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: |
|
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
|
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 |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
Potential use in non-academic contexts |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
Impacts |
Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
Summary |
|
Date Materialised |
|
|
Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
Project URL: |
|
Further Information: |
|
Organisation Website: |
http://www.hw.ac.uk |