Lake Valley Firehouse, south Lake Tahoe, California solar energy system performance evaluation, March 1981-Jun 1981

Abstract

The Lake Valley Firehouse is a small fire station in California whose active solar energy system is equipped with 572 square feet of liquid flat-plate collectors, a 1200-gallon storage tank, and an auxiliary propane-gas hydronic boiler. The system is designed to supply 50% of the heating and 50% of the hot water, but was found to supply 49% of the space heating and 42% of the hot water for an overall solar fraction of 48%. Other data given include the solar savings ratio, conventional fuel savings, system performance factor, and solar system coefficient of performance. Performance data are presented for the collector, storage, domestic hot water, and space heating subsystems as well as for the overall system. The system energy flow, operation, solar energy utilization, and solar system availability are discussed. Also included are data on the system operating energy, energy savings, and weather conditions. The system, performance evaluation techniques, sensor technology, and site history, problems, and changes in the system are described, and typical data for a month are given. (LEW)