Trickle Down Solar Energy Heating System

Harry E Thompson, a North Carolina USA an engineer in the 1950’s. He had a dream to develop such a solar heating system, which is less expensive and accessible to everyone, and lastly, his dream had changed into reality. He wanted that the system should be benefited to the entire surface area of the south-facing roof of his house.

The invention better is known as ‘Trickle Down Solar Thermal Roof. The system consists of a corrugated metal roof covered with glass. In the basement, there is a huge cold-water tank that was pressurized to the upper area where it was conveyed to ‘trickle down’ the roof was specially designed for this purpose.

Hot water caused by sunlight heat from the roof was gathered in the gutter and then returned to the basement accumulator tank. This alternative and useful solar heating system are still running in a large amount in the houses along the US/Canadian border. 

Now Harry Thompson had brought new useful changes to the system, so now the system is more improved, more cost-effective, more efficient in performance and more ability comes in DIY, because of the fruitful modification now this time he had given the name of his changed system known as ‘Modified trickle Down solar Heating System’ If we monitor the system very closely, the thermal roof we noticed that the flow of water over the steel corrugated beneath side is insulated, so that it prevents the energy loss, but unfortunately a huge amount of heat is still getting lost through the cold outer glazing surface.

If you need to get comprehensive knowledge about the real dream of the Thompson and his invention the ‘Trickle Down System’ then you must know first my invention of the ‘Modified Trickle Down’ solar heating system. TD and MTD are both the same system of open-loop systems, which both are pressurizing the pump that the water flows to the upper surface of the collector.

However, there are noteworthiness differences between them as follows:

Cross-Section of MTD – Collectors:

Trickle Down	Modified Trickle Down
It has an open-loop	It also has an open-loop
Trickles water on the absorber	Trickle water through the absorber
It glazed in glass	It glazed in polycarbonate
Unit construction	Modular construction
Corrugated steel absorber	Polyester felt absorber
It has not portable	It portable array
It has no inner film	It has an inner film

 

MTD Collector:

My first MTD collector was the same such as this, but I have changed its screen with polyester felt along with a large amount of other useful and reasonable modifications. So because of these changes it now becomes very fruitful, it is more effective, more cost-effective, better in quality, and more reliable than the oil heating system.

Over the last three years, I have tested and make plentiful designs of collectors but lastly, I have established and settled on here, which I consider having the quality to be mentioned worthily.

Two of them have such designs that are made with steel stud slots and one with a wood frame. If you have such enough knowledge and skill about carpentry so the 2×8 wood collector could be set 2×12, a steel stud slot is also a better idea to start the work with it. However, on the contrary, I have recommended you to begin your work with a simple 2×8, collector.

The MTD has the more effective ability it pressed together to form an array. Three 2×12 MTD collectors pressed together. MTD collectors have been designed for the full overflow of water to the roof of the house, but do not leave out if your roof is oriented in the wrong direction. Construct the MTD Sun Shed and use the MTD heating system right inside the shed.

Mounting Support:

The top and bottom 2"×2" mounting support is useful, provided, and facilitate the flush mounting MTD collectors. An eight collector system would be needed four 2'×2'×9' support screwed into the roof rafters. To position, the top support uses a level for this reason, so that the mid-section also works properly.

This level positioning will help in the flow process of gutter water into a central for draining and cleansing it is connected with a 2" rubber T boot. If the MTD solar heating and DHW system both properly installed then there is no problem with the water freezing.

Bottom End of Finished Collector with Gutter Installed:

Richard Heiliger and I, both conclude that people must take advantage of the sunlight. Investment in this field will have fruitful results. We both encourage the readers to take an interest in the experiment and discovery, development of the sunlight. Dreams can be change into reality but if we take a serious step for this purpose.

The MTD building starter kit along with MTD instruction and video CD will help you in the construction of the solar thermal application. Your dream can be adopted reality if you people take concrete action, making research, through experiment and discovery with the help of all these idea’s you can also bring innovation in the field of solar energy so be practical to make true dreams.

STARTER SET:

The starter set is designed in such a way to provide the reader with enough experience with a Low-cost MTD collector. The kit, tools include a progressive structure direction book, TDM materials (2'x8' polyester felt, two 30"x8' sheets of polypropylene, five Berger Bros Bibs), a Trickle Down Distributor, a gutter end cap, a gutter compression support, as well as a 3/4" L connector.

The kits come with a useful directions booklet for a wood frame MTD collectors and a CD for PC (computer) with an MTD steel stud slot instruction video and a Solar Plumbing multimedia showed. This CD runs on standard PCs. You certainly need such a kit to get start your process.