Solar Air Heating System Designed for Energy Conservation in Manufacturing Applications
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The following paper outlines a solar air heating (SAH) system for the CAMTAC plant in Guelph Ontario. The purpose of the system is to reduce natural gas consumption costs related to the continuous heating of ventilation air during the winter months. The design consists of an acrylic plastic wall that stands approximately 11 cm from the south-east building wall. Fresh air is heated by incoming solar radiation and drawn up through the air space by existing make up air units (MUA) and distributed into the current buildings ventilation system. The SAH system will increase incoming ventilation air by 1C which results in annual savings of $14,000 by decreasing the amount of natural gas consumed. Capital costs are estimated at $95,900 with operating and maintenance costs of $1,400 annually. This results in a return on investment (ROI) of 6.6 -7.2 years depending on climactic variables.