The energy that comes in from the cold. How the application of a natural law is revolutionizing the climatization of buildings.
0° water and 0° ice.
With regard to energy, as different as day and night. To make ice melt, you need heat. Conversely, when water is turned into ice, the same quantity of heat is released. Nature is that simple.
The phenomenon of heat of crystallization, i.e. heat that arises during the transition from 0° cold water to 0° cold ice, is nothing new. For the first time, SolarEis has made this phenomenon technically manageable on a large scale.
By exploiting the heat of crystallization, the SolarEis system opens up and stores yet another regenerative source of energy alongside solar power. This is how the system revolutionizes the climatization of buildings: heating and cooling become far more effective, economical, and environmentally compatible.
Mother nature is full of energy.
In view of climate change, renewable forms of energy that do not cause any CO2 emissions are among the great issues of the future. SolarEis exploits no fewer than five natural regenerative sources of energy: sun, air, geothermal heat, water, and ice.
Sun
The power of the sun is an important provider of energy for the SolarEis system. In our latitudes, the sun delivers an average of 1000 kWh per square meter.
Air
Heated air stores solar energy. Exploiting this is only one of the innovative ideas from SolarEis.
Water
Water is one of the most efficient storage media for thermal energy that exists. Even water that is subjectively
felt to be cold still retains heat that can be utilized.
Earth
Geothermal heat from the upper layers of the earth supports the SolarEis system. Here, the constant temperature between 8° and 10° is fully exploited.
Ice
Heat of crystallization is released during the phase transition from 0° cold water to 0° cold ice. The energy corresponds approximately to the quantity of energy required to heat water from 0° to 80°. In the innovative SolarEis system cycle, the sun, air, geothermal heat, water, and ice not only generate heat for heating and for
hot water supplies but also ensure cooling in summer. A more effective and environmentally compatible climatization of buildings is inconceivable.
SolarEis is full of innovative ideas.
Sun
In the SolarEis system, the above-average amounts of energy in summer are not
only used immediately but are also stored for the coming heating period. This means
that solar energy is also used with the highest efficiency in the transition period
and in winter.
Air
SolarEis exploits heat in the air as an additional source of energy. This is achieved
by deploying a combined extracting solar-air collector that also remains operational
when the sky is cloudy or at night. This is fitted onto the roof of a house or garage.
Earth
As SolarEis stores the heat in the most economical range, namely at low temperatures,
the geothermal heat that is virtually constant at 8 to 10° C over the year makes
an effective contribution. Cost-intensive insulation measures are not necessary.
Water
Water becomes particularly economical as a storage medium when heat is stored
in the low temperature range. In the case of SolarEis, this is 0 to 10° C. The thermal
energy available at these temperatures and above all the heat of crystallization that
arises during freezing are exploited.
Ice
Exploitation of the heat of crystallization that arises during the transition from water
to ice is the core innovative idea behind SolarEis. The heat that is released is used
for heating; in summer, the ice that is created is used for cooling.
Heating and cooling with the power
of nature.
The cycle of the seasons regulates the effective use of our five regenerative sources of energy. In summer, surplus heat is placed in intermediate storage in the underground SolarEis tank – in the most effective way imaginable: with zero loss in water at a low temperature level. The heat stored in the ground is sufficient;
complex and cost-intensive heat insulation is not required. At the start of the cold season, the water in the SolarEis tank is continuously cooled to freezing point in a controlled process. The special feature: during the transition from 0° cold water to 0° cold ice, an enormous quantity of heat is released – the socalled
heat of crystallization. As soon as a fully automatic controller detects that the solar energy is no longer sufficient to cover the heating and hot water requirements, the system draws additional energy from the SolarEis tank. At the end of the heating period, the opposite process commences. The water in the SolarEis tank has been transformed into ice in a controlled process. To the same extent that thermal energy is once again stored, the cold that is released can be used for cooling in the hot season. For the first time, the SolarEis system has made the physical phenomenon of crystallization energy technically manageable
on a large scale. It is the utilization of this additional source of energy that makes the system so unique and economical.
1. SolarEis collector
It absorbs the heat of the sun and of the heated ambient air, even if the sky is cloudy or the solar radiation is diffuse. This makes its energy yield higher than that of classical solar systems. Surpluses in summer are stored in the SolarEis tank (3).
2. Hot water tank
It stores the heat required for heating
and hot water. When the sun is shining,
it draws its energy from the SolarEis
collector (1); the rest of the time it draws
its energy from the SolarEis tank (3) and
the heat pump (4).
3. SolarEis tank
The innovative centerpiece of the Solar-
Eis system. In the hot season, surplus
solar energy is stored here in large-volume
quantities of water at a low temperature
level. The surrounding geothermal
heat enables storage over longer periods
and without complicated and costly insulation.
At the start of the cold season,
the heat is drawn from the underground
tank and fed via the heat pump (4) to the
hot water tank (2) and the heating system.
During the controlled phase transition
from water to ice, large quantities of
crystallization energy are released. In the
following summer, the ice can be used
for cooling free of charge.
4. Heat pump
It draws heat from the underground SolarEis
tank (3) and feeds it to the hot water
tank (2) and heating system. At the
same time, it supplies the rooms with
heat.
5. SolarEis control system
This regulates the overall system and
decides in particular whether the heat
of the SolarEis collector (1) is used for
hot water or is fed into the SolarEis tank
(3).
As long ago as 2006, SolarEis received the Innovation Award
of the German Gas Industry and in 2010 it won the Innovation
Award of the Federation of German Chambers of Commerce
and Industry. These awards went to a heating system that combines
environmental compatibility with low operating costs and
the highest level of convenience.
Up to five regenerative sources of energy feed the system, thus
making it one of the most environmentally sound and efficient
heating systems available. Compared to other systems, the investment
costs pay off after only a few years. Cost factors such
as a gas connection, oil tank, or the annual visit from the chimney
sweep become unnecessary.
SolarEis is good for the environment
and saves you money.
SolarEis – an award-winning system
2006 Innovation Award of the German Gas Industry
2010 Innovation Award of the Federation of German
Chambers of Commerce and Industry
2010 State Innovation Award Baden-Württemberg
Reliability
Whereas geothermal systems can
suffer from drops in power output due
to the ground cooling down or freezing,
SolarEis delivers reliable results over
the entire year.
Effectiveness
SolarEis is fascinating and environmentally
friendly at the same time. The
integration of up to five regenerative
sources of energy achieves optimal
efficiency. The storage of energy in the
low-cost medium of water without the
high overhead for insulation measures
enhances the effectiveness of the
system.
Economic efficiency
The University of Biberach determined
that SolarEis generates 5.46 units of
energy free of charge from regenerative
sources of energy. This means that
– with comparable investment costs –
SolarEis is superior to all other systems
with regard to economic efficiency. The
SolarEis system is above all independent
of rising energy costs and delivers
the cooling factor in summer free of
charge.
Safety
A SolarEis tank does not endanger the
ground water; it can even be used in
ground water protection zones. Drilling
through anhydride, for example, a
known source of danger, becomes unnecessary,
which means approval from
the relevant water authorities is not required.
Another indication of the safety
quality of our system is the fact that we
grant a 30-year warranty with regard to
the leak-tightness of the SolarEis tank
for detached houses.
Without approval from
water authorities
Compared to other heating systems, SolarEis convinces with
its effectiveness, reliability, and environmental compatibility, as
well as with attractive investment and operating costs.
For some time now, commercial properties have been heated
and air-conditioned economically with SolarEis systems.
Ice tanks with a volume of more than 1,000 m3 are used here.
Since 2009, the SolarEis system has also been available for
new buildings or for the modernization of privately used living
accommodation. The SE 12 system developed for this purpose
received the Innovation Award of the Federation of German
Chambers of Commerce and Industry and ‚Impulse‘ magazine
in the year 2010. We grant a warranty of 30 years with regard to
the leak-tightness of the SolarEis tank in this system.
From small to large.
From private to commercial.
a( ) = possible with restrictions
a ( )
Number of regenerative energies
Solar water heating
Heating support with solar heat
Environmental risks due to drilling
are avoided
Installation in ground water
protection zones
Pollution-free cooling free
of charge in summer
No drilling permit necessary
Use of rainwater / rainwater retention
possible
CO2 reduction
Efficiency / COP
Operating costs
Heat pump
with geothermal
heat & solar
Heat pump
with geothermal
heat Air-heat pump
Heating boiler
(calorific value)
b
Detached house
SolarEis tank with 12 m3 volume in a
new building. Solar water heating and
integrated rainwater use.
Heating power 7.5 kW
Semidetached house
SolarEis tank in a renovated old building.
The 34 m3 tank was implemented
as a combination of a prefabricated
garage and SolarEis tank.
Heating power 20 kW
Office building in Düsseldorf
SolarEis tank created on site with
800m3 content, covering the heating
and cooling needs of the building.
Heating power 220 kW
Cooling power 100 kW
Luxury hotel in Konstanz
Customized SolarEis tank with 170 m3
content for heating, climate control,
heating hot water as well as the outdoor
pool.
Heating power 170 kW
Cooling power 70 kW
References.
City Archive in Stuttgart
The 385 m3 tank with a diameter of 16
meters provides a heat pump with a
heating power output of 160 kW. As
the melting ice is used in summer for
cooling, the operating costs are low.
SolarEis thus meets the demands for
environmental compatibility and sustainability
to the highest degree.
