solar thermal panel directly connect to heat pump

[frankwest12345]

Just seen the site below which has a solar panel with refrigerant or "special fluid" in it rather than water, hooked up to a heat pump and is supposed to work even at night and down to -15 for central heating or hot water, can this be done as a DIY product?

Green Heat

[Piwoslaw]

That's pretty neat. Having the evaporator double as a collector makes for a huge heat exchanger even when the sun isn't shining. Would there be any problems with the large variations in refrigerant temperatures, depending on whether the sun is or isn't shining?

I proposed something similar, but had no idea that someone has done it.

[frankwest12345]

I was pondering how to couple the output of an evacuated tube solar collector to a heat pump but have not managed any inspiration ideas yet

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by frankwest12345

I was pondering how to couple the output of an evacuated tube solar collector to a heat pump but have not managed any inspiration ideas yet

I think that the range of temperatures that the refrigeration system can handle is much smaller than the range of temperatures that the sun at it's warmest can produce and the night air, at it's coldest can provide.

It seems that an intermediary water tank could buffer the temperatures.

The wording in the adverts is a little sneaky describing it as "special fluid"... Well, I have some special fluid for them!

But seriously, doing a little patent searching could reveal what the 'special fluid is'. If they have a patent on it, they have to describe it, and if we can know what that fluid is, we can build it. It's not against the law to do so, only if you try to sell it.

The collectors do look nicely built, but there are scads of nice collectors that go a-begging... I have 10 of them in my back yard. I paid $600 for all 10 of mine, if one is patient they can be gotten for much cheaper.

The fluid... we need to know what the fluid is.

-AC_Hacker

[Xringer]

Propanish stuff??


What's up with using one panel for 250L of storage? (66 gallons).


Green Heat

That just does not seem possible.. Not enough panel IMO..
Maybe if you buried it 7 feet deep in the backyard??


Also seems like there would be a problem with ice during rain..
Even snow could cover them up, so the sun couldn't hit them during the day.