Development and Experimental Evaluation of a Vertical Solar Air Collector for Heating Of Buildings

QUIÑONEZ J.; HERNÁNDEZ A.; FLORES LARSEN S.

Lima

Conferencia; PLEA2012 - 28th Conference, Opportunities, Limits & Needs Towards an environmentally responsible architecture; 2012

IBPSA - International Building Performace Simulation Association

In order to lower the conventional energy destined to building heating, an active double-pass solar air heater that works with an air counter flow was developed. The collector was designed to be installed on vertical facades oriented towards the Equator. This paper describes the development and experimental evaluation of this prototype whose dimensions are 0.95 m width and 2.51 m long, with a useful collection area of 2.16 m2. The instantaneous efficiency curve was experimentally determined during the 2011 winter. Air temperature at the collector inlet and outlet, outdoor air temperature and solar radiation on the collector surface were measured. The inlet air temperature was varied by using an electric resistance heater as recommended by the ASHRAE 93-77 Norm that describes the experimental evaluation of solar air collectors. The maximum efficiency reached in the experiments was 45% with a daily mean efficiency of 37% for the monitored period.