Applications of Aluminum in the Exploitation of Solar Energy.

Among the materials used for plane solar collectors, aluminum has best formability because of its peculiar technologies of rollbonding and extrusion. An electrical analogic system may be employed to design the best extruded section for heat adsorption. A black nickel coating may be applied to aluminum solar panels to enhance adsorbance/emittance ratio. Corrosion is prevented by the addition of inhibitors in the circulating fluid. In the field of solar concentrators (mirrors) aluminum has the advantages of lightness, formability, and bright anodization with inalterable surfaces. In the near future, plane solar collectors are going to be incorporated in roofing or curtainwall systems. Another possibility is cooling in summer by selective heat radiation to outer space, and this can be achieved by aluminum surface clad with Tedlar.