ComfortDisc are pleased to recommend the Firebird range of solar panels.  They are available in flat panel and tube type.

With more and more homes and commercial buildings going towards a "passive" standard, ComfortDisc and solar thermal storage using a large array of panels to heat 1000 to 2000 liters of water is the best way to ensure the lowest possible (or no) heating bill.

How it works

For every 10C of water temperature stored in a 1000L buffer or storage tank, 10KW of energy is available.  The usable entering water temperature for the ComfortDisc hot water coil is 40C to 80C.

For example, to heat a 1500L storage tank from 45C to 75C (a 30C rise) will take 45KW (30C * 1500W/L per C) .  In other words there will be 45KW of heat available.  If the heat requirement was 9KW per hour (at design conditions) there would be (45 KW/ divided by 9KW/hr) 5 hours of heating available.  This assumes that the heating demand is continuous.

The requirement then is to calculate the required amount of solar panels to reheat the buffer tank over 24 hour period, factoring in the expected amount of sunlight and the financial and physical practicalities of the installation. Depending on the heat loss requirement, a back up heat source such as solid fuel, heat pump or fossil fuel may be required. 

The recommended storage volume and size of the solar array will depend on the heat loss of the building and the amount of hot water required.  As buildings become more and more airtight and better insulated, the actual KW of heat required reduces meaning that the storage volume and quantity of solar panels needed to reheat the storage is reduced.

Consult Firebird or your ComfortDisc installer for further information on solar thermal storage using Friebird flat panel or solar tube collectors.