Mild Steel Artificially Lined* With Sacrificial Anode
- Lining starts to dissolve in water temperature of 70°c.
- Artificially lined onto mild steel with variable rates of expansion as the temperatures alter (Causes crazing of the artificial lining).
- Mild steel cylinder relies jointly on artificial lining and sacrificial anodes, which require expensive regular maintenance to keep the corrosion at bay.
- Anode (magnesium and aluminium) continuously produces hydrogen gas which accumulates in cylinder during periods of non use (holidays). Two weeks away from home is enough to produce hydrogen gas in dangerous proportions capable of causing serious or fatal explosions in household electrical appliances (washing machines, dishwashers). Documentation of such explosions is available.
Such is the extent of the problem that the "Australian Standards" has brought the subject into its publications . (ref: AS2712 and AS 1056).
Australis Solar Collector (Technical Data)
This collectors is the base model collector of our solar collector range. It's design is tried and proven over many years of use and it is designed for both residential (passive) and commercial (active) applications where capital costs are critical.
Absorber Plate
This is a 0.8 mm thick sheet of aluminium. It's solar performance is comparable to copper because it is 400% thicker. It is coated with a polyester matt black paint designed for prolonged exposure to sunlight without degradation. It has the following performance.
Absorbability = 0.973 Emittance is 0.27
Casing
Constructed from 0.4mm polyester power-coated zinc plate and aluminium to provide total weather-resistance and robust handling capabilities. It is plastic coated for protection and uses 3mm rubber sealing to provide a sealed environment. Air vents are provided in the injection moulded panel corners to prevent condensation.
Tubing
Designed for either water or glycol, these are copper tube conforming to AS1432. The 25mm diameter headers and 12.7mm risers are of Type A copper and the 7 risers are spaced at 136mm and mechanically bonded to the risers with a layer of thermal paste to provide complete heat transfer between plate and tubes. The matrix is designed for maximum operating pressure of 850 kPa and uses SBA 105 silver solder joints.
Glazing
Tempered, low iron Solatex glass is used. It is 3.2mm thick and is hail resistant. It is specifically designed for solar applications and has a transmittance of 0.88 and an iron oxide content of only 0.04% or less
Connections
These are 33mm diameter external brass compression fittings that conform to AS 1565. Each fitting accepts a 25mm copper tube and prevents the ingress of water inside the casing.
Insulation
High density fibreglass panels are used to insulate the bottom and sides of the collector to minimise heat loss. It is 38mm thick has a density of 32 kg per square meter. |
