How important is anti-freeze protection?

The anti-freeze protection system consumed annually from 7 to 13% of the heat generated by the collectors in the installation. Supporting the operation of the central heating system in the building during the winter season highly improved the efficiency of the solar collectors.

Does solar water heating use antifreeze?

Antifreeze is used in solar water heating systems as a heat transfer fluid, providing protection from freezing, and damage to the system, in colder climates. But beware! Don’t try and add or change it in your solar water heating system yourself – these systems are pressurized and any maintenance is best left to the professionals.

How to protect a solar system from freezing water?

In solar systems operating in moderate climate conditions, it is possible to use environmentally safe water without the addition of substances reducing the freezing point. It is then necessary to apply a solution that protects the system against the freezing of water. In the literature, several solutions can be found:

What does antifreeze do?

An antifreeze is an additive which lowers the freezing point of a water-based liquid. An antifreeze mixture is used to achieve freezing-point depression for cold environments and also achieves boiling-point elevation ("anti-boil") to allow higher coolant temperature.

How can a solar power system be adapted to a heat storage system?

In the literature, several solutions can be found: automatic control system equipped with an anti-freeze protection (AFP) function which, by switching on the solar pump, allows for the transfer of heat from the heat storage to the SC;

Are there devices that heat the installation components exposed to freezing water?

There are no devices that heat the installation components exposed to freezing of water, e.g., heating tapes. The operation of this system under real conditions was analysed for five years in a residential and retail building located near Kraków in Southern Poland.