collectors shown on this site use aluminum fins to collect the incoming
solar heat and transfer it to a tube that carries the heat transfer
fluid.
The fins need to transfer heat efficiently, and need to have a good thermal connection with the tube carrying the heat transfer fluid.
Copper tube with heat absorbing fin being installed.
This article goes over several fin designs, several ways of making the fins, some of the types of fins you can buy and where to get them.
The new article also provides calculated fin efficiencies for some of the homemade and commercial designs. I'm sure you are dying to know Which fins do best? Does steel work as a fin material? Are those big, thick, extruded fins worth the extra money? ...
All the details on fin design, fabrication, purchase, and performance here...
Some fin designs that people have sent in...
Kevin's two layer fin
Matt's bicycle powered fin former.
Tom's most impressive fin press
Got any ideas on fin design or fabrication?
Update March 11 -- I've added a couple more entries that have been turned in since this blog entry was written -- all on this page:
All the details on fin design, fabrication, purchase, and performance here...
Gary
Many of the homemade
collectors shown on this site use aluminum fins to collect the incoming
solar heat and transfer it to a tube that carries the heat transfer
fluid.
The fins need to transfer heat well, and need to have a good thermal connection with the tube carrying the heat transfer fluid.
This article goes over several fin designs, several ways of making the fins, some places you can buy the fins. It also provides the calculated fin efficiency for several of the designs.
This blog entry has a few highlights, but all the gory details are here...
Some fin designs that people have sent in...
Kevin's two layer fin
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