How to descale Solar Water Heater & its pipe line????///?
Image by Mikenan1
Installed by Alternate Energy Hawaii
Question by chandrasen: How to descale Solar Water Heater & its pipe line????///?
Over a period of using water solar heater & its pipe line gets scaled with water residue & becomes narrow inner diameter, resulting slower flow of water.
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4 Responses to How to descale Solar Water Heater & its pipe line????///?
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Try chemicals like lime away to break up and disolve the mineral build up.
Regular use will help stop massive build ups.
Steven J
May 14, 2011 at 12:01 pm
This sounds like the system may not have been properly designed or installed. It also suggests a water issue. The solar system should be using water as a heat transfer medium. It should not be constantly adding new water that then can deposit its minerals on the pipes.
If your water is very hard (high mineral content) you may need some type of water softener. Soft water will tend to descale the pipes.
You might be able to flush the pipes with an acid. If the pipes are old, this may cause leaks.
You might consider treating the water in the closed portion of the system with additives to prevent rust/scale and reduce dissolved oxygen in the water. Ultimately you may have to consider replacing some of the older pipes and / or redesigning the system.
Breath on the Wind
May 14, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Hmmm… so this is a direct-heat system, not a closed-loop heat-exchanger system?
Depending on the type of pipe you will have to use de-liming chemicals to flush out the pipes – and they may range from muriatic (hydrochoric) acid to strong alkaline materials, are sometimes quite hazardous if abused and in general are difficult to introduce.
You will have to find a way to circulate the treatement water through the system until the scale has been removed, and you may need to refresh the chemicals if the scaling is extensive. There are some relatively benign chemicals out there – but rated for industrial use only.
It is always best to use a heat-exchanger so that the water flowing through the collectors can be treated to prevent any scaling. A bit more expensive – but you avoid the problem you describe.
Peter W
May 14, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Dhiraj and Peter are both completely on the ball. You’re going to have to separate out your solar system so you can treat it without introducing chemicals into your home’s potable water system. And while you’re at it, you might consider plumbing in a heat exchanger so you can keep the solar system separated, and run a non-fouling heat transfer fluid instead of plain water. Because that’s where your problem really lies, in the plain water.
elhigh
May 14, 2011 at 1:23 pm