POLARIS: A New Technology for Low-Cost Solar/Gas Water Heaters

摘要

A low-cost solar/gas augmented system (POLARIS) was designed, fabricated, and tested in prototype form. Based upon F-chart analysis, and when averaged over the U.S., this system would supply 48% of the annual heating load for a family of four. As part of this system, a new type of optical lens was fabricated which has major advantages over existing Fresnel lens systems. A new Freon driven tracking system was developed as part of the POLARIS system. This system tracked to within 1 degree accuracy and required no electric power for operation. The projected installed cost of the POLARIS system to the consumer is $900. In addition, modeling of various solar/gas interface scenarios was accomplished. These studies indicated that the most cost-effective overall system use occurred when an instantaneous point-of-use gas water heater was incorporated into the POLARIS system.