricardo LU orcid (2013) In Energies 6(2). p.953-972
Abstract
System cost reductions and development of standardised plug-and-function systems are some of the most important goals for solar heating technology development. Retrofitting hot water boilers in single-family houses when installing solar collectors has the potential to significantly reduce both material and installation costs. In this study, the TRNSYS simulation models of the retrofitting solar thermal system were validated against measurements. Results show that the validated models are in good agreement with measurements. On an annual basis a deviation of 2.5% out of 1099 kWh was obtained between the auxiliary energy from results and from the simulation model for a complete system. Using the validated model a system optimization was... (More)
System cost reductions and development of standardised plug-and-function systems are some of the most important goals for solar heating technology development. Retrofitting hot water boilers in single-family houses when installing solar collectors has the potential to significantly reduce both material and installation costs. In this study, the TRNSYS simulation models of the retrofitting solar thermal system were validated against measurements. Results show that the validated models are in good agreement with measurements. On an annual basis a deviation of 2.5% out of 1099 kWh was obtained between the auxiliary energy from results and from the simulation model for a complete system. Using the validated model a system optimization was carried out with respect to control strategies for auxiliary heating, heat losses and volume of auxiliary storage. A sensitivity analysis was carried out regarding different volumes of retrofitted hot water boiler, DHW profiles and climates. It was estimated that, with adequate improvements, extended annual solar fractions of 60%, 78% and 81% can be achieved for Lund (Sweden), Lisbon (Portugal) and Lusaka (Zambia), respectively. The correspondent collector area was 6, 4 and 3 m(2), respectively. The studied retrofitted system achieves a comparable performance with conventional solar thermal systems with the potential to reduce the investment cost. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
solar thermal, storage tank, hot water boiler, retrofit, domestic hot, water
in
Energies
volume
6
issue
2
pages
953 - 972
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • wos:000315395400021
  • scopus:84874673588
ISSN
1996-1073
DOI
10.3390/en6020953
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
192e6ff8-8ddf-4705-af57-a097dc96025e (old id 3671272)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:20:39
date last changed
2022-02-26 20:40:48
@article{192e6ff8-8ddf-4705-af57-a097dc96025e,
  abstract     = {{System cost reductions and development of standardised plug-and-function systems are some of the most important goals for solar heating technology development. Retrofitting hot water boilers in single-family houses when installing solar collectors has the potential to significantly reduce both material and installation costs. In this study, the TRNSYS simulation models of the retrofitting solar thermal system were validated against measurements. Results show that the validated models are in good agreement with measurements. On an annual basis a deviation of 2.5% out of 1099 kWh was obtained between the auxiliary energy from results and from the simulation model for a complete system. Using the validated model a system optimization was carried out with respect to control strategies for auxiliary heating, heat losses and volume of auxiliary storage. A sensitivity analysis was carried out regarding different volumes of retrofitted hot water boiler, DHW profiles and climates. It was estimated that, with adequate improvements, extended annual solar fractions of 60%, 78% and 81% can be achieved for Lund (Sweden), Lisbon (Portugal) and Lusaka (Zambia), respectively. The correspondent collector area was 6, 4 and 3 m(2), respectively. The studied retrofitted system achieves a comparable performance with conventional solar thermal systems with the potential to reduce the investment cost.}},
  author       = {{Bernardo, Ricardo}},
  issn         = {{1996-1073}},
  keywords     = {{solar thermal; storage tank; hot water boiler; retrofit; domestic hot; water}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{953--972}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Energies}},
  title        = {{Retrofitting Conventional Electric Domestic Hot Water Heaters to Solar Water Heating Systems in Single-Family Houses-Model Validation and Optimization}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en6020953}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/en6020953}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}