Thermal efficiency of an air solar collector with extended absorption surface and increased convection

Abstract

A modified solar air heater, which incorporated aluminium wool on a perforated plate placed diagonally on the passageway of the air to serve as a front absorbing medium above the absorber plate was designed, constructed and tested. It's efficiency was compared with the same sized conventional solar collector. The efficiencies of these two collectors were evaluated in terms of the effects of temperatures and duration times for the same airflow rates. It was found that the heat transferred to the air was increased greatly in the case of solar air heater with front absorbing surface. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.