Solar Solutions
A solar collector is a device for extracting the energy of the sun directly into a more usable or storable form.
The energy in sunlight is in the form of electromagnetic radiation from the
infrared (long) to the ultraviolet (short) wavelengths. The solar energy striking
the earth's surface at any one time depends on weather conditions, as well
as location and orientation of the surface, but overall, it averages about
1000 watts per square meter on a clear day with the surface directly perpendicular
to the sun's rays.
Solar collectors can be mounted on a roof but need to face the sun, so a north-facing roof in the southern hemisphere, and a south-facing roof in the northern hemisphere is ideal. Collectors are usually also angled to suit the latitude of the location.
Metal makes a good thermal conductor, especially copper and aluminum. In
high performance collectors, a "selective surface" is used in which
the collector surface is coated with a material having properties of high-absorption
and low-emissivity. The selective surface reduces heat-loss caused by infrared
radiant emission from the collector to ambient.
Alanod has introduced MIRO-SOLAR™ mirror material, which is suitable for outdoor use in Solar PV concentrating and Solar Trough application. Alanod is the world's largest manufacturer of aluminum high performance reflecting surfaces and selective absorption surfaces on aluminum (mirotherm®) and copper (sunselect®) for solar thermal applications.
Alanod-Sunselect produces "sunselect", your solar solution.
Sunselect is a highly solar absorptive aluminum substrate with a selectively coated surface. This semi-finished product is the base material for solar collectors that convert sunlight into heat through a copper tube.
The key element of the device that achieves this is the collector. The absorber surface is in thermal contact with a copper pipe that transfers a fluid which transfers heat collected from the absorber to the consumer.
Sunselect uses a unique technology and ceramic-metal structure for MIRO-THERM
MIRO
THERM selective solar absorptive coatings are produced for use in flat plate
and tubular collector solar systems (application of the absorptive layer systems
is available on both sides of the carrier material).
The layer stack consists of three layers; while the IR-reflective layer guarantees low thermal emission (epsilon), the oxide solar absorptive and anti reflective layer guarantee maximum solar absorption (alpha), as well as resistance to degradation. In contrast to the copper sheets currently used, aluminum sheets to a maximum width of 1250 mm can be supplied as a standard size. Because MIRO-THERM is available in thickness from 0.3 to 0.8 mm, it is your choice of which level of thermal conductivity is necessary for your specific application.
This coating system builds up multiple layers with a progressive reduction in the metal content towards the outer surface. Each of the layers has a special function. The first, almost entirely metal layer serves as an adhesion layer and a diffusion barrier to the metal band underneath. The actual functional layers are applied over the adhesion layer, the outer layer being an anti-reflection coating, which also serves as a protective layer. The solar radiation is nearly completely absorbed within the coating, the infrared radiation is penetrating the coating without being affected. The very low emissivity of the copper substrate itself thus is preserved.
Cutting-Edge Technology
Alanod-Sunselect has a unique technology of air-to-air multi layer selective
solar absorptive coatings, whereby a special absorptive layer is applied in
a continuous PVD process. The metal-reactive coating process produces a hard
coating based on a ceramic- metal structure, a so-called CERMET.
Call Anomet toll free at 1-877-813-8300 for more information MIRO Therm
- Solar Absorbing Surface, Alanod-SunSelect and MIRO Therm or visit www.sunselect.de.