Homes and housing have changed throughout the ages. As time and technology develops, there are new paradigms for how houses are designed, built and lived in. There are some constants however. Homes have been designed to shelter the residents from the elements. In cold climates, they generally have some technology to provide heat for [...]

The sun beams down an enormous amount of radiation to the earth every day, all across the globe. This energy can be harvested and used by society in the two major forms, heat and electricity. Considering heat, the sun can provide power, through solar heating, for many major areas of human’s energy consumption. Solar heating [...]

Designing and constructing new homes requires great skill, commitment and an aptitude for innovation. The times are changing, and building techniques and systems prevalent in the past may be unchanged, entirely replaced or require some sort of adjustment for new market conditions or customer desires. A major element for construction of new homes is sustainability [...]

Solar Hot Water for Process Heat   A wide variety of industries require energy for production and manufacturing. If the energy is in the form of heat, this is called process heat. Some examples; steam treatment in the garment industry, heated water for chemical production and purification as well as hot water for washing and [...]

Throughout humankind’s history, there is one great constant: the sun. Without its power, the world would not have warmth, light or plants. Humans have reaped the benefits of solar energy for centuries and have developed more sophisticated methods of harnessing its power. Great societies in antiquity have long recognized the path of the sun and [...]

An absorption chiller is a machine that operates on thermodynamic principles to convert the solar thermal energy to air conditioning and refrigeration. Absorption chillers use a thermal compressor instead of a mechanical compressor. The system operates in three phases: evaporation, absorption and regeneration.  The first stage involves liquid form refrigerant evaporating low partial pressure surroundings, [...]

In designing a solar heating installation, the entire circuit must be tuned to the specific application and location. Some solar hot water systems have been designed for residential use, providing a household with solar thermal energy for the requirements of washing, cleaning, air conditioning, dehumidification, and not least of all, heating. Solar hot water installations [...]

Solar power can be used in many extraordinary ways. One of the most majestic applications of solar thermal energy is the solar furnace. These are enormous installations that make use of solar thermal energy for extreme high heat processes (temperatures as high as 3500oC/6330oF). The technology is wonderful for high temperature researchers; the heat produced [...]

Summertime leisure is frequently associated with swimming. Beaches, lakes or outdoor pools all see use in these months of long, warm days. However, also associated with pools are many costs, not the least of which is heating. Keeping a swimming pool at a comfortable temperature level is an expensive endeavor. This cost is very much [...]

In designing a solar heating installation, the entire circuit must be tuned to the specific application and location. Some solar hot water systems have been designed for residential use, providing a household with solar thermal energy for the requirements of washing, cleaning, air conditioning, dehumidification, and not least of all, heating. Solar hot water installations [...]