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Steve Barker gravatar image

I am responding to your question because solar water heating is an area of fascination for me - not from a position of expertise but my answer may help to focus your search.

I think this is the location you are talking about - an initial search proved wrong so this link may help others. https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=211146633784452719252.0004b93fc21c89d0e17af

Kumi Hospital appears to have had a lot of work done on it in recent years, apparently having been an IDP camp in the 90's. If so then on the basis that others have been doing a lot of rehab and extension work in recent years then getting materials to site will not be an issue. To raise your confidence about this you could find out some more information on the rehab and extension work to find out who the contractors were and ask them.

You have mentioned three projects: raising a water pump, a biomass generator and solar water heating and want responses to the last one. Quickly addressing the first two: I am confident that you can get some advice on this forum about raising the water pump. A biomass generator via gasification would be interesting or is this a bio-gas plant? I found this on REEP's site: https://www.reeep.org/projects/setting-innovative-jute-processing-using-biomass-based-electricity-india

Turning to the solar water heater: I had a quick scoot around and found this https://www.reeep.org/projects/promotion-solar-water-heating-uganda who should have papers available on their findings. Paging through the solar project investigations performed by REEP it appears that South Africa is ahead of the game. In your shoes I'd be looking to import a panel and header tank system purpose made rather than make it myself. Alternatively REUK has some information on this and there is a bunch of information and idea links here: https://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterHeating/water_heating.htm

You may find a few workshops already making solar water heating panels in Uganda - there was one setup in Kigali Rwanda around 2007 but I think they were importing panels from Israel. The university in central Kigali (KIST) was into solar water heating and may be able to help as well.

One thing to be careful of in heating water is any risk of legionella. The prime method of control here in the UK that I am aware of is to ensure that the water from cold outlets is <20C and from the hot outlets is >50C (and am happy to be shot down about this rule of thumb). Certainly you should be careful to avoid vented tanks full of hot water - far better to keep the system pressurised and unvented but then you are into pressure vessel regulations / maintenance of pressure relief valves and corrosion concerns.

I found a couple of contacts here: https://energy.sourceguides.com/businesses/byP/solar/solar-water-heating/byGeo/byC/Uganda/Uganda.shtml

eg: Sunrays solar Energy

Business type: retail sales, importer Product types: solar water heating systems, solar lighting systems. Service types: installation, maintenance and repair services Address: plot 1 Pariament Avenue, Kampala, Uganda Telephone: +256772525978

and this one mentions that it specialises in solar water heating for hospitals: Equatorsun (U) Ltd

We stock: 150 liter, 200 liter, 300 liter and 500 liter systems Solar temperature and time controls Pumps Expansion pots Solar Cookers Business type: importer, installer, consultant Product types: Specialists in solar water heating systems for Hospitals, Schools, Hotels and Domestic applications. Heat tube technology and good quality tanks. We combine Aesthetics with Functionality. Service types: consulting, installation Address: Plot 188 Lucy Nvumirwa road Mutundwe, , Kampala, Kampala Uganda P. O. Box: 71312 Telephone: +256 772 602205, +256 312 277719 FAX: +256 312 277719 Web Site: https://www.equatorsun.ug E-mail: Send Email to Equatorsun (U) Ltd

As for water tanks - presumably metallic is what you need then there are a bunch of local workshops making tanks out of rolled corrugated steel panels around Kampala.If plastic tanks are required then there are at least two makers of plastic tanks in Kampala.

All the best with your project. It would be great to hear how you proceed with it on this forum.