Solar Thermal Energy for Domestic Hot Water Production in Educational Buildings: Sizing and Regulatory Verification with CHEQ4 in Cáceres, Spain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55204/trc.v6i1.e704Keywords:
Solar thermal energy, domestic hot water, flat-plate solar collectors, solar fraction, CTE-HE4, hydraulic sizingAbstract
The decarbonisation of collective-use buildings requires technically mature renewable solutions for domestic hot water (DHW) production. This study aimed to size a centralized solar thermal system for a school with 280 students in Cáceres, Spain, and verify compliance with the Spanish Technical Building Code (CTE-HE4). The regulatory methodology and CHEQ4 software were applied to estimate demand, select collectors, and size the primary and secondary circuits, storage tanks, heat exchanger, expansion vessels, pumps, and backup system. The proposed solution requires 24 GAMESA SOLAR 5000S flat-plate collectors, providing 50.38 m² of collection area, south orientation, and a 39.28° tilt. The system achieves a 67% annual solar fraction, with 1.56% shading losses, 3,500 L of primary storage, and a 133.23 kW backup boiler. The results exceed the minimum CTE-HE4 requirement and confirm the technical feasibility of the design for educational buildings in Mediterranean climates.Downloads
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