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How does an evacuated tube system work?

To give you the best possible return on your investment, we’ve designed all our solar power systems to maximise energy usage, and minimise energy loss.

And at the heart of our evacuated tube solar heating system is the Ecotube.

What is an Ecotube?

Inside each Ecotube is an absorber plate that gathers the sun’s energy and turns it into heat. The absorber plate is bonded to a copper pipe, and fluid passed through the pipe collects the heat for transfer to a hot water system.

The whole assembly is sealed within a glass tube containing a high vacuum, virtually eliminating heat losses by convection or conduction. This type of water heating system is much more efficient than a flat plate collector, and much more durable.

Evacuated Tube design more efficient in northern hemisphere

So why should I be impressed by the Ecotube?

The Ecotube’s performance exceeds that of competing evacuated tube systems, thanks to its:

  • Amazing versatility – the Ecotube can go flat on your roofs and walls, and the absorber plate is custom angled to give you guaranteed maximum efficiency for the life of the system
  • High transmittance glass – which is virtually transparent to solar energy
  • Super-efficient selective coating on the absorber plate – maximising the solar energy absorbed and minimising heat energy lost by radiation
  • Uniquely durable glass-to-metal seal at the end of each tube, maintaining the high vacuum that prevents energy losses by convection and conduction
  • Specially designed glass and metal components that expand and contract at the same rate in response to temperature changes, resulting in a reliable system built to last more than 30 years
  • Efficient indirect heat-exchanger – eliminating problems caused by the build-up of lime-scale, and ensuring that the panel cannot freeze in winter

To learn more about the benefits of our solar energy solutions, please contact us for more information.