Vacuum tubes

Made in Germany

high performance long lifetime intrinsic safety heat pipe

Manufacturing

NARVA was established in 1966 as part of the Berliner Glhlampenwerk, a lamp manufacturer. Fluorescent lamps have been manufactured in Brand-Erbisdorf near Dresden since that time. Since 1972 the glass tubes required for this have been produced in the companys own glass works. A total of 30 million fluorescent lamps now leave the plant each year. Expertise in the fields of glass production, vacuum technology and coating technology as well as awareness of sustainability and the environment led NARVA to the area of solar thermal applications. Know-how in the technically highly similar processes has subsequently reduced the development time of NARVA vacuum tubes to just two years. 2007 saw the first vacuum tubes with direct flow leave the fully-automated production line. NARVA works continuously to increase the efficiency of the vacuum tubes. The result is multiple trademarks and a high-performance heat pipe with a particularly high level of efficiency. This is especially attractive for the yields of process heat. In its capacity as an OEM supplier, NARVA currently offers vacuum tubes in the following layouts: direct flow vacuum tubes heat pipe vacuum tubes Both models are available with absorber coated on one or both sides (type standard or power) and in the lengths 800 mm, 1,500 mm, 1,775 mm and 2000 mm.

Process heat

Rottweil, Germany

Lodz, Poland

Woodstock, Canada

It is in the field of process heat that solar thermal applications with vacuum tubes reveal their real strengths. If the heat requirements of the process are always higher than the maximum output of the solar collectors, the system benefits from the high degree of efficiency of the direct flow NARVA vacuum tubes. If the system is dimensioned towards maximum solar fraction, then a customer-specific temperature limit can be achieved via the intrinsically safe NARVA heat pipe.

In Germany companies receive subsidies of 50% of the investment costs (Bafa and KfW) when using solar thermal applications for the generation of process heat.
The use of solar heat as an energy source for process heat stands at the beginning of a steep development curve: The example of Denmark illustrates what effects can result from the consistent expansion of electricity generation from wind and PV: combined heat and power plants are only used to fill gaps in generation. Less and less combined heat and power generation is required with the further expansion of wind and solar power plants. This creates space for the solar-thermal generation of local heat. Denmark is leading the way with a market growth of 80%. In order to extend this trend beyond Denmark new collectors have to be planned for high annual solar fractions. Vacuum collector tubes are a necessary basis for this.

Solar heating

Tracker system, Austria

Private home , Germany

Hotel, Croatia

A frequent operational status in heating and hot water generation is a high loading temperature of the storage tank. This temperature level must be exceeded by the solar unit. Due to their low emission loss and highly rapid response, NARVA vacuum tubes are particularly well-suited to transporting heat to the storage tank at a temperature level of over 90C. In the scope of the German commercialisation programme launched in summer 2012 the minimum funding rate stands at 1,500 per newly-installed solar heating unit.

Heat diversion pipe and absorber are located in a vacuum in NARVA tubes. This means that they are not exposed to ambient influences and are protected against aging which guarantees a long lifetime.
At a temperature difference between the heat transfer fluid and ambient temperature of just 25 Kelvin the vacuum tube collector already achieves higher annual yields than the flat plate collector.

vacuum tube flat plate collector W/ kWh/(m x a)

Annual yield comparison between vacuum tube collector and flat plate collector (gross surface area)

temperature difference to environment / K

Thermosyphon systems

Private Home, Italy

Private Home, Germany

Private Home, Slovakia

Thermosyphon systems are primarily utilised in the Mediterranean region and are available in two technical setups: Thermosyphon systems with integrated condenser in buffer storage Thermosyphon systems with a separate collector and buffer storage With NARVA heat pipe vacuum tubes the system is intrinsically safe. The limitation of temperature via special evaporator fluid prevents vapour shocks when drawing from the outlets. Environmental influences such as wind or low ambient temperatures have no influence on the yield of the vacuum tube collectors. Electronic controls and pumps are not necessary, this makes the system less prone to breakdown and require less maintenance.

Collectors with NARVA heat pipe vacuum tubes have a significantly higher degree of efficiency compared to flat plate collectors. In combination with the temperature limitation they are ideally suited for use in siphon systems.

Collector output W/m

working fluid temperature / C

Power output of tube collector at solar radiation of 1000 W/m (collector with 10 tubes)

Technical information
NARVA technology guarantees intrinsic safety:

Collector output W/m

working fluid temperature / C

Power output of tube collector at solar radiation of 1000 W/m (collector with 10 tubes)

in function

stagnation

cut-off behavior

NARVA heat pipe tubes are ideally suited for a wide range of solarthermal applications from thermalsyphons systems, solar heating to process heat. This is due to a customised cut-off behaviour developed by NARVA.
Mittlere Transmissionskurve unbeschichtetes NARVA-Glas Cladding tube
100 98 96 94 92 90 88 86 84 82 80 300 400 500 600 700

transmittance (%) Transmissionsgrad (%)

NARVA glass with coating NARVA-Glas mitARS ARS NARVA glass uncoated NARVA-Glas unbeschichtet
800 900 1000 1100

Wellenlnge (nm) wavelength (nm)

Smudge-proof coating of the cladding tube with nano particles increases the transparency of the glass to up to 96% in the transmission characteristic maximum. In addition, the coating also protects against weathering of the glass surface. The relatively large wall thickness and the coating enables the tube to achieve a high level of hail resistance (hail strike test as per EN 12975-2 TV Rheinland).

Technical information
Technical data
NARVA vacuum tubes direct flow
Nominal length LT (mm) Tube length (mm) Diameter of glass tube (mm) Apertureface of glass tube (m) nominal tube output (W) at an irradiance of 1,000 W/m Absorbed heat at 1,000 kWh/a*m temperature difference 40K (KWh/a) Absorbed heat at 1,000 kWh/a*m temperature difference 100K (KWh/a) Heat transmission coecient linear (W/m*K) Heat transmission coecient quadratic (W/m*K) Efficiency factor all data valid for type Standard (absorber one side coated) 0,0386 30 27 23 0,0750 59 53 45 1,12 0,004 0,781 800 810 1.500 1.510 56 0,090 71 64 54 0,1010 80 72 61 0,0386 28 25 21 0,0750 56 50 42 1,12 0,004 0,750 1.775 1.785 2.000 2.010 800 810

NARVA vacuum tubes heat pipe

1.500 1.510 56 0,090 67 60 50 0,1010 76 68 57 1.775 1.785 2.000 2.010

Over 20 years of stable vacuum insulation No damage to or aging of the absorber TiNOX-coating with best absorption and emission parameters Optimum transmission values through anti-reflection double coating Highly robust and patented glass-metal-connection Break-proof under heavy snow loads Behaves like safety glass in case of forcible destruction

Direct flow vacuum tubes:

Operating instructions

Usable in continuous operation due to their flat characteristic line, up to a heat transfer temperature of 150 C fulfil all requirements under DIN EN 12975-2 (Thermal solar systems and components - Solar col lectors - Part 2: Test methods) Designed for a lifetime of 20 years Stagnation temperature: up to 300C if there is a risk of frost a corresponding heat transfer substance is to be used

Heat pipe: Variable cut-o at 130 C to 160 C according to customer specification Works in vertical position and up to an angle of 12 without loss of performance Satisfies all requirements under DIN EN 12975-2 Designed for a lifetime of 20 years Frost-proof

Product overview
Direct flow vacuum tubes
Absorber coating VR 800 Standard VR 1500 Standard VR 1775 Standard VR 2000 Standard VR 800 Power VR 1500 Power VR 1775 Power VR 2000 Power one side one side one side one side both sides both sides both sides both sides Length mm 800 1.500 1.775 2.000 800 1.500 1.775 2.000 connection length mm 57 57 57 57 57 57 57 57 PU 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 Order no. 1301 0003 1301 0002 1301 0016 1301 0002 1301 0012 1301 0014 1301 0017 1301 0005

Heat pipe vacuum tubes

Absorber coating VR 800 Standard VR 1500 Standard VR 1775 Standard VR 2000 Standard VR 800 Power VR 1500 Power VR 1775 Power VR 2000 Power one side one side one side one side both sides both sides both sides both sides Length mm 800 1.500 1.775 2.000 800 1.500 1.775 2.000 connection length mm 30,5 30,5 30,5 30,5 30,5 30,5 30,5 30,5 PU 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 Order no. 1302 0007 1302 0008 1302 0013 1302 0001 1302 0004 1302 0006 1302 0014 1302 0005
NARVA Lichtquellen GmbH + Co. KG 2013.06

Heat pipes are available without cladding tube on request.

NARVA Lichtquellen GmbH + Co. KG | Industriegebiet Nord | Erzstrae 22 | D-09618 Brand-Erbisdorf Tel.: +49 (0)3 73 22/ 1 72 00 | Fax: +49 (0)3 73 22/ 1 72 03 | Internet: www.narva-bel.de | E-Mail: oce@narva-bel.de