Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association
Dual Mode Air System Facts

Our dual mode air system provides the building with solar heat and hot water.

• Two 4’ x 8’ solar thermal collector panels are mounted on the South face of the building.  The panels are coated in black nickel on an aluminum absorber.  Behind this absorber, air is circulated and heated.  Air flow from the building enters the bottom of the panels, and is heated by them as it circulates to exit the panels at the top.  The heated air is directed either to a heat exchanger where it will transfer heat to water, or to a blower which will push the air into the building, providing heat in the cooler months. 

• A thermostat allows us to direct the system whether to heat air or water.  Turning the thermostat up higher than the inside temperature directs the system to heat air.  If the thermostat is set lower than the room temperature, the system will be in water-heating mode. 

• Two blower motors move air through the system’s ductwork.  In air heating mode, a blower in the basement draws the heated air from the panels through ductwork to the building.  In water heating mode, a blower draws the heated air past a heat exchanger, where the heat is transferred to water and stored in a solar hot water tank.  Only one blower motor may be active at a time.

• This system was installed in April of 2004 by students who took a GLREA seminar on active solar heating.  The one day course prepared them for the installation of the system, and they were guided by two GLREA instructors, David Lankheet and John Wakeman.

  

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