FACTOID # 81: Two-thirds of the world's kidnappings occur in Colombia.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

FACTS & STATISTICS    Simple view

  1. Select countries to view: (hold down Control key and click to select several)

     

     

    Compare:

     

     

  1. Select fact or statistic: (* = graphable)

     

     

     

  2. (OPTIONAL) Compare to statistic: (both need to be graphable)

     

     

     

  3. View result as:

     

       
(OR) SEARCH ALL encyclopedia, stats & forums:   

Encyclopedia > Passive solar
Solar panels are used in passive and active solar hot water systems
Solar panels are used in passive and active solar hot water systems

Passive solar technologies convert sunlight into usable heat, cause air-movement for ventilation or cooling, or store heat for future use, without the assistance of other energy sources. Technologies that use a significant amount of conventional energy to power pumps or fans are classified as active solar technologies. Some passive systems use a very small amount of conventional energy to control dampers, shutters, night insulation, and other devices that enhance solar energy collection, storage, and use. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1026x768, 1495 KB) Summary Photographed by Alan Mak on September 3rd, 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1026x768, 1495 KB) Summary Photographed by Alan Mak on September 3rd, 2005. ... A solar heater A laundromat in California with solar hot water panels on the roof. ... active active lifestyle active volcano sexually active, meaning to regularly undertake sexual activity active grammatical voice active electronics are components, circuits or units of equipment that consume power other than the signal itself, most normally to provide amplification. ... Solar hot water refers to water heated by solar energy. ... Active solar is a term which refers to the use of solar energy to actively convert the energy in sunlight into other forms. ...


Passive solar technologies include direct gain and indirect gain for space heating, solar water heating systems based on the thermosiphon, use of thermal mass and phase-change materials for dampening indoor air temperature swings, solar cookers, the solar chimney for enhancing natural ventilation, and earth sheltering. Solar gain (also known as solar heat gain or passive solar gain) refers to the increase in temperature in a space, object or structure that results from solar radiation. ... Passive solar design using an unvented trombe wall and summer shading A Trombe wall is a sun-facing wall built from material that can act as a thermal mass (such as stone, concrete, adobe or water tanks), combined with an air space, insulated glazing and vents to form a large... Solar hot water refers to water heated by solar energy. ... Thermosiphon (alternatively spelled thermosyphon) refers to a method of heat exchange through a phase change heat pump that depends on gravity. ... Thermal mass, in the most general sense, is any mass that absorbs and holds heat. ... A Phase Change Material (PCM) is a substance with a high heat of fusion which, melting and solidifying at certain temperatures, is capable of storing or releasing large amounts of energy. ... The CooKit solar panel cooker in use in Africa A solar cooker is a way of using the suns power to cook. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Solar Tower. ... Earth covered farm houses in Keldur, Iceland. ...


More widely, passive solar includes technologies such as the solar furnace and solar forge, but these typically require some external energy for aligning their concentrating mirrors or receivers, and historically have not proven to be practical or cost effective for wide-spread use. 'Low-grade' energy needs, such as space and water heating, have proven, over time, to be better applications for passive solar energy utilization. solar oven A solar oven or solar furnace is a way of harnessing the suns power to cook food. ... A solar forge is a device that uses the power of the sun to melt materials, such as asphalt. ...


Advantages and comparisons to active solar

Passive solar systems have little to no operating costs, often have low maintenance costs, and emit no greenhouse gases in operation. They do, however, need to be optimized to yield the best performance and economics. Energy conservation reduces the needed size of any renewable or conventional energy system, and greatly enhances the economics, so it must be performed first. Passive solar technologies often yield high solar savings fractions, especially for space heating; when combined with active solar technologies or photovoltaics, even higher conventional energy savings can be achieved. Greenhouse gases are gaseous components of the atmosphere that contribute to the greenhouse effect. ... For the physical concepts, see conservation of energy and energy efficiency. ... In discussing solar energy, the solar savings fraction (f) is the amount of energy provided via the solar technology divided by the total energy required. ... Photovoltaic tree in Styria, Austria Photovoltaics, or PV for short, is a solar power technology that uses solar cells or solar photovoltaic arrays to convert light from the sun directly into electricity. ...


See also


  Results from FactBites:
 
Passive solar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (1111 words)
Passive solar is a broad category of techniques for regulating a building's indoor air and domestic water temperatures, using climate, site features, architectural elements, and landscape materials.
A "purely passive" solar-heated house would have no mechanical furnace unit, relying instead on energy captured from sunshine, only supplemented by "incidental" heat energy given off by lights, candles, other task-specific appliances (such as those for cooking, entertainment, etc.), showering and/or "living bodies" (people and pets).
Solar buildings often use massive materials such as stone, concrete, straw bales, and adobe for this purpose.
  More results at FactBites »


 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.