Upcoming Solar Thermal Engineering Course
Hey Gang!
I’m excited to announce that the North Carolina Solar Center is offering a professional-level one-day course on commercial solar hot water systems. Here are the details…
“Designing Durable, Low-Maintenance Commercial Solar Thermal Systems”
Friday, September 9, 2011
8:30am – 5:00pm
Holiday Inn Express at NCSU
3741 Thistledown Drive
Raleigh, NC 27606
Or Attend Remotely Using Elluminate Live!
Brought to you by the Solar Center in partnership with Holocene, this one-day advanced solar thermal class is geared towards engineers, architects, code officials and inspectors, and other professionals involved in designing commercial solar thermal systems. Topics include: a review of components and mechanics of pressurized glycol and drainback solar thermal systems, heat distribution methods, solar project analysis, and a discussion of the economics and finances of commercial solar thermal systems. This class will focus on commercial drainback systems for better system performance, maintenance and durability. Participants of the workshop are highly recommended to have a strong understanding of thermodynamics, controls and design.
Instructor: Dr. Ben Gravely, a 35-year solar thermal veteran, industry leader and Director of Technology and Principal Scientist of Holocene Energy.
Credits: 0.8 CEUs, 8 PDHs, 8 AIA LUs, & 8 credit hours for NABCEP Certified Installers needing continuing education
Fee: $169.00
Click here to register!
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82C_-Q4Q5zI
We have just registered two people from Solar Energy Solutions for the seminar in October.
I hope we will not spend too much time (no time?) on the basics such as already covered in your videos. (very good videos)
Among the advanced topic I would like to see covered are:
– sizing of the feed and return piping in drainback systems, including a discussion of the ASHREA recommendations
– pressure drop calculations, pump sizing
– heat exchanger sizing
– measurement and monitoring
– heat loss and insulation sizing
Looking forward to the seminar
Hi Denis,
First, the seminar is Sept 9, so I hope you don’t book a flight in October.
We are tying to target the seminar to what we are hearing and seeing in the engineering profession regarding solar thermal design. So, we are going to approach the subject from the standpoint of thermodynamics and develop the criteria for good performance of all the components. We know many attendees will have projects they are working on and would like to concentrate only on certain specific areas. But if we don’t cover a lot of design criteria, then someone can get caught on another part we didn’t cover very well.
I don’t intend to cover basic engineering concepts, like pipe sizing, since this can be gotten out of numerous tables of gpm vs diameter for 100ft of pipe. We will certainly discuss the reasons for pipe sizes, and the fact that you can never guarantee a syphon return, so don’t even try. I have too many examples of good faith failures in this area.
We will have Q&A times, so bring all your questions (and answers).
After the seminar, the teaching and sharing will not end. If all your questions aren’t covered in the seminar, there will still be plenty of information exchanger after it is over.
Finally, I don’t know everything, so we will all share what we know. I will just referee those parts.
I do know how to make a system work, so that is our starting point. You may be surprised at all the things that aren’t very important, and what things are. But I don’t want to spoil the suspense.
Thanks for your input!
Dr. Ben