Installation: Commercial
Client: Scottish & Southern Energy
Location: Penner Road, South Coast, Portsmouth
Project Criteria
Contracted under Emcor Engineering Ltd, the 'Scottish & Southern Energy' project was a complete reconstruction and new development of existing industrial units, which, on completion was to be used as one of the largest call centers in the UK.
The initial brief was to design and install a commercial solar thermal system that would be capable of providing the largest proportion of hot water requirements from a renewable technology.
Working in partnership with 'Dedicated Pressure Systems Ltd', a system was designed which was to incorporate a large solar thermal system, along with additional protection against overheat, to accommodate a constant and quick recovering hot water demand. (See system schematic page)
Collector Arrays
The solar collectors used were based on the same technology as seen on a domestic installation, but would achieve a much higher heat output in order to supply the plant room cylinders constant need to recover heat at peak demand. A 21 evacuated tube collector array consisting of 30 53x1800mm tubes per collector (630 total) was fixed on to the south facing roof elevation directly above the main plant room and reception area of the building. These were mounted on large steal frames fixed and weathered to the main buildings internal structure to allow secure fixing, a 15degree elevation as well as 500mm crawl access for maintenance and service works.
The estimated heat outputs of this system at 15º (winter) were 1,400 kilowatt-hours per year and at 45º (summer) were 1,560 kilowatt-hours per year. |
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Hot Water storage
The sizing of the hot water storage was based upon the client's requirements of heavy and constant demand for hot water at all times. The heated Water/Tyfocor solution is supplied via 35mm braised copper pipe work from the roof space down into the plant room and dispersed into the cylinder by a single coiled 600 litre un-vented cylinder. This pre-heated water is then fed to a second store burner should it need to top up storage temperature during the call centers night shift demand. This is all monitored by a Resol DeltaSol M control unit and circulated via a FlowCon Max commercial pumping and filling unit.
Over the course of 10 hours on a clear day this system could produce over 30 kilowatts per day and the recovery time of the 600 litre cylinder from cold feed to 65º C could be completed in less than 80 minutes.
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