Advanced Solar Domestic Water Heating Systems

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The environmental impact and availability of standard energy sources has become increasingly important. While developing new energy sources is necessary, so too are efforts towards smarter energy use and energy conservation. Buildings are a primary focus for energy efficiency, with the most ambitious efforts aimed at net-positive energy targets. Water heating represents 18% of total energy consumption in Canadian residences, so efficient water heating strategies are critical to meeting these targets. Solar Domestic Water Heating (SDHW) systems have proven to be a cost effective and reliable method of reducing energy consumption in residential buildings. These systems, however, present challenges. They require a back-up heat source to provide additional thermal energy during periods of insufficient solar input. Using a heat pump is the most effective way to address this, and it also improves solar collection efficiency and increases system run-time. The synergistic combination of heat pump and SDHW technologies is called a Solar Assisted Heat Pump (SAHP). SDHW systems are also poorly suited to situations where there is a mismatch between the building energy demand and the available roof space (e.g. multi-unit residential buildings). Using Drain Water Heat Recover (DWHR) and Photovoltaic/Solar Thermal Hybrid collectors (PV/T) would help address this issue. The DWHR system will increase the incoming mains water temperature, while the PV/T panels will simultaneously supply energy to the heat pump and SDHW system. The combination of SDHW, heat pumps, DWHR, and PV/T systems has the potential to allow the use of a SDHW system as the sole water heating source in a building. It would make SDHW a more viable option in colder climates, and in particular, in Canada's North. Using this combination of devices would also reduce the capital and operating costs of the system. To get to that point, however, the systems need further development. The objective of the research is to develop several SAHP technologies, and to examine the potential of incorporating DWHR and PV/T technologies to increase system performance metrics. Over the next five years, the proposed research program will address several objectives: the analytical and experimental exploration of novel SAHP system configurations, the development of accurate system models and control strategies, the assessment of SAHP integration with other novel energy efficient technologies, and the assessment of these systems in a real-world setting. The overarching goal is to advance the development of robust, reliable, and economically and commercially viable SDHW systems, to develop design tools that will allow builders and homeowners to make informed choices about the technology, and to train personnel in fields related to solar energy and building sciences. Ultimately, this will benefit Canada by making it a world leader in advanced SDHW systems, and by helping reduce the energy demands of buildings.