ASHRAE Journal - April 2010 - 82

Solar Hot at AHR Expo
Attendees: How do you assess your interest in products that are promoted as “green”?

A Lot ..................................... 40% Some ..................................... 50% Very Little ............................... 8% Not at All ................................ 2%
Data from ASHRAE Journal surveys of 2010 AHR Expo attendees (865; 15% response rate) and exhibitors (217; 18% response rate).

Evacuated glass tube solar panels from Gear Solar are used for hot water heating. ORLANDO, Fla.—Florida is the Sunshine State, and at least 54 exhibitors displayed a solar product at the 2010 AHR Expo. The products included: The SplitCool DC 18 dc-powered highSEER air-conditioning system from Solar Panels Plus. The system runs off a battery bank that is supplied power for an array of PV panels and installs without ducts. Heliocol solar pool heating systems use the pool’s existing pump to direct pool water through a series of valves to the solar collectors. As the water rises through the solar collectors, it is heated by the sun’s radiant energy. The water is returned to the pool, and the cycle repeats until the pool has been warmed by the sun. The AURORA solar collectors for solar hot water systems by Solene feature highquality materials and state-of-the-art engineering to provide maximum efficiency and durability. They are environmentally friendly, nonpolluting and reliable. The Vitosol 300-T vacuum tube solar collectors from Viessmann are suitable for many applications, including combination DHW/space heating systems. The product can be used on flat and sloped
82 ASHRAE Journal

roofs and multiple collectors can be connected in series. Taco’s solar pumping station combines all of the features needed for a closedloop water heating system. The unit adjusts pump speed to maximize solar collector output and efficiency. E Instruments International offers the SL Solar Series portable solarimeters. The devices measure and spot-check solar power, calculate energetic exposure, evaluate the amount of generated electric power, and verify the optimal orientation of solar panels. The King Hydronic Heater from King Electrical Manufacturing can be used with solar or any source of hot water to heat homes. Individual room control is possible with the firm’s ENERGY STAR thermostats. The HP 300WW air-water heat pump from Gruppo Giona enables simultaneous or selective use of up to four energy sources: thermal energy, electricity, solar power and environmental energy. The MacroVoltaic solar fan system from MacroAir is an HVLS fan with an attached controller, which is a specialized component that converts the power from the solar panels into usable power for the fan motor.
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The InSpire solar wall system from ATAS International uses perforated metal panels mounted several inches from the building’s outer wall. The solar preheated air at the surface is drawn through the perforations into the wall cavity via ventilation fans, which also draw the warmer air up the wall and into the building’s interior. Alstrom Corporation offers solar steam generators, which are powered by energy collected by solar panels. That water is directed to the steam generator, which converts the energy into steam. The Commercial Solar Station (HCOM) from Heliodyne is a packaged closed-loop heat transfer appliance for accommodating large solar hot water projects of up to 100 flat plate collectors with a single module. HCOM offers “plug and play” installation, touch screen interface, single/double wall heat exchanger and integrated variablespeed pumps. Meibes offers PowerFill, a lightweight, ultraportable filling and flushing system designed for commissioning and servicing any solar thermal or closedloop system. Lochinvar announces the expansion and enhancement of its Squire indirect water heater line. The 12 stainless steel models have capacities of 30 gallons (114 L) to 119 gallons (450 L). Six solar models use hybrid systems that incorporate solar thermal panels along with a secondary boiler heating coil or electric backup.
April 2010

ASHRAE Journal - April 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASHRAE Journal - April 2010