Central solar heat stations and the Studsvik Demonstration Plant

A reduced-scale demonstration central solar heat plant is discussed which has been designed for northern climates where little solar heating occurs during winter and involves storage of excess summer heat for use during winter. A pit-type warm-water magazine for hot-water storage and a plastic piping system for hot-water distribution are described. Salient features of the demonstration plant's solar collectors, heat-storage magazine, consumer needs, and measurement procedures are briefly highlighted. Ways to obtain a high heat-storage capacity and to achieve optimum operation of the central solar heat plant are examined, including the use of a heat pump.