Purpose This study aims to design and experimentally evaluate a solar air heating system to enhance indoor thermal comfort in a ground-floor conference hall during summer. It also seeks to investigate the effects of integrating recycled aluminum soda cans as thermal energy storage media on system performance. Design/methodology/approach The proposed system comprises a rectangular wooden air duct equipped with transparent polymer side walls and a high-transmittance glass cover, operating under forced convection using an axial fan. Experimental investigations were carried out for three different configurations, namely an empty duct, a parallel arrangement and a crosswise arrangement of recycled water-filled aluminum cans, while three-dimensional CFD simulations were used to analyze internal airflow characteristics, temperature distribution and associated heat transfer behavior. Findings The designed solar air heater increased the indoor air temperature after continuous operation from noon to evening. Performance and efficiency improvements were achieved through black-coated absorber surfaces, aerodynamic duct optimization and the use of water-filled cans as thermal storage. Originality/value This study presents a novel combination of experimental testing and CFD-based analysis to evaluate a solar air heating system specifically designed for large indoor spaces, an area that has received limited attention in previous research. The innovative use of recycled aluminum soda cans as low-cost thermal energy storage units offers a sustainable and economically viable approach to enhancing solar air heater performance.
Köse et al. (Sat,) studied this question.