Saving on heat energy for heating a private house or apartment leads to the emergence and improvement of new sources. In addition to gas, solid fuels, solar energy is now widely used, as well as increasingly efficient heat pumps. But are heating sources for a house and an apartment really advisable: alternative, autonomous?
Features of alternative energy sources for heating
First of all, you need to decide on the efficiency indicators and thermal characteristics of any heating system. They directly affect the relevance of the application of a particular system. Modern autonomous heating sources must have certain parameters.
The fundamental difference between them and the classic methods of maintaining a comfortable room temperature is to minimize energy costs. But this does not mean that they will be completely absent. With this in mind, every alternative heating source for a country house should be selected according to the following parameters:
- The cost of equipment, its installation, maintenance. These are the main characteristics that will determine the payback time of the entire system;
- Thermal efficiency is the amount of energy generated in a given period of time. It must compensate for the heat loss of the room;
- Dependence of work on the season. So, the functioning of solar collectors (heliosystems) in the overwhelming majority of cases in winter is impossible.
How suitable are alternative heating sources for an apartment? Alas, in this case, the options are much less than for a country house. It should not be forgotten that all supposedly “free” energy systems for heating actually consume electrical energy. It is necessary for the operation of control units, pumps and other electrical equipment.
It is best to use alternative sources of heating for a private house as auxiliary ones. They will help reduce operating costs for the main type of heating - gas, solid fuel.
Solar energy for heating
The simplest and most affordable is the energy of the sun. It has great potential, which is currently not fully exploited. Solar collectors are a prime example of how you can make alternative heating sources with your own hands.
The structure consists of a network of pipelines, under which antifreeze or coolant flows. The first is used in expensive models of solar systems, as it is a year-round source of energy for heating. The pipeline is located in a special sealed case, protected by a plexiglass panel or similar material.
The advantages of such autonomous heating sources are as follows:
- The possibility of using the system in the summer for hot water supply;
- A minimum of materials are required to make a simple structure. But at the same time, its efficiency will be low - large heat losses;
- Installation is carried out on the roof of the house, or on the wall. This makes it possible in some cases to use the solar system as an alternative source of heating the apartment.
The main disadvantage of solar collectors is the dependence on the temperature outside.
The lower it is, the slower the coolant will heat up. With an increase in the thermal insulation of the structure, its efficiency also decreases. After all, the main condition is direct sunlight on the pipes. A home-made solar collector, as an alternative source of heating for a country house, has proven itself on the positive side in the southern regions of the country, where the average winter temperature does not exceed -7-8 ° C. It is there that you can most often find these structures on the roof of houses.
Before purchasing a factory-made solar system, you need to find out which fluid is used as a heat carrier. Its operating temperature should not be lower than the minimum for a particular region.
Heat pumps for home heating
If more efficient sources of heat energy are needed, it is recommended to consider the option of installing a heat pump. It is less dependent on external weather conditions, but has a greater cost, and making this alternative heating source with your own hands is associated with great difficulties.
The basis for the operation of a heat pump is the change in the temperature of the refrigerant when it is compressed. The same principle is used in simple household refrigerators. However, for the practical implementation of such a system of an alternative source of heating for a private house, it is necessary to determine the source of thermal energy. Often they will be served by the effect of an increase in the temperature of the soil as it goes deeper into it.
The design of the heat pump consists of 3 circuits - external, heat exchange and connected to the heating system of the house. The external pipeline is located in deep wells (ground-ground system) or in a body of water (water-ground). There the coolant heats up to a minimum temperature of 7-9 ° C. Further, the energy obtained from this source for heating is transferred to the refrigerant, which is in a gaseous state. After it has been compressed by the compressor, the temperature rises to 65-70 ° C. With the help of a heat exchanger, it heats the coolant in the main circuit.
The main disadvantage of such an alternative source of heating water in pipes is the initially high cost of the equipment. A factory installation for heating a private house with an area can cost up to 700 thousand rubles. Making a heat pump yourself is problematic, since many factors must be taken into account in it. But, despite this, the main advantages of using the energy of the earth and water as an alternative source of air heating in a country house can be highlighted:
- Independence from outside temperature;
- High efficiency factor. For 1 kW of consumed electrical energy, an average of 10 kW of heat is obtained;
- Thermal energy from the ground can be obtained from vertical mines. They will also take up a minimum of space on the personal plot.
Such a source is not suitable for alternative heating of an apartment, since in practice it is impossible to equip an external heating circuit. Therefore, in this case, the only option remains - installation of the solar collector on the wall or roof of the house.
It is often suggested to make a wind farm with your own hands as a source of alternative heating. But the power received will hardly be enough for simple lighting at home, not to mention electric heating devices.
Is it worth installing heating sources for houses and apartments as alternatives? Autonomous systems in most cases are not able to perform this function completely. Therefore, you first need to calculate the heat losses of the building and compare them with the capacity of one or another energy source for the heating system. It must compensate for losses at the lowest possible air temperature in winter.
To understand the difference between a home-made design of an alternative heating source for a private house and a factory one, it is recommended to watch a video about the manufacture of Valiant solar collectors:
