What is a Solar Water Heat Exchanger?

Heat exchangers are used in closed-loop solar hot water systems. They enable the transfer of heat from one fluid to another without the two mixing. Internal heat exchangers are inside the tank and not visible. They can be as simple as a coil of pipe resting in the bottom of the tank, or wrapped around the outside beneath the insulation and cover. As the heated fluid from the solar collector travels through the coil, the heat is passed from the hotter fluid to the cooler potable water.

An external heat exchanger is usually a pipe within a pipe. The solar fluid and potable water flow counter to one another, and heat is transferred within the heat exchanger pipe. Fluid may be moved with pumps, thermosyphoning, or a combination of the two.