[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Solar thermal with sand storage

[Lawrence Lile]

Well, I can speak to the theory - sand is a terrible heat storage medium
compared to water - low conductivity, low specific heat, doesn't
circulate due to temperature differences so no convective heat transfer.


On the other hand, it is a lot easier to build a sand tank that doesn't
leak, vs. a water tank. All you need is a plywood box.  You'd worry less
about contamination of DHW with glycol vs. a water tank.  I'd say you'd
need a lot more sand (by weight), and a lot more tubes closely spaced,
to make a go of a sand tank.  I'm not saying sand would not work, just
that it would not be as effective.  

Lawrence Lile, PE, LEED AP
Project Solutions Engineering

-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Morgan
McDonald
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 11:16 AM
To: 'Greenbuilding'
Subject: [BULK] [Greenbuilding] Solar thermal with sand storage
Importance: Low

Is there anyone with experience designing/building/operating a solar
water heating system using sand as the storage medium? Any advice,
recommendations, pitfalls? Any reason not to do this in a coastal
temperate location (think Vancouver, Seattle...)?

Thanks!

Morgan McDonald

 

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