Manual #2
Product manual provided by the manufacturer
HEAT PIPE SOLAR COLLECTOR
USER MANUAL
The product structure
Notice:
The solar collector consists of heat pipe vacuum tube, manifold and bracket. There is a copper flow channel inside the stainless steel manifold. The liquid will flow from black cap side to red cap side. A hole for temperature sensor is nearby the red cap.
The chief heat-collecting part is the vacuum tubes (infrared-reflection layer, absorbance layer, anti-reflection layer), which are made up of three point three high borosilicate glass tubes using full automatic equipment and advanced international magnetron sputtering technology. The outside of the inner tube is coated with aluminum nitride layer or stainless aluminum nitride, which can endure a temperature of up to 350 . The coating absorbs sunlight exclusively (absorptance=0.92, emittance=0.09, 80 ). The vacuum tubes absorb sunlight and convert the solar energy into heat. This system uses the fluid in the copper heat pipe as heat exchanger, which can start to work in a very short time, about 5 seconds.
The vacuum tube solar collector absorbs sunshine and transfers the heat to the copper pipe by the aluminum heat conducting sheet inside the vacuum tube. Then the fluid changes from liquid into vapor by heating and goes up. After exchanging the heat between the condenser end of the heat pipe with fluid medium in the manifold ,the vapor turns into liquid again and goes down to the bottom of the heat pipe. All of the heat energy is continuously conducted by the fluid medium in the circulation system.
- The solar collector should be installed at a place where it can fully absorb the sunlight. Put the main body towards the south (or 10 degree towards the west) and fix it firmly.
- The sequence of installation: first install the support frame, then the manifold, and last the vacuum tube. Insert the tubes slowly into the manifold, and then spin back to the undercarriage board. Install the two tubes at the outboard of the manifold first, then adjust the space between the vacuum tubes and manifold, then install other tubes.
- After the installation of the main body of the solar collector, you can install the water pipes. There are 3 holes in the manifold. The black cap side connects circulation inlet water pipes. The red cap side connects circulation outlet water pipes. Nearby the red cap, this is a hole for temperature sensor.
- In order to use the product normally in cold weather, please take measures to keep the pipe lines warm and empty to avoid freezing and frost cracking.
- Keep the beautiful appearance of the architecture when you arrange the pipes, and pipes should be fixed solidly with the architecture.
- 1. Vertical Legs
- Long Diagonal Bar(back)
- Horizontal Bar
- Short Diagonal Bar(side)
- Long Diagonal Legs
- Tube Holder
- Horizontal Bar
Operation Guide
When use the product for the first time or reuse it after a long period of suspension, please check the whole system first.
Installation for flat or inclined roofs
Please note that the collector can not work individually. It should match with other devices (such as water tank, controller, circulating pump and so on.)
The way of choosing good vacuum tube and heat-collected tube:
- Even color and luster surface;
- The rear suction mouth should be perfect;
- The rear vacuum getter should be mirror-like. A gray mirror image means low vacuum degree and a white bottom means no vacuum degree;
- Feel the surface of the vacuum heat-collected tube after hours of solar radiation?? if the surface is cool then the vacuum degree is normal.
The way of clean the vacuum heat-collected tube:
In dry and dusty areas, clean the vacuum tubes one year or half a year. Clean the tubes with suds or washing powder water first, then clean the tubes and reflecting board with rinsing. It’s unnecessary to clean the tubes in rainy areas.
| Problem | Cause | Action |
| Pump will not run | Power wiring faulty | Check Wiring and fuses |
| Pump rotor damaged | See pump manufacturers instructions | |
| The pump control selector P is in manual ‘OFF’ position | Check controller unit and return pump control P to automatic mode | |
| TC incorrectly set | Reset | |
| Pump runs continuously | Collector temperature is belowTF temperature | No action required TF flashes |
| Loose connection or faulty sensor on the collector | Check connections and sensor wires | |
| Collector temperature at maximum | No action required | |
| No circulation in system | Pump isolating valves closed | Open valves |
| Automatic air-vent closed | Open out, air-vent and check condition-replace if necessary | |
| Air lock at pressure relief valve | Twist cap at pressure relief valve and vent air | |
| Air lock in the system | Flush the solar loop | |
| Non-return valve jammed | Free valve or replace | |
| Pump is not running | See above | |
| System in stagnation | Wait until system reaches normal operating conditions | |
| Pressure drops in system | Leak at manifold | Check manifold compression feting for leaks tighten if necessary |
| Leak in system | Check all joints | |
| Drain/filling valve not closed | Close fully | |
| Out, air-vent passing water | Clean or replace if necessary | |
| Faulty pressure relief valve | Replace | |
| Damaged expansion vessel causes pressure fluctuation and relief valve to open | Replace | |
| Overheating | Pump does not run | See above |
| Prolonged period of low hot water consumption | Divert heat to heat sink | |
| Performance loss | Broken tubes | Replace broken tubes(because of diode function of tube replacement does not have to be done immediately) |
| Damaged insulation | Replace damage parts | |
| Build up of lime stone around heat exchange tube condenser | Drain and clean systemthoroughly |