4/15

the concept is simple, when the air in a solar air panel is hotter than the air in a room (or house)- a blower turns on and circulates air between the two. my project became a little more complicated when i decided to put my air panel on the ground, instead of my already crowded roof. this meant finding a long narrow thermal panel and converting it to an air panel. during sunny days, cold air is pulled out of 1 room, circulated through channels in the panel, and dispersed into another room. this cycle heats up my basement during the day to keep my whole house generally warmer all winter.



started with a 3x13 suncatcher panel with a radient absorber plate


the radient plate wouldnt work because the air flow is perpendicular to the fin orientation. it looks great in the sun though


with the old plate out i had an insulated aluminium box


next, i needed to disasemble another thermal panel


now i have the flat plates i need, as well as some sheet metal for making air channels


this is when i added an intake and out penetrations for ducts


modifing a plate to fit into the panel. the idea is the sun will heat this plate up and air will pass by it and release the heat into the air traveling back into the house


these tracts and supports will allow the air to pass evenly above and below the floating flat plate


air enters from behind and moves above and below the absorber plate


detail of air channels


the plates hovering in the frame


a divider between the plate and glass is cruicial to get air to circulate fully through the panel


rubber gaskets from the old panel helps the glass stay tight to the divider


air goes down to the end, turns and comes back the other path


to integrate with the house, i made a plywood flange and inserted it into my basement window


then i had the portal from my house to the air panel


i blocked the window with a cardboard panel and added an extra sun port


the solid ducts are attached to the flexible ducts and held by chains. cold air is pulled from the bottom corner of this room and hot air is delivered under my desk in the next room. the control is a set point aquastat that opens and closes power to the blower based on the temp in the air panel (usually set at 100 degrees) tuck love


homage to the sun god Ra


chains are the theme to this wall because concretes a pain to attach into. the copper is a lead to the sensor in the panel


the ducts are taped and painted to resist the weather and hidden from view. legs are pounded into the dirt for easy stability


solar thermal, solar electric, and solar hot air on my house these days