REI Mar-Apr 2012 - Renewable Energy Installer

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Knowledge: Solar thermal In control oolSky, with the C help of Invest Northern Ireland, has developed an innovative control system for solar thermal heating which it is now marketing abroad for both commercial and residential users. The company used an Invest NI Innovation Voucher to develop and test a new controller that it says is technically advanced but much easier to use than existing devices currently on the market for solar water heating systems. CoolSky was formed in 2009 by a group of engineers, led by Kathy McVeigh, with experience in renewable energy, particularly solar thermal systems for heating hot water. It identified an opportunity for a device that would be easier to fit and use by installers, maintenance staff and owners. The voucher success enabled CoolSky to access the expertise and facilities at the University of Ulster’s School of the Built Environment in testing and further development work on the new controller. “Innovation Vouchers were introduced to encourage smaller companies in particular to embed innovation in their operations PAW for thought The PAW DrainBloc from Secon Solar is a pre-built, fully integrated solar pump and solar controller incorporating a drain back tank allowing fast installation of drain back solar thermal systems. DrainBloc comes in a self-contained unit taking up less space and benefits from being neat-looking too. The DrainBloc avoids overheating by draining the collector field when the pump is not in use or the system store is satisfied. The fluid drains back into the DrainBloc unit which has an integrated container. With the collector field now free from fluid it removes the stagnation problem. 84 | www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk by promoting relationships with expert staff in third level institutions such as universities and Further Education colleges. CoolSky now has a working relationship with the University of Ulster’s School of the Built Environment.” McVeigh said: “Our controller has been designed to make installing, maintaining and operating solar heating systems easier than ever before and thereby to encourage more people to opt for this form of renewable energy. Our knowledge of the industry enabled us to identify a significant market opportunity for a ‘plug and play’ controller that was reliable and easy to operate. All solar controllers presently available are technically complex and aimed at the sophisticated German market. “What we have achieved, assisted by the School of the Built Environment through the Innovation Voucher is the development of a solar controller that requires no monitoring and no complicated set-up. Its unique feature is the user interface, which clearly helps both installer and user to understand the function and status of their Team work: Kathy McVeigh, Coolsky and Olive Hill, Invest NI’s director of technology and process development. Coolsky has developed a control for solar thermal heating solar hot water systems. This is achieved through visual imaging, a feature which makes the understanding of the controller intuitive. “This unit will also take advantage of technology to enable the ‘personalisation’ of the product range, providing a controller that requires little or no on-site programming by the installation engineer. It also is designed to incorporate sophisticated wireless technology to help monitor and control the system function. “Our strategy is to extend With the system draining down this overcomes the possibility of the fluid freezing in the collector. The installer must ensure the collector field and pipe work completely drains back into the DrainBloc to ensure complete system protection. By draining the collector field when the pump is switched off it allows the system to be filled with water as the heat transfer medium which has its own advantages. These include improved heat capacity compared to glycol; the water has lower and more constant viscosity; environmentally benign fluid and compatibility with Class 2 RHI heat meters. and develop the range of products to include other renewable energy sectors and applications. “The Innovation Voucher was immensely beneficial in that it enabled us to access the University of Ulster‘s specialist indoor and outdoor solar testing facilities. We used these to test the controller under real conditions, similar to a domestic or commercial solar thermal installation. The tests validated the product concept and this has enabled us to move forward on market entry,” added McVeigh. System control is based on the usual differential between the collector and storage cylinder which applies PWM pump speed control. The total system heat quantity measurement is also calculated by the controller which monitors temperature, pressure and flow rate. VBus terminals are available on the controller so all the usual accessories are possible to be added. Specifications of the system include: a SC25-DBC solar controller already installed, preset and prewired; a collector and tank sensor; a PAW DrainBloc PWM pump, a container made of stainless steel with visual level indicator; a flowmeter with inspection window and a pressure gauge.
MCS and ELECSA. Job Done. �� 01404 549770 The complete kit – integrated heating solutions from Nu-Heat Contractors looking for Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) registration know that by being assessed by ELECSA they have one of the most trusted scheme providers on their side. Already known for its down to earth manner through its Part P scheme, MCS registrants with ELECSA benefit from the same approach - a scheme operated by contractors for contractors so your registration is a real benefit to you. To experience the difference visit www.elecsa.co.uk or contact the ELECSA registration team on 03333 218 220 www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk | 85
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REI Mar-Apr 2012 - Renewable Energy Installer

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