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Writer's pictureStoves And Solar

Case Study: Solar Thermal on Dairy Farm, North Wales

Rhiwlas, Bala, North Wales

cows in a field

Acres: 170


Number of Cows: 450

aerial image of Bala, North Wales

Wash-downs: Daily

cows being milked

Existing water heating system:

900 litre Cotswold Dairy Heater using 2x 6kW Immersion Heaters


Temperature Required: 85 DegC


Daily Electrical usage: 200 kWh


Annual running cost: £12,0000 at 17p per kWh

cotswold dairy 900 litre tank

Brief:

To install Solar Thermal to supply hot water and offset electrical heating cost.

solar thermal panels being installed

Equipment to be installed:

4x Navitron 5830AL Evacuated Tube Panels

320 litre buffer tank / heat dump

20kW Heat Exchanger

Controller and Pumping Station

Heat Meter

4x Navitron 5830AL Solar Panels

a 320 litre thermal store being installed

a 20kW heat exchanger

System before Installation:

a schematic of a dairy heat recovery system

System after installation:

a schematic of a solar thermal system on a dairy

How it works:

The solar thermal primarily heats the 900 litre Cotswold Tank via heat exchanger to 85 degC. Once satisfied the heat is diverted via 3-port valve to the 320 litre thermal store. Water from the heat recovery unit is passed through this thermal store to collect any additional heat within before being sent to re-fill the 900 litre accumulator thus acting as a pre-heat.

evacuated tube solar thermal panels on a dairy

Peak Output: 7404 W


Total Aperture Area: 11.32 m2


Zero loss collector efficiency 0.654 n0


Total Annual Irradiance for 1 m2 on 15 degree pitch: 1106.47 kWh


Expected Annual Savings: £1392.55


Expected Year of Return (on current utility tariff): 8



Equipment Supplied by: Stoves & Solar


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