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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/N508627/1
Title: Low Cost Solar Thermal System
Principal Investigator: O'Donovan, Professor TS
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Sch of Engineering and Physical Science
Organisation: Heriot-Watt University
Scheme: Technology Programme
Starts: 08 June 2015 Ends: 03 September 2016 Value (£): 90,134
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Solar Technology
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Most solar thermal systems have a separate antifreeze filled loop for protection against freezing and require a new tank

fitted with a heat exchanger. When retrofitting, a perfectly good tank (usually copper) needs to be replaced. Soltropy Ltd

has developed an innovative solution that allows a domestic water supply to be heated directly without the secondary fluid

cycle. This increases the efficiency of the system and reduces capital and installation costs by allowing the system to

freeze but cause no damage; this is achieved by incorporating a compressible tube within an outer copper pipe. When the

system freezes the compressible tube takes up the expansion due to the ice and prevents pressure build up. As part of this

project the thermal connection between the header pipe and the heat pipe in the evacuated tube will modularised, allowing

a standard copper pipe to be used as the header with single units clamping over the pipe. This will reduce costs further as

the modular connector can be mass produced. In addition the control system will be optimised, simplified and modularised.

Tests at Heriot-Watt University to date have shown that the Soltropy system behaves differently from an "old style" system

and therefore requires different control strategies.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Impacts
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Summary
Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
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Project URL:  
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.hw.ac.uk