Journal of Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers ISSN:1738-3692(Print) 2093-7709(Online) 한국농공학회논문집

The economics of a passive solar heating system (PSHS) with the pebble bed heat storage was evaluated, and the applications of the PSHS were analyzed, in this study. The results are as follows: The heating load, solar heat gain, and stored heat/year of the PSHS in the solar house model were found to be 10,778MJ, 3,438MJ, and 11,682MJ, respectively. The yearly energy expenses of the PSHS and the alternative heating system (conventional coal heating system, CCHS), which uses coal, were found to be USD 1.60/year and USD 60.90/year, respectively, and the yearly expenses of the PSHS were found to be 38 times less than those of the alternative heating system (CCHS). If it will be supposed that the life cycle of the passive solar heating system, according to the results of the LCC analysis in the two systems, is 40 years, the total expenses for the life cycle of the PSHS and the CCHS will be USD 1,431.50 and USD 2,740.00, respectively. The period for the investment payback of the PSHS is six years.