Performance evaluation of a hybrid solar heating system for farrowing houses

• Evaluation of the performance of a hybrid solar system.
• The solar system used contributes to heating energy conservation by 30–70%.
• Performance of an improvised solar collector-mass wall solar absorber.
• Reduction of CO2 emissions by 40–60% compared to other heating systems.

An innovative hybrid solar heating system for farrowing houses was investigated in terms of energy performance. The hybrid solar system consisted of a roof solar collector, a solar mass wall, one heat storage tank, one heat supply tank and a creep heating slatted floor. The experimental period for the evaluation of the system performance had a duration of eight months; this period was to include both warm and cold periods within a year. During the warm period around 70% of the heating needs were supplied by this system, while during the cold period the achieved energy saving was approximately 25–30%. The performance of the roof solar collector was better for the creep heating than the performance of the mass solar absorber throughout the experimental period, in fact the latter contributed more to the heating of the farrowing room. It was also found, that a larger heating storage is necessary for this system in order to achieve improved performance of the excess energy produced during daylight. The results of this research will encourage the promotion of this system as a more economical and ecological for heating livestock buildings.