In Germany, the trend towards using solar thermal systems continues. One reason for this is certainly the rising prices of fossil fuels like gas and oil. With a solar thermal system, homeowners are independent of energy suppliers and heat their homes with sustainable energy. It’s obvious that this works well in the summer. However, many builders are still unsure: What does a solar system perform like in winter? Does it even work? Does it need special protection during frost and snow?
Unique technology enables solar heating in winter The solar thermal manufacturer AKOTEC provides answers to these questions.
Regarding the performance of a solar system in winter, there are many differences, as not all collectors are the same. While conventional flat collectors work decently for hot water production in the summer, they are often covered by a thick layer of snow in the winter or lose large amounts of heat to the surrounding temperature due to the flat collector design.
However, solar thermal users don’t have to sit in the cold in winter: AKOTEC’s powerful full vacuum tube collectors combine numerous advantages that allow profitable use even in winter.
Thanks to the special NANO coating of the vacuum tubes, system owners need not worry about heavy snow loads: The extremely shatterproof hardening of the glass body can withstand up to 250 kg. And should the weather become a bit more unpredictable, homeowners need not panic. AKOTEC collectors feature the highest hail resistance class 4 according to TÜV Rheinland and have been proven to withstand hailstones up to 40 millimeters in size. AKOTEC ensures consistently high performance by using the powerful NARVA full vacuum tube. This is the only tube in the world that provides maximum heat insulation and minimum heat loss. Through this well-thought-out technology of the full vacuum tube collectors, AKOTEC guarantees consistently good yields, even on sunny days in freezing temperatures. To ensure the long-term operational reliability of a solar thermal system, especially during the cold winter months, builders should check the antifreeze level of the heat transfer fluid annually before winter. The heat transfer fluid is an essential component of every thermal solar system. It transports the collected heat from the solar collectors to the thermal storage. There, the fluid heats the water in the storage via a solar heat exchanger. The fluid then cools down and is pumped back to the collectors. The heated water in the storage is used for hot water preparation or heating as needed. Especially at very low temperatures, the correct mixture ratio and consistency of the water-glycol mixture are crucial for the system’s functionality. Similar to a car’s cooling system, the antifreeze prevents the water from freezing at low temperatures, thus preventing the system from being put out of operation. AKOTEC assists interested parties with free initial consultations, energy concept creation, as well as planning, delivery of the system, and finding a nearby installer via https://akotec.eu/en/home/ or in a personal discussion. The company offers a 20-year warranty on all of its collectors.
Funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Energy with funds from the European Social Fund and the State of Brandenburg. Learn more.
