Closed Loop Water Heater

A hot water loop uses a small pump to circulate hot water between a water heater and a distant bathroom or kitchen.

Closed loop water heater.

Closed loop liquid phase hot water or glycol solution systems are an excellent choice for indirect process heating up to approximately 300f. Closed loop solar water heater systems sometimes referred to as anti freeze or glycol systems include the heat collectors insulated piping a circulating pump an expansion tank a hot water storage tank a heat exchanger solar fluid usually a solution of water and nontoxic propylene glycol antifreeze a controller valves and gauges. The water from the boiler to this heat exchanger flows 24 hours a day in a closed loop making the heat exchanger continuously active i e. The heated water then flows into the storage tank before it s channeled into the heat exchanger.

The valves that are usually found in the closed systems are the check valve pressure reducing valve mixing valve backflow preventer and other. A continuously operating pump is clearly wasteful. A special water heater tank incorporating a heat exchanger works in conjunction with one or more flat plate roof mounted collectors. Because the water is used in a closed loop with no direct feed water source heaters are typically built to asme section viii and do not require a licensed boiler operator.

This is an example of how to set up a tankless water heater as a heat source and for your domestic hot water. Closed loop and drainback solar water heaters drainback and closed loop systems provide freeze protection for year round operation in cold climates. This is called a closed loop heating system with domestic water. However doing so in a way that doesn t waste a lot of energy is a little trickier.

This is only an example. A closed water heater system means that the hot water cannot expand beyond the valves and mix with the municipal water. The advantages of a continuously active heat exchanger loop are twofold. Closed loop active antifreeze systems are the most versatile and failsafe of all the solar supplemental water heating systems.

Creating the loop is fairly easy. Overview of closed loop water system. Most new solar homes feature a variation of one kind or another. Actual layouts vary from job to job.

Cooling or heating systems that use water can have one of two main types of systems for dissipating heat acquired by the liquid closed loop or open loop. The critical difference between these is the amount of exposure the water has to the air. Tankless water heater as a heat source with domestic hot water. When the controller senses that the sun is shining and your tank needs a warm up it signals the pump to send water through the black collector panels.

They are more complex but within the capability of many diyers. Each has its advantage when part of a cooling or heating system.