Development of a site-fabricated, building integrated air solar system. Final report, September 30, 1977-April 30, 1980

The results of a two year project to develop, thoroughly test, and optimize a complete site-fabricated solar air heating system are presented. The project has produced the only site-fabricated air collector at this time to be fully tested to ASHRAE 93-77 standards and the HUD 30-day stagnation test; it is found that the collector performs as well as any standard commercially manufactured air collector, but for only one-third the cost. The initial stage of the project consisted of a detailed survey of existing site-built installations throughout the country, the generation of innovative designs, the selection of the six best designs, a thorough analysis of these, and the choice of the best design for further work. The chosen design then underwent extensive development. A central part of the project was the study of all the available collector materials: glazings, paints, coatings, caulks, absorber plates, structural materials, and fasteners. With the results of the materials study, the collector design was further optimized in terms of theoretical efficiency, ease of construction, appearance, and durability. The result of the entire project is a tested, proven design, and with more than 15 fully operating systems in buildings throughout the Northeast, including both retrofit and newmore » construction. The final product is detailed construction manual with step-by-step instructions, complete construction drawings, and background information on materials and design options. (MHR)« less