Solar thermal mass windows
Although winter is finally over, it is still somewhat cold outside and we have to turn on the heat. Recently I’ve found a very interesting product which can be used by anyone to heat their home or apartment for free. Even if you rent, you can do it without getting the land lord involved. The only things you’ll need are the south-facing windows and a thermal mass solar window.
As you can see from the image above this windows measure 72 degrees F, while outside temperature that day was 22 degrees, with a 27 F high. (Historic weather data).
The 50 degree difference in temperature is the free heat that enter your home and stays. Here is how the Solar Thermal Mass windows work: In a nut shell, it as a 2 inches thick air and water-tight container filled with special liquid that collects and stores solar thermal energy. Special chemicals added tho the liquid prevent stain deposits on the inner walls if the unit. In the picture above, these units are used a building blocks, and cover almost a half of the south-facing wall.
In the winter, when the sun is low, these solar thermal mass windows collect solar heat since the sun hits them directly. In the summer, sun is much higher and with appropriate shading, these thermal mass windows keep home well insulated without collecting any heat. Additionally, a special low emittence and high solar gain, argon filled window unit is installed just outside the thermal windows, so they are not directly exposed to the outside temperature.
How to heat your existing how for free
The picture above was taken in a new construction house, but for most people the interesting question is how to use these thermal mass windows in the existing home or apartment?
My plan was simple: I have 6 large windows that face south and an unheated balcony which cannot be used in the winter because it is too cold there. In the heated living space, we have new double pane Low-E windows installed which are much more efficient than the original single-pane wood windows from the 50’s. I am going to build an enclosure in which I can stack 4-6 thermal mass solar window units, and have them up in the window during the winter months, and take them out in the summer.
This won’t be as efficient as the one in the new construction home above but it will certainly help reduce my heating bill and carbon footprint.
As for the balcony, I first need to replace all the single-pane glazing and then I can stack the thermal mass windows all along the bottom if the windows. I’ll build special shelves to make the process of putting them up for the winter and removing them in the summer, easy.
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April 20 2009 04:58 pm | Green construction and Renewable Energy
Tom Pittsley on 20 Apr 2009 at 9:07 pm #
Glad you like my windows. Unfortunately these windows are not yet commercially available, but should be within the next year. The prototype shown in this blog is just that, a prototype. The cost to build this window was just to costly, and the inventor is redesigning it bring the cost down to an affordable level. The advancements he has made on this product in the last 6 months is incedible and I am sure the final product will not look like the windows shown, however they will be more efficient and affordable in the end.
Leo on 11 May 2009 at 3:33 pm #
Tom, thanks for the info about these thermal mass windows, and I hope they become commercially available soon, so people could take advantage free solar energy and save money on their heating bill.
I really love the idea of these windows. One concern I have from builder’s point of view – what happens if one of them breaks – how do you pull it our of that stack of windows? How are they put together? Hopefully I can find an opportunity to swing by that house in Marlboro and see how it is atually done.
Leo.