Solar water heating optimization

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Chris Molloy

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I was wondering if it makes sense to control solar water collector pump speed to optimize output using a PID controller. Inputs: delta T and flow rate. Output: flowrate. Calculate btu output based on flow and deltaT and adjust flow rate to optimize btu output.

Did not find much with google search on this topic.
 
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Changing to flow rate to attain a delta T would be the way to go, which I think it what you were asking. As the water in the storage tank increases you want the return water to be from the panels to X number degrees warmer than the water in the tank. Just make sure that you don't have to much flow that you end up with cavitation. A variable speed pump should allow you to run the system in colder weather, than with a constant speed pump. How long it take to pay off is a different question.
 

RoxanWright

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Usually in a solar water heating system the cold water is replenished to the storage tank the moment the load is served. You can confirm the water replenishment profile which optimized the system. They used this analytical method wherein the profile is proposed to size of solar water heating system near optimally. After that the problem is analyzed using the called design space approach methodology.
 
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