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Fundamentals of Solar Heating
Solar Energy, Vol. ~0. No L pp. 493~194. 198~
0038-092X/83/050493~)2503.00/0 Pergamon Press Ltd
Printed in Great Britain
BOOK REVIEWS Solar Energy Dictionary, V. D a n i e l H u n t . I n d u s t r i a l P r e s s , N e w Y o r k , 1982, C o s t $29.50. Non-technical people who find themselves involved with renewable energy often become confused by the technical jargon familiar to scientists and engineers. A conventional dictionary may be of little use to them because the specific meaning of words in the technical literature use may be quite different from Webster's definition. Daniel Hunt has come to the rescue with an attractive and quite complete dictionary with definitions of more than 3000 renewable energy terms, processes, or products. The definitions encompass the renewable energy technologies including passive and active ~olar, photovoltaics, biomass, alcohol fuels, wind energy, solar thermal applications, ocean thermal energy conversion, satellite power systems, industrial process, heat and the conversion of wastes to energy. Definitions are also given in closely related fields such as energy conservation, the environment, heating, plumbing, ventillation, and cooling. Over 200 charts, graphs, process diagrams and photographs are included to clarify some of the definitions. In some cases several paragraphs may be devoted to insuring that the reader fully comprehends the precise meaning of one of the terms. As one might expect, universal agreement may not always be found with regards to specific technical terms. For example, the definition of "passive water heating system" is "with reference to water heating, a thermosiphoning system, see thermosiphoning." Certainly few would deny that integral passive water heating units (the type with a tank in a glazed box on the roof) are passive water heating systems, but are certainly not thermosiphoning. Except for a very few cases such as this one, the definitions are accurate and reflect the general understanding in the technical community of the meaning of the terms. The solar energy dictionary is recommended for anyone with a strong interest in renewable energy who does not have sufficient technical background in all the renewable energy fields to fully comprehend all the discipline-specific terminology.
Foundations for the Solar Future, E d i t e d R i c h a r d L. K o r a l . F a i r m o n t 1981, 243 pp. C o s t $30.60.
by P r e s s Inc., A t l a n t a ,
Foundations for the Solar Future is a collection of papers written by authorities in the solar field. Emphasis is on solar heating and hot water, although other solar applications are discussed briefly. The first paper by Biermann of the Carrier Corporation presents an overview of solar energy for heating and cooling as compared with other energy resources. The second chapter by Erich Farber touches on a variety of solar applications and describes work at the University of Florida. The third chapter by Morrison and Farber continues this theme, presenting different techniques of heating, water heating, air conditioning, power generation, and cooking. Dr. Farber describes a wide variety of solar projects at his laboratory in greater detail in the fifth chapter. Chapters 6-14 present case studies of specific projects. The first is the Decade-80 solar house, other projects are the design of the ECON building for New York, a solar hot water system for a Manhattan tenament building, the University of Florida solar house, a solar heating system for a school in Saudi Arabia, the Honeywell General Offices building (using 20,000 ft 2 of parabolic trough concentrators), a two-story office building at Disney World, and a house in Philadelphia. The following 12 papers
describe tests of different types of solar collectors, absorption air conditioning equipment, a solar powered tracking device, the Zomeworks beadwall and a hot water system for a ten-story apartment building. The papers in this book were contributed by recognized authorities in solar energy whose work originally appeared in Energy Engineering In Building Systems Design. The editor, Richard Koral is editor-in-chief of Energy Engineering, the technical journal of the Association of Energy Engineers. As a whole, the book provides a basic introduction to applications of solar energy for buildings. The papers are descriptive in nature, so no technical background is required of the reader.
Fundamentals of Solar Heating, R i c h a r d
C. S c h u b e r t a n d L. D. R y a n . P r e n t i c e Hall, E n g l e w o o d Cliffs, N e w J e r s e y , 1981, C o s t $25.95. This book is a basic introduction to the design of active hydronic solar heating systems. The first chapter provides historical background on the importance of developing the solar resource. Basic principles of economics and their applications to determining the cost-effectiveness of solar systems are introduced in the second chapter. The third chapter presents a quick review of the basic principles of energy conservation, the laws of thermodynamics, and the pumping of fluids. The 4th chapter, a 10-page discussion of solar radiation, is followed by a chapter summarizing methods of calculating heating loads. The design of simple air heating and liquid heating collectors is discussed in Chap. 6, and the following chapters deal with storage, distribution, controls, and applications. Fundamentals of Solar Heating could serve as a first introduction to solar heating for home builders, architects, and others interested in learning more about this topic. It could also be useful as a text for a lower level introductory course in solar heating in colleges and vo-tech schools. The book is easy to read and presents basic formulae needed for solar design. It is not recommended for those who have already studied higher level and more comprehensive texts on solar heating such as Duffle and Beckman's Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes. There are many people who do not possess the technical background to fully comprehend higher level texts, and who therefore may find Fundamentals of Solar Heating ideally suited for their purposes. Schubert and Ryan are to be complimented for concentrating on a single topic of current interest, rather than trying to cover the waterfront of solar technologies as many recent books have done. Today the public is mainly interested in implementing solar technologies which can be cost-effective, and solar heating is clearly one of them.
Our Turbulent Sun, Kendrick Frazier. Prentice Hall, Inc., E n g l e w o o d Cliffs, N e w J e r s e y , 1982, h a r d c o v e r $16.95; p a p e r $7.95. Few books have been written for the public dealing exclusively with the sun. Kendrick Frazier, a full time science writer, offers this easy-to-read description of the sun and a historical perspective of research dealing with the sun. 493
0038-092X/83/050493~)2503.00/0 Pergamon Press Ltd
Printed in Great Britain
BOOK REVIEWS Solar Energy Dictionary, V. D a n i e l H u n t . I n d u s t r i a l P r e s s , N e w Y o r k , 1982, C o s t $29.50. Non-technical people who find themselves involved with renewable energy often become confused by the technical jargon familiar to scientists and engineers. A conventional dictionary may be of little use to them because the specific meaning of words in the technical literature use may be quite different from Webster's definition. Daniel Hunt has come to the rescue with an attractive and quite complete dictionary with definitions of more than 3000 renewable energy terms, processes, or products. The definitions encompass the renewable energy technologies including passive and active ~olar, photovoltaics, biomass, alcohol fuels, wind energy, solar thermal applications, ocean thermal energy conversion, satellite power systems, industrial process, heat and the conversion of wastes to energy. Definitions are also given in closely related fields such as energy conservation, the environment, heating, plumbing, ventillation, and cooling. Over 200 charts, graphs, process diagrams and photographs are included to clarify some of the definitions. In some cases several paragraphs may be devoted to insuring that the reader fully comprehends the precise meaning of one of the terms. As one might expect, universal agreement may not always be found with regards to specific technical terms. For example, the definition of "passive water heating system" is "with reference to water heating, a thermosiphoning system, see thermosiphoning." Certainly few would deny that integral passive water heating units (the type with a tank in a glazed box on the roof) are passive water heating systems, but are certainly not thermosiphoning. Except for a very few cases such as this one, the definitions are accurate and reflect the general understanding in the technical community of the meaning of the terms. The solar energy dictionary is recommended for anyone with a strong interest in renewable energy who does not have sufficient technical background in all the renewable energy fields to fully comprehend all the discipline-specific terminology.
Foundations for the Solar Future, E d i t e d R i c h a r d L. K o r a l . F a i r m o n t 1981, 243 pp. C o s t $30.60.
by P r e s s Inc., A t l a n t a ,
Foundations for the Solar Future is a collection of papers written by authorities in the solar field. Emphasis is on solar heating and hot water, although other solar applications are discussed briefly. The first paper by Biermann of the Carrier Corporation presents an overview of solar energy for heating and cooling as compared with other energy resources. The second chapter by Erich Farber touches on a variety of solar applications and describes work at the University of Florida. The third chapter by Morrison and Farber continues this theme, presenting different techniques of heating, water heating, air conditioning, power generation, and cooking. Dr. Farber describes a wide variety of solar projects at his laboratory in greater detail in the fifth chapter. Chapters 6-14 present case studies of specific projects. The first is the Decade-80 solar house, other projects are the design of the ECON building for New York, a solar hot water system for a Manhattan tenament building, the University of Florida solar house, a solar heating system for a school in Saudi Arabia, the Honeywell General Offices building (using 20,000 ft 2 of parabolic trough concentrators), a two-story office building at Disney World, and a house in Philadelphia. The following 12 papers
describe tests of different types of solar collectors, absorption air conditioning equipment, a solar powered tracking device, the Zomeworks beadwall and a hot water system for a ten-story apartment building. The papers in this book were contributed by recognized authorities in solar energy whose work originally appeared in Energy Engineering In Building Systems Design. The editor, Richard Koral is editor-in-chief of Energy Engineering, the technical journal of the Association of Energy Engineers. As a whole, the book provides a basic introduction to applications of solar energy for buildings. The papers are descriptive in nature, so no technical background is required of the reader.
Fundamentals of Solar Heating, R i c h a r d
C. S c h u b e r t a n d L. D. R y a n . P r e n t i c e Hall, E n g l e w o o d Cliffs, N e w J e r s e y , 1981, C o s t $25.95. This book is a basic introduction to the design of active hydronic solar heating systems. The first chapter provides historical background on the importance of developing the solar resource. Basic principles of economics and their applications to determining the cost-effectiveness of solar systems are introduced in the second chapter. The third chapter presents a quick review of the basic principles of energy conservation, the laws of thermodynamics, and the pumping of fluids. The 4th chapter, a 10-page discussion of solar radiation, is followed by a chapter summarizing methods of calculating heating loads. The design of simple air heating and liquid heating collectors is discussed in Chap. 6, and the following chapters deal with storage, distribution, controls, and applications. Fundamentals of Solar Heating could serve as a first introduction to solar heating for home builders, architects, and others interested in learning more about this topic. It could also be useful as a text for a lower level introductory course in solar heating in colleges and vo-tech schools. The book is easy to read and presents basic formulae needed for solar design. It is not recommended for those who have already studied higher level and more comprehensive texts on solar heating such as Duffle and Beckman's Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes. There are many people who do not possess the technical background to fully comprehend higher level texts, and who therefore may find Fundamentals of Solar Heating ideally suited for their purposes. Schubert and Ryan are to be complimented for concentrating on a single topic of current interest, rather than trying to cover the waterfront of solar technologies as many recent books have done. Today the public is mainly interested in implementing solar technologies which can be cost-effective, and solar heating is clearly one of them.
Our Turbulent Sun, Kendrick Frazier. Prentice Hall, Inc., E n g l e w o o d Cliffs, N e w J e r s e y , 1982, h a r d c o v e r $16.95; p a p e r $7.95. Few books have been written for the public dealing exclusively with the sun. Kendrick Frazier, a full time science writer, offers this easy-to-read description of the sun and a historical perspective of research dealing with the sun. 493