Case Study - April 2010. Download the new brochure HERE

A day in the life of a Surface Power Solar system.

Need to see some real data !!, April 28th, 2010. Ireland.

Have you heard the usual sales talk, this will do XX% and payback in YY years ?
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The Surface Power newsletter service has over 16,000 subscribers worldwide. Yesterday, we were asked by a large quantity of our subscribers, some who already own various solar thermal systems for real time data from our systems. Today, we decided to roll up our sleeve's and get you real data from a metered home owner for the whole day including weather.

This is today's story of a "day in the life" of a Surface Power solar system.

Weather for Castlebar, Co. Mayo

12°C | Current: Mostly Cloudy Wind: SW at 29 km/h Humidity: 88%
Cylinder (300 L) starting temperature at 8am was 11C
 NOTE: Cylinder temp is taken from the bottom sensor (S2)

TIME: 9:55 am
Cylinder Temp: 27 C
Collector Temp: 41 C
By 9:55, the collectors are already up to 41 degrees with an MPPT differential of 14 C.
TIME: 10:05 am
Cylinder Temp: 29 C
Collector Temp: 43 C
10 minutes later and the cylinder water is up another 2 degrees.
TIME: 10:30 am
Cylinder Temp: 34 C
Collector Temp: 44 C
25 minutes later and the cylinder is up another 5 degrees and the bottom of the cylinder has started to equalize with the top of the cylinder.
TIME: 10:50 am
Cylinder Temp: 37 C
Collector Temp: 59 C
20 minutes later, the cylinder is up another 3 degrees and is now equalized so the system is now heating all 300 litres of water. The system increases MPPT power again, note the significant increase in collector temperature.
TIME: 11:01 am
Cylinder Temp: 39 C
Collector Temp: 61 C
11 minutes later, up another 2 degrees, the system is maximizing MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) from solar with high power being delivered.
 

100% of Solar Hot Water achieved by 11:06 am.

BUT we are not finished yet
TIME: 11:06 am
Cylinder Temp: 41 C
Collector Temp: 62 C
5 minutes later and 2 degrees up and the cylinder is now past its 100% hot water point of 40C. (You need to dilute water above 40C)
TIME: 11:11 am
Cylinder Temp: 43 C
Collector Temp: 62 C
5 minutes later and the cylinder is up 2 degrees and MPPT mode is slowing back in power to match efficiency reduction as temperatures get higher.
TIME: 11:20 am
Cylinder Temp: 46 C
Collector Temp: 63 C
9 minutes more and the cylinder is up 3 degrees, again MPPT is slowing the power curve as the temperature rises in the cylinder.
TIME: 11:29 am
Cylinder Temp: 47 C
Collector Temp: 62 C
9 minutes later and we gain another degree.
TIME: 11:41am(1)
Cylinder Temp: 48 C
Collector Temp: 64 C
Temperature rises are slowing as the system is easing back on the power curve to keep the collectors in operation for long periods of time.
TIME: 11:41 am (2)
Cylinder Temp: 48 C
Collector Temp: 64 C
Flow gauge temperature is recording 68C.
TIME: 11:55 am
Cylinder Temp: 50 C
Collector Temp: 60 C
Cylinder temperature now makes 50 degrees temperature. System still maintaining a 10 degree power curve even in very cloudy weather in April.
TIME: 11:59 am
Cylinder Temp: 51 C
Collector Temp: 60 C
Power curve easing, differential now at 9 degrees. Curve too low, will increase shortly.
TIME: 12:15 m
Cylinder Temp: 52 C
Collector Temp: 65 C
Power curve increases, differential now at 13 degrees.
TIME: 12:35 pm
Cylinder Temp: 55 C
Collector Temp: 71 C
Power curve increases, differential now at 16 degrees.
TIME: 12:38 am
Cylinder Temp: 57 C
Collector Temp: 73 C
Power curve being maintained with a differential of 16 degrees.
NO DATA FROM 12:38PM UNTIL 2:54PM.
TIME: 2:54 pm
Cylinder Temp: 73 C
Collector Temp: 69 C
After 2 hours, the system has gained another 16 degrees in water temperature. System at top of its power curve, pump off.
TIME: 4:08 pm
Cylinder Temp: 72 C
Collector Temp: 70 C
System is still at max power curve for the cloudy weather.
TIME: 4:10 pm
Cylinder Temp: 72 C
Collector Temp: 72 C
System is maintaining its maximum power curve peak temperature but the system is at its ceiling for the days weather.
TIME: 5:05 pm
Cylinder Temp: 72 C
Collector Temp: 72 C
System is maintaining its maximum power curve peak temperature but the system is at its ceiling for the days weather.
TIME: 5:22 am
Cylinder Temp: 71 C
Collector Temp: 70 C
System is maintaining its maximum power curve peak temperature but the system is at its ceiling for the days weather.
TIME: 6:00 pm
Cylinder Temp: 71 C
Collector Temp: 63 C
Light levels are dropping with the rain cloud and final production for the day has been achieved at 71 degrees.
TIME: 7:22 pm
Cylinder Temp: 71 C
Collector Temp: 43 C
Final temperature for the day is 300L at 71 degrees.
    fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
FINAL DAILY CYLINDER TEMPERATURE 71C (300L/80G). (163F)
IMPORTANT NOTES
  • This system is designed to perform like this. It is not about collectors, (although they are important), it is the whole system.
  • The SP501 solar collector was designed IN Ireland FOR Ireland and hence uses DIFFERENT solar technology. (but this means it works anywhere in the world better than existing legacy solar technology.)

  • Surface Power has developed MPPT power curve solar heating.

  • The SP501 is one of a few who have achieved entry onto the SEI HARP database (new list).
  • See more at www.surfacepower.com

FOR DETAILS ON DISTRIBUTION, INSTALLATIONS, SUPPLY OR DESIGN, PLEASE CONTACT sales@surfacepower.com