Prototype experimental plant for the interseasonal storage of solar energy for the winter heating of buildings: description of plant and its functions

The definitive version of an experimental heating plant for buildings which uses thermal energy extracted from an underground water tank heated solely by the sun with interseasonal staorage is presented. The entire plant was planned and its functions simulated using calculus codes astablished at the University of Calabria. The protopype, now in use, consists of a solar radiation collecting field of 91.2 m2, a storage tank of 500 m3, and a building of 1750 m3 which has a thermal requirement of 111 GJ for winter heating. The article describes the constructed prototype of the plant, the procedures carried out that allow the plant to function automatically, and the use, instrumentation, acquisition of experimental data.