Solar Air Conditioning?

Q: I'm planning to setup a solar heating system for my home. Can the hot water be used to run an air conditioner in the summer? I know they have refrigerators that run on propane.

A: I have seen references to air conditioning on the sites for evacuated tube solar heat collectors. I don't know enough of the thermodynamics of it, but I suspect you need the kind of significant heat differential that these collectors can produce to make air conditioning feasible. However, any heat differential can be used to motivate a heat pump. That's why you can have a propane fridge. The solar's work on the absorption principle, just like the refrigerators. You can check into Servel. They make a gas fired A/C, I almost bought one. It does flatten out on output when the temps get above 100. More so than the newer high seer units with scroll compressors. That was a big issue here in the AZ desert for me. I remember a company called, spelling please, Yeasu, Japanese. Saw a promo on it here in AZ on TV once. Lined the roof with collectors, yes completely covered the roof, and the roof was south facing. In the mid 80's when I saw the program they said all domestic hot water, some pool heat and a/c, nothing about heat. Neighbor hood of $30,000.00. I do have a south facing roof line and my home owners ass as some stupid rules about solar. The rules state that the collectors if found to be unsightly, the HOA can ask for them to be screened. AZ has some pretty strict laws about access to the sun. I may decide to challenge this when I have the time and the $30k to part with. I admire your goal. Heads up, radar and sonar on and pinging. Your heading into rarely traveled waters. Look out for shoals and rocks. I would council you on getting a contractor that has several successful installations under his belt. You might try the big a/c companies and see if anyone wants a test house. Also your utility. Our largest electrical utility has a test bed, some 20 acres of solar just a few miles from my home. I try to visit there once a year to see the new stuff. Last time I went they were doing 2 things that were interesting. Once was a standard a/c condenser run from PV. They used a natural gas generator to start it and then PV to run. Ok so the controls are hairy. Adjustable, sync able soft starts have come a long way in the last year. The other was hot water into a micro turbine to generate electricity. Of course you can always look into a sterling engine. Good luck and I hope we hear more on your project. If your in the AZ desert, I would volunteer to help out about when time allows.

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