Restricted natural gas supplies, reduced peak electrical capacity, and steadily increasing demand for domestic water heating are placing a strain on limited conventional energy resources. Water heating is one of the most practical uses of solar energy; efficiencies for solar water heaters often exceed 75% compared to 15% for typical photovoltaic systems. However, despite rising conventional energy costs, high initial installed system costs have hampered consumer demand for solar water heaters. This project will develop technology for reducing both of the primary components of solar water heater cost: (1) materials costs will be reduced through the innovative use of fiber and metal filled, high temperature polymer materials to replace higher priced metal components; and (2) installation labor costs will be reduced through innovative, modular system design, which will allow labor costs to be reduced by as much as 50%. In Phase I, targeted materials will be compared to conventional materials with respect to durability, performance, and cost. The architecture for a load side thermal storage tank with a fully integrated pump and Delta-T control systems will be developed. The design goals for the solar collector include thermal performance within 80% of state-of-the-art; 40% less weight, and 33% less cost. Prototype development will take place in Phase II.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Consumers are aware that energy costs are rising again, and builders and retailers are eager to tap homeowner demand for energy efficient products such as solar water heaters
