Energy-Saving Hardware-Software Complex for Hybrid Solar Hot Water Supply Systems

The finiteness of fossil fuels, environmental damage from their combustion and increasing production costs promote acceleration of the global energy transfer to renewable energy sources and development of eco-friendly and resource-saving technologies. The vast Russian territory is permafrost or areas with seasonally frozen soils. Renewable energy sources are relevant for such territories, especially solar energy as the most affordable. Purpose: The aim is to improve the hardware-software complex for energy saving and safe year-round operation of the hybrid solar hot water supply system. Methodology: An experimental-industrial hybrid solar hot water supply system with four evacuated tubular collectors and a solar power plant with an installed capacity of 5 kW is used in the village Kaftanchikovo, Tomsk region, in the production workshop of NPO VEST. Research findings : The full-scale experimental test is conducted for the hardware-software complex, the ability to ensure safe operation of the system with an energy-saving effect at night at temperatures below the freezing point of the coolant in the hydraulic circuit of the collectors is shown. Value: It is shown that the use of the proposed hardware-software complex for a hybrid solar system with four evacuated collectors allows to minimize additional heat losses, which do not exceed 55.8 % of the heat loss of water passing through the walls of the storage tank.