Climalife and solar thermal, a combination of unique solutions to take the right path!

The growing popularity of solar thermal technology has brought new challenges to the quality standards of the heat transfer fluid (HTF) used - the real "lifeblood" of the installation - particularly in ageing and temperature resistance. 

Specialists in the formulation of HTFs over the past 30 years, Climalife have devoted two years of research to responding to 3 key needs:
- investigating efficient and sustainable heat transfer 
- reducing premature ageing at high temperatures or during periods of overheating
- preserving the installation's ROI at all costs

Let's look in more detail at the various applications and the solutions which best meet their needs:

1. For installations where constraints are mastered: where the use is continuous throughout the year, correctly sized or presenting large discharge capacity (eg swimming pool):

Solufluid® Solar - the market's classic HTF:

• Ready-to-use formula based on propylene glycol (MPG) 

• Frost protection and long-term corrosion resitant 

• Approved by French Health Ministry, this product is biodegradable

2. For installations with strong constraints: vacuum tubes, oversized, subject to periods of non-use (schools in summer holiday etc), with repeated overheating periods.  In this instance the ageing of a MPG-based HTF will be quick.

For new installations:  prevention is better

Greenway® Solar : the bio-chemical alternative to petrochemical glycols:

•   Based on Bio-PDO, 100% of vegetable origin 

•   Approved by French Health Ministry, a highly biodegradable product

•   Expansion and degradation 3 times lower at 150°C vs MPG

•   Highly stable over time

• Unique product on the European market

For existing installations:  cure and prevent 

SolRnett : the new internal cleaner which can increase a system's lifespan.

- Restores circulation

- Avoids replacement of collectors

- Effective at room temperature, or heated

 

Climalife recommends the use of a specialist heat transfer fluid such as Greenway® Solar !

 

Indeed, a major problem but one which not enough is known about:  premature ageing. 

More and more reports show systems in default because of the premature ageing of MPG-based heat transfer fluids.  It results in a darkening in colour, an increase in acidity, a decrease in thermal exchange efficiency, an increase in viscosity, and even ultimately a total caramelisation, avoiding any circulation at all, which in turn leads to the need to replace the solar collectors.  The system's ROI will suffer as a result.  This outcome can be prevented however, with the use of a specialist cleaning product such as SolRnett.

Very often when this situation occurs, the system is returned to service and the MPG-based heat transfer fluid is replaced by another MPG-based heat transfer fluid which will result is exactly the same problems!