Solar Hot Air Design and Installation Part 2

Join SEI for this two-hour webinar-based training session.  Online registration provides 60 days of access to the recording of this webinar. Once you have viewed and completed the online webinar session, you can print a Record of Completion that reflects the 2 NABCEP Continuing Education hours.  The cost is $99.

Though participants can sign up for just one, participants are encouraged to take both continuing education classes for a more complete understanding.  To register for Part 1 of this series please click here.

During this series, the following learning objectives will be covered.

• Understand the role of solar air heating in the suite of existing solar technologies.  Solar air heating has an important role to play among the suite of solar technologies. Students will obtain a meta level understanding of the primary applications for solar air heat.
• Analyze and understand the characteristics of an appropriate site for solar air heat.  Like all solar technologies, solar air heat is site specific, and it is appropriate in some settings and not in others. Students will learn to analyze a site for solar air heating and be able to determine when it is and is not an appropriate technology choice.
• Understand the various types of solar air heating collectors and systems and their respective applications.  A variety of solar air heating collectors are available on the North American and global market. Students will earn an understanding of the costs and benefits of various collector and system types.
• Understand the characteristics of appropriate deployments of solar air heating systems.  Solar air heating is only effective if properly deployed. Students will learn the characteristics of appropriate deployments of solar air heat and how to ensure them.
• Understand the fundamental physics behind the fluid dynamics of solar air heating and heat transfer.  Although similar in many ways to solar water heating, the physics and heat transfer of solar air heating are unique and a thorough understanding is necessary to fully understand the role of solar air heating. Students will learn the relationship between pressure drop, flow rate, aerodynamic power and temperature in order to prepare for system sizing.
• System sizing and performance estimating.  Students will know how to size solar air heating systems for specific homes, businesses and other applications. Students will also be able to estimate the performance of a specific solar air heating system in a specific location in N. America.
• Understand the building science and best practices of solar air heating collector installations.  Mounting air heating collectors on a building is a dramatically different racking strategy relative to other solar energy systems. Code-compliant best practices will be well understood as a result of the class.
• Understand ducting and distribution systems and how solar air heating integrates.  Solar air heating systems are mechanical heating systems and proper ducting, distribution and air handling systems must and will be understood as a result of the class.
• Understand control mechanisms, btu metering and datalogging.  Like solar water heating systems, solar air heating systems boast intelligent controls through which net metering and datalogging can be accomplished. Students will be able to select and design the appropriate controls for specific solar air heat solutions.
• Special Applications  In addition to the conventional application of residential and commercial space heating, solar air heat has a number of other agricultural and niche applications. Students will gain a general understanding of the form and function of several such applications.

This series is presented by Jason Edens, Founding Director at the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL). With the help of a small group of dedicated volunteers, Jason started RREAL in his basement and garage back in 2000. Under his leadership, RREAL has grown out of the basement and has performed over one hundred Solar Assistance installations and over fifty Solar Electric and Solar Hot Water installations. Jason holds his Masters in Environmental Studies from Bemidji State University.

Each webinar counts for 2 hours of NABCEP Continuing Education for Solar Heating Installers in the Non-Technical Category.