THE CHARACTERIZATION OF CRUSHED GLASS AS A TRANSPIRED AIR HEATING SOLAR COLLECTOR MATERIAL

摘要

The use of crushed glass matrices as the heat-absorbing media in air heating solar collectors is investigated. An experimental program was undertaken to characterize the moat likely candidate glass types and sizes by measuring pressure drops, optical extinction coefficients, and volumetric heat transfer coefficients. Bed efficiencies were also measured and found to be similar to those expected for screen matrices unless critical amounts of clear glass were used as a top layer, which results in lowered efficiency.