Frequently asked questions
Do I need to keep my boiler for hot water?
No. Thermodynamic system is enough to ensure hot water throughout the year with high energy efficiency, so that you will not need any backup system such as a boiler or electric cylinder.
Can the thermodynamic system be installed in any area?
Yes, it is particularly suitable for countries like the United Kingdom where we are not known for our hot sunny days. The system has been used extensively in Norway and Denmark, where thermal solar is not a viable option due to their prolonged cold weather.
Do They Have To Be Facing South?
No, the panels do not have to be fitted on a South facing roof or wall. They will be more efficient if facing Southerly but this is not imperative as they do not rely on sunlight to work, they absorb the heat from the air, rain, wind and snow. They will even work inside although this is not an advisable way to fit them.
Is installation easy and quick?
Yes. Due to the unique and innovative features, thermodynamic solar system can be installed in less than a day. It simply connects to your existing hot water pipes.
Will I be able to generate hot water without other sources of power in days without sun?
Yes. The refrigerant liquid circulating at a negative temperature inside the panel is able to collect more solar power than a normal liquid, and even in days when the weather is cold and at night time. Due to a temperature gradient, the solar panel is able to capture the heat in the environment and transfer it to the water. Thus, the system guarantees hot water up to 55º C. In fact the system will work 24/7 whether it is cloudy, raining, windy, frosty or snowing.
What if I need more Hot Water than I Am Producing?
In the unlikely event that you require more water than the system provides there is a back up immersion heater built into the cylinder, that can be used to speed up the reheating of the water. At an ambient temperature of 15 degrees Celsius the water will heat up at a rate of 14 degrees Celsius per hour. That takes less than 6 hours to heat up a 200 litre tank of water from cold.
Can it Heat my Home?
Yes, it works most effectively when used with underfloor heating systems but can also be used with aluminium radiators or alternatively it can pre-heat your water to 55 degrees so that your conventional boiler only has to top it up to 85 degrees.
Do the collector panels have to be installed on the roof?
No, they can be fitted vertically to a wall on a terrace or on the roof.
Can the system heat my swimming pool?
Most definitely, they can be used to heat your swimming pool as well as heating your domestic hot water.
How big are the panels and how much do they weigh?
The panels are about 1,700 cm X 800 cm and only weigh 8kg. They absorb the heat from both sides of the panels so are very efficient.
Will the Panels Rust?
No, they are made of anodised aluminium so they will not corrode
Does the water get hotter if I use more than one panel?
No, the water will heat up to a maximum of around 55 degrees celsius, adding more panels will improve the recovery performance and heat the water faster.
Do the collectors produce electricity?
No, the thermodynamic system will only produce hot water.
Is there a lot of maintenance with the system?
There is virtually no maintenance required on the panels or the system.
What is the guarantees on the system?
There is a 2 year guarantee on the thermo block and 5 years on the collector panels.
Is the system expensive to run?
No, our 300 litre system will only consume 390 watts saving around 89% on traditional water heating costs.
Are there grants available?
Not currently.
Is this a heat pump?
There have been many arguments as to whether this is a heat pump or not and opinions are divided. The system does have the thermal Solar Keymark.
Our thermodynamic system does not require mechanical ventilation using fans that can be expensive to run as well as being quite noisy. Unlike heat pumps they will work at very low temperatures. They have a COP of 4 at 0 degrees Celsius and as high as 7 in warmer whether which is far better than any heat pump or thermal solar system on the market today.
The system uses a refrigerant liquid which is passed through a solar panel where it absorbs the heat from the atmospheric temperature. The heated liquid evaporates and is passed through a thermo block via a compressor. This heated gas then passes through a heat exchanger where it transfers the heat to the water in the cylinder before cooling and reverting back to a liquid where the process is repeated.
What is the COP of the System
The following table shows the rate at which the water heats up as well as the COP at different temperatures.
The COP is also based on daylight hours. The COP can drop by around 22% during the hours of darkness.The speed of rising temperature is the rate at which the water is heated per hour in degrees Celsius.
Will They Overheat or Freeze
No, the thermodynamic solar panels system will not overheat or freeze.
Thermal solar and the evacuated tubes have been known to crack and even explode in extreme temperatures.
Our panels are made of aluminium and use a refrigerant which runs through the panels at -26 degrees Celsius so will not freeze.
The system will not overheat as the refrigerant controls the temperature.
How Do They Work in Detail
The thermodynamic system is made up of a solar collector panel a thermodynamic block and a water storage tank or cylinder and for swimming pools or central heating an additional heat exchanger.
It is a new generation in thermal solar for heating hot water system.
The equipment holds a refrigerant fluid which is pre-loaded at the factory. The thermodynamic Solar Panel is manufactured of anodised aluminium with a powder coating that ensures a long-term protection against corrosion and the highest efficiency.
The storage cylinder is manufactured from steel with an enamel coating and expanded polyurethane insulation. There is a cathode installed to protect the tank from corrosion.
The System in its most basic definition is refrigeration in reverse. The process of heating water involves the usage of environmental energy such as solar radiation, air and rain temperature.
The system is based on the Thermodynamic Laws, formulated by the French physicist Carnot’s theories. In the case of the thermodynamic solar panels, the thermodynamic concepts are put into practice by using a fluid that evaporates at as it is heated. The heat absorbed by the collector panels are transported towards the water that we want to heat.
Despite the lack of solar radiation (maximum solar heat contribution), these panels capture the heat from the surrounding air all day long, as well as latent heat of rain, since the coolant remains inside the collector at -25 degrees Celsius which allows it to absorb as much heat as possible. Then, a compressor in the block raises the fluid temperature to 110 degrees Celsius, and it flows into the water circuit by way of a temperature exchanger, heating the water up to 55 Degrees Celsius. This guarantees us to have hot water all year round as long as the temperature stays above -15 Degrees Celsius.
In areas that tend to suffer from prolonged cold spells below freezing, it is possible to put the panels underground where the temperature is above freezing at all times and therefore continue to operate effectively.
What Is the Solar Keymark Accreditation
Our Thermodynamic system is the ONLY one to have the Solar Keymark.
The Solar Keymark was created to certify solar thermal products of high quality at European level. The aim is to reduce trade barriers and promote the use of high quality solar thermal products in the European market and beyond.
The Solar Keymark is a voluntary third-party certification mark for solar thermal products, demonstrating to end-users that a product conforms to the relevant European standards and fulfils additional requirements. The Solar Keymark is used in Europe and increasingly recognized worldwide.
The Solar Keymark is a CEN/CENELEC European mark scheme, dedicated to:
Solar thermal collectors (based on European standard series EN 12975)
Factory made solar thermal systems (based on European standard series EN12976)
What is WRAS – Water Regulations Advisory Scheme
Our Products have been awarded the certificate of excellence in the UK
Our company is the Global leader in the production of the thermodynamic energy system and is the only company to be awarded the WRAS – Water Regulations Advisory Scheme – certificate for our products
This is the highest level of certification awarded in the water supply industry in the United Kingdom and aims to assess product conformity, in this case the thermodynamic solar panels.
WRAS, via the Technical Product Assessment Committee, examined, tested and approved the thermodynamic solar panels, and came to the conclusion that, “when correctly installed”, the same “fully conform with all the requirements in force in the United Kingdom”.
Do You Install the Thermodynamic Systems
We qualified installers that are fully trained on the fitting and commissioning of the thermodynamic solar energy systems.
Out team of engineers cover the whole of the UK and for a standard domestic installation will have the system installed and running in less than a day.
For larger commercial systems then a survey is required to establish the complexity of the install and the time that will be required for the fit.