A solar water heater is a device that uses the heat from the sun to heat water. The system includes a collector that traps the heat from the sun and a fluid that runs through pipes. The heated fluid then flows into a storage tank that may not be insulated. This system is usually more expensive than a traditional tank heater, but can operate reliably in cold or hot climates.
There are a number of ways to design a solar water heater. First, you’ll need to determine how much hot water you need. Then, you’ll want to determine the storage capacity of the system. Usually, 50 liters of storage is recommended for every square metre of collector area. Too small a tank will decrease the efficiency of the system.
The larger the surface area of the collector, the more water it will heat. Also, if you live in a hot climate, you’ll want to increase the amount of storage. For example, if you live in a warm climate, you may want to increase the storage capacity to two gallons per square foot.
A typical solar water heater system is comprised of a storage tank and one or more flat plate collectors. The collectors are designed to collect heat from the sun and transfer the energy to the water. This water is then heated and circulated through the system. A pump may be needed to regulate the speed of the water in the collector.
