active heating

Active heating is a technology that uses mechanical means to collect, store, and distribute solar energy for heating buildings and providing hot water. This process involves a collector array that converts sunlight into heat, which is then transferred to a carrier fluid, typically a liquid like water or glycol. This heated fluid is pumped to a storage tank for immediate use or later distribution.

The carrier fluid is heated as it passes through tubes within a flat-plate collector, which is designed to absorb sunlight and trap heat. This stored heat can then be used for domestic hot water or circulated through tubes in floors and ceilings for space heating. If an antifreeze is used in the carrier fluid, a heat exchanger transfers the heat to water for household use. Active solar heating systems are most effective in mild climates and can heat carrier fluids to temperatures between 66° and 93° C (150° and 200° F).12