Process Heat and Domestic Hot Water

Many commercial and industrial hot water systems are driven by steam or hydronic heating boilers which operate at temperatures too high for conventional solar thermal collectors to supplement. Solar supplementation of these systems is therefore difficult. Chromasun MCT panels are designed to provide useful heat right up to 400°F (205°C) and are therefore perfect for supplementation of the majority of commercial and industrial hydronic boilers. Solar supplementation provides useful fuel offset and subsequent savings for natural gas, propane, heating oil and diesel users.

Process Heat Applications

Flate Plate
MCT Collector

Domestic Hot Water (DHW)

Hydronic Heating Water (HHW)

Process Heat (PWS)

Direct Steam Generation

Supplementation types

Chromasun has the expertise to evaluate and recommend the best solar supplementation format. Chromasun MCT panels can operate on the feedwater or pressure sides of the boiler and can heat directly or via a heat exchanger.

Make-up water pre-heating (un-pressurized)
Direct boiler feedwater heating (pressurized)
Direct Hydronic Loop supplemenation
Direct and indirect boiling

Advantages of Hydronic Boiler solar supplementation

High efficiencies: Solar thermal collectors such as MCT harvest sunlight at up to 60% efficiency and provide good efficiencies even at high output temperatures. More energy is therefore harvested from the rooftop than is possible with photovoltaic or other renewable technologies.

Excellent Rebate Support: Many states offer attractive rebates for solar thermal technologies which are not available to photovoltaic or other types of solar systems. Economic cases are therefore attractive in many instances.

High Value Fuel Offset: Whilst natural gas is a low cost fuel in many areas, other fuels are more expensive. For example, many boilers are fired with expensive propane, heating oil or even diesel fuel. Solar offset of these fuels provides compelling economic justification.

Fuel Price Risk Hedging: Solar supplementation of traditional boilers fuels diversifies fuel sourcing and provides price protection against future fossil fuel hikes. Many companies fail to properly account for fuel price risk in their business risk analysis and therefore fail to properly value the benefits of solar supplementation.

Better Carbon Outcomes: Solar supplementation improves boiler environmental performance and reduces emissions. Turn down efficiencies can be enhanced with subsequent heat rate improvements.

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Chromasun assists mechanical engineers and building designers in engineering for solar. Chromasun also collaborates with Mechanical and General Contractors to source and install turnkey solar supplementation to boiler systems.
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