Introduction of a new solar air collector

Advantages of a solar air collector system in general

• Air is for free.

• Air cannot freeze.

• No deterioration of the heat-transfer-fluid.

• No high pressure thrusts during a stagnation situation.

• No costs for secure systems, e. g. safety valves, membrane expansion vessels.

• No environmental or security problems in case of system leakages.

• Collector is intrinsically safe to itself and to the system.

• Solar air collectors enable easy and cost-effective highly scaleable solar thermal collector fields.

Disadvantages of a solar air collector in general

• Air has a lower heat capacity than water.

• Movement of air can cause aerodynamic noises.

• To achieve the same mass flow of air then of water, you need more electrical energy for the fan than for a water pump.