Supporting info and Facts for Solarventi use. A solar air collector is not just a solar air collector There is good reason to be critical when and if you are told that a system has an “extremely high output” A solar air collector’s technical construction looks simple and can actually be relatively easy to copy. However, there are surprisingly many pitfalls and the risk of construction errors is high. As a well‐established manufacturer, SolarVenti Ltd. welcomes new competitors as long as the competing product is well constructed and will provide a durable and good experience for the user. Unfortunately, we regularly see manufacturers ‐ both in Denmark, Australia and internationally ‐ who develop solutions that are badly thought through and who run misleading marketing campaigns in an industry that is still relatively young. Both ill‐considered solutions and misleading marketing campaigns damage the industry as a whole as both have a negative impact on a customer’s trust. Regardless of the solar air collector you, the customer, end up choosing, there are a few basic things that are worthy of note when you read product descriptions and other sales material. Advertising rhetoric about extremely high temperature output is misleading The main benchmark for the evaluation of the efficiency of a solar air collector will always be the number of cubic meters of incoming air per hour at a given temperature. Claims of, e.g., “250 % higher output than similar products” are beyond the realms of current technology and, therefore, technically impossible, but are also an example of misleading marketing. The fundamental principle behind efficient dehumidification, ventilation and supplementary heating from a solar air collector is that the collector blows large volumes of air into the house at a temperature that is optimal in relation to the volume of air. The heat from the sun is used, out in the panel on the roof or wall, to adjust the temperature of the air that is blown into the house so that it is generally above ‐ the indoor temperature of the house. In this way, the house is supplied with automatic and cost‐free dehumidification and ventilation, which usually results in noticeable savings on electricity and heating bills as well as a good indoor climate. In brief: A well‐constructed solar air collector blows large volumes of air, at a temperature adjusted to be as high as possible, into the house when the sun shines. A solar air collector’s output of a given temperature must always be www.solarventinsw.com.au ‐20/09/2013
quoted together with the number of cubic meters of incoming air per hour otherwise the quoted temperature is of no value as product data. The way in which the solar air collector cools itself down is crucial – Today, it is standard for the modern solar air collector to have the electricity‐producing solar cell built into the actual panel. The solar cell fits discretely into the panel and is well protected against thrown‐up pebbles, hail and other types of impact. And the solar cell relinquishes its own heat to the solar air collector panel and, thus, into the house rather than into the air outside. The protected position of the solar cell within the panel imposes demands on the “self‐cooling” properties of the system. Temperatures of up to 140 degrees Celsius can be reached inside the panel when the system is switched off and the fan is not running. Neither the solar cell nor the fan can cope with temperatures of this magnitude. Therefore, it is essential that the solar air collector is able to cool itself when it is switched off ‐ i.e. when the fan is not working. Briefly: A solar air collector’s self‐cooling system must work in all situations ‐ without being heard. And it is never a good idea to blow used air from the house through a solar air collector panel. A solar air collector panel must be clean on the inside and remain so. Healthy Houses with Solar Heating Healthy indoor climate with solar heating The indoor climate in well insulated modern houses is normally healthy for your fuel bill but certainly not always for your health. The problem stems from the missing air renewal. Gone are the days of natural ventilation through numerous small leakages in our houses. Instead we find tight windows and doors, while walls and ceilings are sealed by vapor barriers. Moisture on the inside of the double glazing has become a sign of an unsound indoor climate. Ventilation lags behind Most new houses attempt to ensure a sound indoor climate by ventilation through fresh air ducts. However, the air renewal supply of many buildings has not been dimensioned to meet the actual needs of modern homes. This causes a bad indoor climate, and in serious cases it may involve health risks because of dry rot in the walls and structure of the building. www.solarventinsw.com.au ‐20/09/2013
Lumpy sugar and stale air in your cottage
Buildings left unused part of the year are particularly exposed to the problem of damaging air moisture content outside of the holiday season. The indoor climate suffers from the relatively low temperatures and the closed windows and locked doors. Typical signs are stale air and lumps in the sugar bowl when the house is being used during weekends or opened for the season. SolarVenti without any operating costs Almost 60,000 customers have experienced that the SolarVenti can solve the problem of moist and unsound indoor climate – without any operating costs. This is true even on days or during periods when sunlight is scarce. When the system has been in operation for some time the overall moisture content of the building materials and the furniture will have been lowered and the living conditions for the dry rot destroyed. Moreover, an increasing number of clients find that the SolarVenti is capable of removing moisture and creating a sounder indoor climate in houses designed for year‐round use. To this may be added a list of other potential applications, e.g. for basements, caravans, boats, containers, museums etc. Building style and health More often than not the problems with our indoor climate are caused by an abnormal accumulation of moisture in the furniture and structure of the house thereby also affecting the air we breathe every day. We quite simply build and insulate our houses more and more to keep the expensive heat outside the building and forget that we thereby reduce the air flow and increase the air humidity. The simple solution to high air humidity has always been and still is proper airing. However, traditional venting through exterior doors, windows and air shafts involves loss of heat and heat costs money. More and more money is lost as the energy resources of our planet becomes increasingly expensive. Economy and health During winter and autumn periods when the need for airing and drying out peaks the rising energy prices weigh heavily on our personal budgets . A SolarVenti on the wall or roof will typically work as a simple, low‐cost and effective solution to an improved indoor climate no matter whether your goal is to solve or improve health related problems or you just want to avoid experiencing daily discomfort in general. A SolarVenti will air your house without any loss of heat at no running costs for neither the owner nor the environment. A free supplement of heating is sometimes an option for extremely colder climates. www.solarventinsw.com.au ‐20/09/2013
The costs for setting up a SolarVenti will often be far less than half of the costs for a mechanical ventilation system using heat recycling. And because of the choice of material and the simple construction a SolarVenti is extremely reliable and will perform for many years without any maintenance. Moist and unsound indoor climate can cause health problems Mould and dry rot thrive in moist conditions and can be harmful for furniture, buildings and people. Unsound indoor climate in general may cause discomfort and add to the risk of disease. "Health effects associated with sporal and bad quality air are‐ Beta glucans, allergic alveolitis, inhalation fever, infection with moulds, respiratory infections in the general population, other effects, mycotoxins, Immunostimulation and IgE‐mediated allergies, cytotoxicity and immuno suppression, autoimmunity, irritation, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, microbial interactions. Humidity and age related conditions which could huge benefits from the use of Solar powered dehumidifiers are Arthritis, Osteoarthritis. chronic and juvenile rheumatism, Each condition is known to have decreased pain when humidity and temperature is increased.
www.solarventinsw.com.au ‐20/09/2013