Heat from solar energy – Solar thermal
The basic principle behind solar thermal transfer is easy to grasp: unroll a garden hosepipe and lay it out in the sun - after a while the water in the hose will get hot.
Thermal collectors work on the same principle, however much more efficiently and without the potential hygiene problems of the garden hose! A special fluid is heated within a closed circuit to a temperature of up to 220 degrees Celsius and pumped into a heat exchanger. This heat is then „stored“ in a domestic hot water storage cylinder. Some solar thermal systems heat only the domestic hot water, others are used for central heating or even to heat a swimming pool.
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Heat can still be generated even when the sun is obscured by cloud.
Even on cloudy days, thermal systems can still work to a large percentage of their capacity through the diffuse light they receive.
System set-up
Solar thermal systems consist of the following components:
- Collectors (mainly 2 to 6)
- Pipework from roof to cellar/heating room (generally through unused chimneys)
- Solar storage cylinder (replaces existing storage cylinder)
- Solar station (to control solar circuit)
- Solar control unit (for automatic operation of system)
- Expansion vessel (compensates for thermal expansion of solar fluid)
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Solar thermal systems are compatible with every type of boiler, whether oil, gas, or wood pellets, even with older devices, and can be installed in a single day | 
IN RUSSIAN