Post by Admin on Jul 7, 2020 18:43:52 GMT
**NOTE: This is the article in its original form, which I wrote in HTML. I will be leaving it as such in the hopes that HTML is fixed soon.**
So I'm the kind of person who loves a long, hot shower. No matter what the temperature is outside, being immersed in hot water just feels great and helps me unwind from the day, or get ready for the day, depending on when I'm showering. Naturally we take our hot water for granted; turn on the faucet and you have hot water in seconds. Yet, in a world without electricity, how will we get our hot water?
I know the most common answer I'd be receiving if I ended it here: use fire. While that is effective for uses such as cooking and sanitizing water, consider common uses of hot water in particular; bathing, laundry, and in some cases, heating our homes. Using fire to heat up large volumes of water for such purposes would use a lot of fuel you probably don't have to waste. However, there are alternative methods available that don't use valuable fuel and will effectively heat large amounts of water. In fact, there are alternative methods for even small uses of water; you can use things such as a <a href="http://solarcooking.org/plans/">Solar Cooker</a>.
First thing's first, remember that you have to store the water.
Large barrel drums work well; if possible, find one that is meant to hold water instead of a generic barrel that may not be suited to hold water:
<img src="http://www.oak-barrel.com/barrels_and_ornaments/hot_tub_barrel.jpg">
A large wooden barrel such as this works well for holding hot water provided the insides have been treated properly for water storage. Note that using plastic barrels is likely a bad idea because high temperatures cause plastic to melt and leach chemicals into the water. Metal containers also work well, and being conductors of heat, will warm up faster than other containers. However, this same property also means that metal will give off more heat into the surrounding atmosphere faster, causing the water to cool off quicker. Having multiple kinds of hot water barrels for different purposes may be a good idea.
Now that you have a container, you have to find a heat source.
Unless you managed to secure a hot spring or can access geothermal heating from deep within the Earth's crust, your renewable source of heat energy is likely the sun. While petroleum products, wood stoves, and pellet stoves are also viable heating options, they use fuel that can and eventually will run out. Such fuel resources should be saved for emergencies only. Heat pumps are also an option, but then again, are very resource intensive as well.
While the sun is the most renewable and available source of heat, it isn't a very strong source as compared to fuel-burning sources. Not to mention that water heats and cools very slowly as compared to other liquids. So, your solution here is to be efficient with your heating methods:
<em>Heating up your water using the sun</em>
Alright, you've got your containers, and your water. Now to get it hot enough for proper use. While plopping the containers in the sun for awhile might get you the heat you need, you can get it there faster with a few tricks:
<ol>
<li>The color black, which absorbs all colors, also conducts the most heat as a color. Painting your containers black will get the container itself hot, which will accelerate the overall heating process, as seen in the setup below:
<img src="http://www.ranchomastatal.com/img_bank/phpm0nfu3_Solar_Water_Heaters2.jpg">
<em>With two black barrels mounted onto the top of a roof, the water can be heated, then utilize gravity to move the water downward for use.</em>
<li>Moving the water around within the container will keep the water molecules moving(after all, that's heat- the movement of molecules. More movement, more heat) while keeping different temperatures of water from "layering" within the barrel. Since cooler water sinks, you may feel the top as being hot enough, only to find that as you use the barrel, the water gets cooler and cooler.
<li>Use a solar water heater, improvised or otherwise:
<img src="http://www.techchee.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/solar-powered-water-heater-made-using-beer-bottles-11062007.jpg">
<em>This man used empty beer bottles to store water, where they would heat up under the sun. Note that the poster does not condone drinking this much beer at once to make a solar powered water heater.</em>
</ol>
<strong>Energy Efficiency</strong> should always be practiced with any heating method, sunlight or otherwise. The following are a few ways to make the most of the heat you can produce:
<em>Insulation</em>
Using various materials and methods to keep the heat in will reduce the energy required to heat your water and keep it heated. It's important to note that use of insulation may or may not be possible depending on your heat collection method. Painting your containers black and covering them with insulation won't do much for you. However, covering the containers with insulation at night when the sun isn't heating the containers would help keep the water warmer overnight.
<em>Waste-water heat recovery</em>
The process of extracting heat from waste water is one that should be used not only for extracting heat but also for re-using the water that comes from hot water usage; "gray water" can easily be used for numerous other purposes. By using a waste heat recovery unit, it is possible to save up to 60% of the heat produced.
<img src="http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/Spinoff2005/Images/Page_081_Image_0001.jpg">
<em>Conservation</em>
Naturally, in order to get the most out of the hot water produced, it must be handled properly with as little waste as possible. For this reason, taking a bath is likely out of the question unless one were willing to have a communal bath; which, quite frankly, isn't sanitary. A hot shower here and there might be possible, but only after other hot water needs are met and there will be no more use for the hot water left over. Laundry and cleaning can be done without hot water, but will also be much more effective with hot water. Gauge how much you need against how much you have, and decide what your priorities are; waste not, want not.
Yet, it's the wasteful activities that we love and sometimes need; long, hot showers, for example. Fortunately, you don't have to give up the psychological and health benefit of a hot shower; you can improvise, and use a sauna or steam room. Simply set up a tent or other enclosed area(you could even use a tarp) and make sure it lets out as little heat as possible, then get a small coal bed glowing hot inside. Heat rocks over the coal bed, and when you want to crank up the steam and heat, pour a bit of water over the rocks. A sauna will still allow a relaxing, steamy environment, while using far less water. After sweating for awhile, take a quick shower to wash yourself off and you'll be feeling fantastic. Just be careful within a sauna; if you begin to feel dizzy or uncomfortable, leave the sauna.
Remember that with a little improvisation and creativity, little luxuries that make life great can still be had.
This feels unfinished, but I'd like to hear some feedback about it. So, thoughts? Suggestions? Improvements?
So I'm the kind of person who loves a long, hot shower. No matter what the temperature is outside, being immersed in hot water just feels great and helps me unwind from the day, or get ready for the day, depending on when I'm showering. Naturally we take our hot water for granted; turn on the faucet and you have hot water in seconds. Yet, in a world without electricity, how will we get our hot water?
I know the most common answer I'd be receiving if I ended it here: use fire. While that is effective for uses such as cooking and sanitizing water, consider common uses of hot water in particular; bathing, laundry, and in some cases, heating our homes. Using fire to heat up large volumes of water for such purposes would use a lot of fuel you probably don't have to waste. However, there are alternative methods available that don't use valuable fuel and will effectively heat large amounts of water. In fact, there are alternative methods for even small uses of water; you can use things such as a <a href="http://solarcooking.org/plans/">Solar Cooker</a>.
First thing's first, remember that you have to store the water.
Large barrel drums work well; if possible, find one that is meant to hold water instead of a generic barrel that may not be suited to hold water:
<img src="http://www.oak-barrel.com/barrels_and_ornaments/hot_tub_barrel.jpg">
A large wooden barrel such as this works well for holding hot water provided the insides have been treated properly for water storage. Note that using plastic barrels is likely a bad idea because high temperatures cause plastic to melt and leach chemicals into the water. Metal containers also work well, and being conductors of heat, will warm up faster than other containers. However, this same property also means that metal will give off more heat into the surrounding atmosphere faster, causing the water to cool off quicker. Having multiple kinds of hot water barrels for different purposes may be a good idea.
Now that you have a container, you have to find a heat source.
Unless you managed to secure a hot spring or can access geothermal heating from deep within the Earth's crust, your renewable source of heat energy is likely the sun. While petroleum products, wood stoves, and pellet stoves are also viable heating options, they use fuel that can and eventually will run out. Such fuel resources should be saved for emergencies only. Heat pumps are also an option, but then again, are very resource intensive as well.
While the sun is the most renewable and available source of heat, it isn't a very strong source as compared to fuel-burning sources. Not to mention that water heats and cools very slowly as compared to other liquids. So, your solution here is to be efficient with your heating methods:
<em>Heating up your water using the sun</em>
Alright, you've got your containers, and your water. Now to get it hot enough for proper use. While plopping the containers in the sun for awhile might get you the heat you need, you can get it there faster with a few tricks:
<ol>
<li>The color black, which absorbs all colors, also conducts the most heat as a color. Painting your containers black will get the container itself hot, which will accelerate the overall heating process, as seen in the setup below:
<img src="http://www.ranchomastatal.com/img_bank/phpm0nfu3_Solar_Water_Heaters2.jpg">
<em>With two black barrels mounted onto the top of a roof, the water can be heated, then utilize gravity to move the water downward for use.</em>
<li>Moving the water around within the container will keep the water molecules moving(after all, that's heat- the movement of molecules. More movement, more heat) while keeping different temperatures of water from "layering" within the barrel. Since cooler water sinks, you may feel the top as being hot enough, only to find that as you use the barrel, the water gets cooler and cooler.
<li>Use a solar water heater, improvised or otherwise:
<img src="http://www.techchee.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/solar-powered-water-heater-made-using-beer-bottles-11062007.jpg">
<em>This man used empty beer bottles to store water, where they would heat up under the sun. Note that the poster does not condone drinking this much beer at once to make a solar powered water heater.</em>
</ol>
<strong>Energy Efficiency</strong> should always be practiced with any heating method, sunlight or otherwise. The following are a few ways to make the most of the heat you can produce:
<em>Insulation</em>
Using various materials and methods to keep the heat in will reduce the energy required to heat your water and keep it heated. It's important to note that use of insulation may or may not be possible depending on your heat collection method. Painting your containers black and covering them with insulation won't do much for you. However, covering the containers with insulation at night when the sun isn't heating the containers would help keep the water warmer overnight.
<em>Waste-water heat recovery</em>
The process of extracting heat from waste water is one that should be used not only for extracting heat but also for re-using the water that comes from hot water usage; "gray water" can easily be used for numerous other purposes. By using a waste heat recovery unit, it is possible to save up to 60% of the heat produced.
<img src="http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/Spinoff2005/Images/Page_081_Image_0001.jpg">
<em>Conservation</em>
Naturally, in order to get the most out of the hot water produced, it must be handled properly with as little waste as possible. For this reason, taking a bath is likely out of the question unless one were willing to have a communal bath; which, quite frankly, isn't sanitary. A hot shower here and there might be possible, but only after other hot water needs are met and there will be no more use for the hot water left over. Laundry and cleaning can be done without hot water, but will also be much more effective with hot water. Gauge how much you need against how much you have, and decide what your priorities are; waste not, want not.
Yet, it's the wasteful activities that we love and sometimes need; long, hot showers, for example. Fortunately, you don't have to give up the psychological and health benefit of a hot shower; you can improvise, and use a sauna or steam room. Simply set up a tent or other enclosed area(you could even use a tarp) and make sure it lets out as little heat as possible, then get a small coal bed glowing hot inside. Heat rocks over the coal bed, and when you want to crank up the steam and heat, pour a bit of water over the rocks. A sauna will still allow a relaxing, steamy environment, while using far less water. After sweating for awhile, take a quick shower to wash yourself off and you'll be feeling fantastic. Just be careful within a sauna; if you begin to feel dizzy or uncomfortable, leave the sauna.
Remember that with a little improvisation and creativity, little luxuries that make life great can still be had.
This feels unfinished, but I'd like to hear some feedback about it. So, thoughts? Suggestions? Improvements?