Thermal energy and steam are required for all types of industrial processes. Used in everything from oil and gas extraction, mining, and food and beverage processing to sanitation, commercial laundries, and distillation, heat is a vital part of the processing and manufacturing sectors.
In the last several years, there has been increased interest in using solar thermal collectors for the generation of heat needed for industrial processes and applications. More than 4.3 million square feet of solar collectors produce solar heat for industrial processes around the globe, generating more than 280 MWth.
Solar thermal collection technologies are field-proven, and in the past 15-20 years, product research and development — as well as improved manufacturing — have brought about a new generation of simple, reliable, and highly efficient solar water heating systems. Modeling tools are available to predict system performance, costs, energy savings, and return on investment (ROI) based on local sun and weather conditions.
Solar heating technologies can preheat boilers, reheat condensate, heat air, evaporate liquid waste, and provide a full range of temperatures from 80 oF to 400 oF for manufacturing processes.
XCPC Solar Thermal Collectors
XCPC solar thermal collectors, manufactured by Artic Solar, can be installed in any climate to produce industrial process heat (IPH) for all the applications listed above.
These solar thermal systems integrate easily with any commercial boiler. The solar array can preheat makeup water to a boiler and/or reheat steam condensate. This technology can heat any type of fluid through the use of a heat exchanger. Heat exchangers are specific to the type of fluid being heated, which means that no fluid other than the solar heat transfer fluid (HTF) is pumped through the solar array. Heat is transferred to the process fluid in the heat exchanger.
Solar Storage Tanks
All IPH systems have a solar storage tank. Storage tanks can be sized to the daily load. As an example, sanitation for a meat processing facility may use up to 100,000 gallons of 160-180 °F water during the evening sanitation shift. In these cases, the storage tank will be sized for 100% of the load, or a smaller solar fraction selected by the customer.
In some applications, a buffer storage tank is used for buildings in which all the heat transferred from the solar array in the heat exchanger is used immediately by the facility. Hospitals, for example, make use of large hot water loads during daylight periods, and typically do not have enough roof area for a large solar fraction or high percentage of load. Storage tanks can be placed inside a building or on a pad outside of the mechanical room.
The system designs are very simple, and have been used for years around the globe in many different applications.
Operation and Maintenance
Operation and maintenance of XCPC solar heating systems are very simple, as they do not require a tracking system and are fixed in position when installed. The only moving parts on the system are the circulation pumps for the HTF and the process fluid being heated. The pumps are controlled by a digital differential controller, sensing the heat available in the solar array. Monitoring systems can verify the daily solar production, flow rates, and temperatures.
Key Features of the XCPC System
- Can produce temperatures up to 400 oF
- Allows for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
- Cost-effective and offers great return on investment
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