This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语科技报道。
Solar water heaters are used around the world and are not very difficult to build. The system we are going to describe is based on a design developed some years ago in Afghanistan. Since then, it has been built and used in many countries.
太阳能热水器应用于世界各地，也不难建造。我们将要讲述的这种太阳能热水器系统是基于几年前阿富汗开发的一种设计。从那时起，许多国家建成并使用这种太阳能热水器。
It can heat seventy liters of water to sixty degrees Celsius. It can do this between sunrise and noon on a clear day with an average air temperature of thirty-two degrees Celsius.
它可以在晴天有日照，平均气温在摄氏32度的天气里，将70升水加热到摄氏60度。
There are two parts to the solar water heater. One part is made of a sheet of metal painted black. Black surfaces become hotter in the sun than surfaces painted any other color.
这种太阳能热水器分为2个部分。一部分是由涂成黑色的金属板制成。黑色表面比其它任何颜色的表面都更容易吸热。
This black metal plate is called a collector. The collector is placed in contact with the water.
这个黑色金属板被称为集热器。集热器与水直接接触。
There are several kinds of metal sheets that can be used for the collector. Corrugated metal will work very well. Corrugated sheets are often used as roofs on housing.
有几种金属板可用于制造集热器，波纹金属效果就很好。波纹金属板常用作房屋屋顶。
Once the water is heated, it is kept hot with insulation material. This allows the water to stay warm for a long time.
水一旦被加热，就通过保温材料保温。这使得水可以长时间保持一定温度。
The second part of the solar water heater holds the water for the system. This storage tank can be a container that holds about one hundred liters. Two rubber pipes are attached to the water storage tank. One pipe lets water flow into the system. The other lets water flow out.
太阳能热水器的另一部分为储水系统。这个储水箱是一个可以容纳约100升水的容器。储水箱上连有2根橡胶管，一根是进水管，一根是出水管。
When the water heater is working correctly, water will flow from the storage tank to the collector and back again. You can use the hot water at the top of the tank for washing and cleaning. You can change the flow of water so that the temperature is hot or warm as desired.
热水器工作正常时，水会从储水箱流到集热器，（温度升高后）再流回储水箱。你可以使用储水箱顶部的热水来清洗。你可以改变水流大小，从而使水温达到理想温度。
This solar water heater is easy to build and operate. It will last about two years before the rubber pipes need to be replaced.
这种太阳能热水器易于建造和操作。橡胶管（因为老化）大约每两年需要更换一次。
There is also something else you will need to make the solar water heater work -- the sun. As you might imagine, the heater will heat water only on sunny days.
要使太阳能热水器工作还需要一个因素--太阳。正如你想到的，太阳能热水器只有在晴天才能把水加热。
You can get more information about solar water heaters and other projects from EnterpriseWorks/VITA. This group works internationally to fight poverty. The website is enterpriseworks.org. Choose the link for News & Resources, then click on Publications.
你可以从EnterpriseWorks/VITA获得更多关于太阳能热水器和其他项目的资料，该组织在全球致力于消除贫困。他们的网址是enterpriseworks.org。打开网站后选择News & Resources分类，然后点击其中的Publications。