Because of its high material cost, the cost target cannot be achieved when using Luran® S. Hence, solutions in order to reduce material costs were investigated as summarised in table 1.

Conclusions

Plastics as a structural element in solar-thermal flat-plate collectors offer considerable potential regarding design, weight, production cost and innovation.

However, until its widespread application to solar technology there still remains some detailed work to be done:

► experimental investigation of long-term environmental stability,

► mechanical strength especially regarding higher temperatures (including investigation of possibility of memory effect),

► design of roof fixation,
► design of glass-trough connection, …

The above list of items yet to be solved shows that it is insufficient to simply substitute aluminium by a thermoplastic. Obviously, it is necessary to completely redesign the collector in order to really profit from the new material.

Starting point of this project was the necessity to reduce the collector’s production costs. Since a solar installation, if only for hot water preparation or, as more and more popular, for heating applications, means an enormous, mostly private investment at low economy, costs and prices have to be in the focus of the producers.

References

[1 ] Buderus Heiztechnik GmbH: Solartechnik Logasolzur Trinkwassererwarmung und Heizungsunterstutzung, Planning Manual, Wetzlar/D, 4/2000.

[2] http://en. red-dot. org/291 +M58564670808.html, 2004-04-01.

[3] BASF AG: Luran® S — Anwendungen, Sortiment, Eigenschaften, Verarbeitung, Product Information, Ludwigshafen/D, 11/1999.

[4] www. pfleiderer-dach. de, 2004-04-01.