Kwiksol Instruction, Installation & Warranty Manual 7
G. FEATURES OF THE SOLAR VACUUM TUBES
•
Consists of two glass tubes (inner
and outer) manufactured from
Borosilicate glass.
•
The outer tube is transparent
allowing light rays to pass through it
with minimum reflection.
•
The inner tube is coated with a solar
selective coating, which provides
excellent solar radiation absorption.
•
The tops of the two tubes are fused
together and the air extracted,
which forms a vacuum.
•
To maintain the vacuum between the two tubes a barium layer is used, which
provides a clear visual indication of the vacuum status. The silver coating will turn
white if the vacuum is lost.
•
The tubes are installed onto a frame and the tops of the tubes inserted into a
manifold. Both are made from anodized aluminum.
H. ROOF LOCATION OF A SOLAR SYSTEM
1. Roof location and pitch
• For optimum performance the solar flat plate collector
panel/s or solar vacuum tubes with frame, need to face
the equator (facing north for Southern Hemisphere
installations). Installation on angles of up to 45ໍ away from
the equator do not have a major effect on the annual solar
output, consequently roof locations which face less than
45
°
away from the equator are acceptable. Solar radiance
from the sun begins at about 10.00 until 16.00 and at its
peak between 12.00 and 14.00.
•
If the solar flat plate collector panel/s or solar vacuum tubes are installed with an
east facing bias, the best solar capture is achieved in the morning and if installed
with a west facing bias, in the afternoon.
•
The installation location should not be subject to excessive shading from trees
and adjacent buildings and particularly between 9.00 and 15.00. Shadows are
longer in winter than in summer so a location that is free of shadows in summer
may have some shadows in winter.
•
The solar flat plate collector panels or solar vacuum tubes should be installed
on a roof pitch greater than 8ໍ and less than 30ໍ. Where the roof pitch is greater
than 30ໍ, the installation will require additional support to prevent it from moving
downwards when installing and after installing. If the pitch is less than 8ໍ, the
installation will require a mounting frame to increase the pitch to above 8ໍ.
Installations below 8ໍ do not thermosyphon effectively and the solar flat plate
collector panel/s or vacuum tubes will not clean properly when it rains.
12 set
16 set
20 set
PERFECT
ORIENTATION
ZONE
GOOD
ORIENTATION
ZONE
GOOD
ORIENTATION
ZONE
N
20˚E
20˚W
40˚W
40˚E
S
E
W