Evacuated tubes, an essential component of SunMaxx Solar hot water systems, are designed to function optimally in all seasons, including the winter months. Here’s a simplified explanation of how they work when temperatures drop:
Insulation: Each evacuated tube comprises a double-layered glass tube with a vacuum in between. This vacuum acts as an excellent insulator, reducing heat loss to nearly zero, thus maintaining the efficiency of the system even in freezing weather.
Absorption: The inner layer of the tube is coated with a special solar-absorbing material that captures sunlight and converts it into heat. This layer is designed to absorb the maximum amount of solar radiation, including during shorter winter days.
Heat Transfer: Inside each tube, a heat pipe transfers the generated heat to a manifold, which then circulates the hot water or heat transfer fluid to your storage tank. The evacuated tube design prevents the heat from escaping back into the cold atmosphere.
Orientation: Even when the sun is low in the winter sky, the cylindrical shape of evacuated tubes allows for optimal absorption of sunlight throughout the day.
In summary, the insulating vacuum, solar-absorbing coating, efficient heat transfer, and cylindrical design all contribute to the effective operation of evacuated tubes in the winter. While there may be less overall sunlight in the winter months, SunMaxx’s evacuated tubes are engineered to make the most of available sunlight.