Active Solar Heating: Air Collector Systems How it works/Maintenance/Benefits/Cost Presenter: James Tsai

How does the Air Collector System work? System is composed of collectors, a rock (quartz) storage bin, fans, ducts (tunnels), and controls 3 modes of operation (simplest mode, second mode, third mode) Rock bin collects/stores warmed air from solar heating (top of the bin and bottom of the bin at 60 deg C and 21 deg C, respectively) Fans distributes the air at a fast speed through small ducts (in order to maintain its temperature) to the home

Maintenance Solar collector systems should pass the SRCC (Solar Rating and Certification Corporation) certification Quality of installation/proper siting (ie. South side) 8-16 hours of maintenance annually to keep system healthy (ie. Check for leaks, collectors for damage, lubricate fans)

Benefits of a Solar Air Heating System Air collectors produce heat earlier and later in the day than liquid systems, so they may produce more usable energy over a heating season than a liquid system of the same size Air systems do not freeze, and minor leaks in the collector or distribution ducts will not cause significant problems Environmentally friendly

Costs High initial installation fees (for home heating) High material costs (ie. Solar collectors, storage bins) Affordable (for one or two room heating systems) Annual maintenance fee to keep system at its best decreased expense in other heating appliances References http://www.healthgoods.com/Education/Energy_Information/Renewable_Energy/heating_with_active_solar.htm http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12510