Solar Ground Heating System
That Turns on with the Sun

WERC has created a hot new solar powered tool that heats the earth to 150 degrees without costly fuel or fire dangers. 
Typically, to thaw the ground during a winter project, a contractor builds a portable enclosure over the earth and heats the enclosure/earth with fossil fuels of some sort. Less conscientious contractors might just burn a pile of scrap wood or waste materials to achieve a thaw.  Both these methods send polluting emissions into the air and create fire hazards on the job.  The WERC Team has created a portable solar heating tool that mounts on a trailer and thaws the earth without any fuel or AC electricity.”
 The unit is very portable and self contained and totally automated. Park it next to the area you would like to heat up.  Set the PEX coils over the spot. Cover the coils with an insulation blanket.  Tip up the 12 volt solar panel which powers the in-line circulation pump. And walk away.

Pictured to the left you see the solar collector panels and 12v DC solar electric panel. The solar electric panel produces all the power the in-line direct drive pump needs to run.

A kick starter hold a small electrical charge that jump starts the pump motor when sunlight is low in early morning or cloudy days.
The in-line check valve insures that the non-toxic antifreeze flows in one direction only.
A safety feature is the adjustable release valve which vents fluid out of the system if the internal pressure were to become too great. The expansion tank however compensates for pressure fluctuations that can occur on cloudy days.
The system has many possibilities where heat is needed.

To the left are the PEX coils that heat the ground.

PEX is cross-linked polyethylene that was developed in the 1960's. PEX 's flexibility and strength at temperatures ranging from below freezing up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit makes it an ideal piping material for hot and cold water plumbing systems, service lines,  hydronic radiant heating systems, snow melting applications, ice rinks and refrigeration warehouses.