Solar Heating System, Use Wall of Hot Rocks Heats the House
Nov
08
The active air system that heats this house has an unusual storage arrangement: the masonry north wall serves as a well- insulated rock heat storage bin. Filled with 60 tons of fist-size rocks, the bin receives heated air from the collectors through ducts leading into its bottom. Hot air then travels up through the rocks, giving off heat as it goes. A plenum at the top of the storage wall can lead the air back to the collectors for reheating; if the storage is already hot, so that the air emerges still warm, it is blown to floor registers leading into the house. The ducts themselves are cleverly disguised as large beams to blend into the house’s design of open cathedral-type ceilings.
Summer cooling is accomplished by blowing chill night air through the storage rocks to cool them. Then, during the day, fans blow the house air through the cooled rocks, where it gives off its heat.
The collector area itself was assembled on site and built right into the roof, which was designed at the optimal 45° tilt for winter sun exposure. The collector’s absorber plate is steel, painted black and finned to disrupt the air as it flows behind the plate, improving heat transfer. A single glass layer covers the collector, and a 3/4-horsepower blower is the force behind the moving air.
Ceiling beams are really air ducts, carrying air between collectors on roof and vertical rock storage insulated within masonry wall at right. Storage provides a minimum of 2 days’ heat carryover during winter storms. Heat-recovery device in fireplace provides added heat; gas furnace is main auxiliary heater.
Built-in air collector occupies most of the south roof slope of this conventional two-story, saltbox-type home. House itself is heavily insulated, with double-glazed windows arranged mostly on south side for passive heating assistance. Designer and solar consultant: Herb Wade.
Solar Heating System, Bold Solution to a Solar Design Dilemma
The homeowner/architect of this house tackled a tough design problem when he bought a plot of land on a steep, west-facing hillside, covered thickly with mature trees, on which to build a solar home. His solution was a narrow, towerlike house, rising four levels up from the slope for a broad expanse of south-facing wall space. Then he tilted the south wall to form a 460-squarefoot collector area, cantilevered out from the house at a 60° angle to face the winter sun. The trees to the south of the house still cause some shading problems; the owners intend to top a few of the closest trees to improve the collectors‘ solar exposure.
The collectors are air-type, made of inexpensive corrugated aluminum roofing painted flat black and covered with double glazing formed by glass patio door seconds. Beneath the house lies the rock storage bin, poured in place along with the foundation and filled with 50 tons of fist-size river rock.
Thermostats and fans regulate the delivery of air from collectors to storage and from storage to house. In summer, the night- cooled rock storage is used to cool the house air.
The house’s open interior, combined with the natural heat stratification produced by its height and many levels, helps the active solar system by allowing natural circulation of heat inside. The different levels are designated for activities to match their comfort level: an action-oriented family room is on the lowest level; the living room, with its woodstove, is on the next; above that, are the kitchen and dining room; and on the top and warmest floor are the bedrooms.
House’s air collectors face south, though site’s orientation is west due to steep-sloping hill. Collectors jut from south wall at appropriate tilt angle for solar collection. Above collector area, clerestories admit sun- light to top-floor study area. Trees at left were preserved for beauty but must be trimmed, topped to prevent shading of collectors. Architect: William Bishoprick.
Collector-to-house heating: hot air rises directly from top of collectors into house through duct leading into bathroom on house’s top floor. Manually operated damper shuts off duct when heat is needed in storage or when collectors are cold.
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