Heating with Ice ( The latest innovation from Germany)

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.