Non-Concentrating Collector for Solar-Heating Low-Temperature Air Heater. Development of Solar Wall Assembly. Final Report Draft

摘要

A low-temperature, passive collector was developed that will have a payback period of less than 10 years. The collector can meet the objective when electrical energy is conserved. With the lower cost of oil and gas, the payback will exceed the 10-year goal with few exceptions. The collector was designed to be an integral part of a residential wall using 2 x 6 framing on 609.6mm (24'') centers constructed of standard building materials with proven long-term durability. Passive collectors operate at low temperatures resulting in high efficiency and low cost. With the integration of the collector into the structure, additional economies are obtained by eliminating redundant components common to the collector and the structure. The quality of the design was verified in tests covering performance requirements for: (1) Structure, (2) Air Infiltration, (3) Water Resistance, and (4) Thermal Performance. Two absorber-plate configurations, flat sheet and porous, were studied. The installed collector cost is estimated to range from $116.00 to $160.00/square meter ($11.00 to $15.00/square foot). A passive-collector model and computer program developed annual performance data for the base-line collector. Simulated locations using the base-line design were chosen to establish the effect of differences in energy costs and heating season. Discounted payback analysis indicates, where electrical energy is used, the payback period will range from four to seven years for locations where the heating season requires large quantities of energy for space heating. (ERA citation 08:009586)