Energie mit Zukunft

Projekt­Information
Projektstart:
Projektlaufzeit:
Fördermittelgeber:
Projektträger:
Förderprogramm:
Projektbudget:
Ansprechpartner:
2012
3 Jahre
Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie
Projektträger Jülich (PTJ)
Förderprogramm Solarthermie2000plus
370.734 €
Dr. Christoph Trinkl (Projektleiter)
Tel: 0841 / 9348 – 3720
christoph.trinkl@thi.de
Dr.-Ing. Michael Klärner
(841) 9348­6310
michael.klaerner@thi.de
Kooperationspartner:
Foto: ROTH WERKE GMBH
Abstract
How can solar collectors be built more
cheaply and still deliver the same
performance? The Institute of new Energy
Systems (InES) at the Technische Hochschule
Ingolstadt is investigating the
effectiveness of plastic designs. Solar
thermal systems used for the heat generation
in buildings have great potential
to replace conventional systems
employing fossil fuels. Despite the rising
costs of the fossil fuels (e.g. heating oil
and gas) solar collectors are frequently
ignored as a viable option due to high
investment costs. Solar collector producers
are therefore interested in reducing
their production costs, especially those
of solar thermal collectors, which remain
the main components in any solar
heating system. The use of plastics in
solar thermal collectors offers a number
of advantages. In addition to a reduction
in the use of expensive materials
such as aluminum and copper, polymerbased
collectors are lighter and easier
to handle than conventional collectors.
Modern production techniques mean
that polymer constructions for solar
collectors can be made by automated
manufacturing systems and production
costs reduced. Of course, the introduction
of plastic building elements in
high­performance solar thermal collectors
presents a whole range of additional
challenges. Limits on temperature,
pressure, and ultraviolet light must all
be carefully considered. Furthermore
other factors such as the life expectancy
of new collectors and the lower thermal
conductivity of polymers relative
to copper will be significant obstacles
to the widespread introduction of solar
thermal collectors.
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