Solar air heater

A solar air heating system, comprising:

• a chamber that provides air to an interior of a structure;
• an air duct with a proximal end that is fluidly coupled to the chamber;
• an air collector that is fluidly coupled to an opposing end of the air duct, the air collector comprising:
• a cage structure that defines an interior cavity of the air collector;
• an end portion, wherein the end portion has an air duct aperture that is coupled to the opposing end of the air duct, and wherein the end portion is secured to an end of the air collector to form a substantially air tight seal between the end portion and the end of the air chamber;
• an air barrier layer disposed along a lower side of the air collector;
• and
• a layer of air permeable, radiant heat absorbing fabric disposed over a top side of the air collector,
• wherein the radiant heat absorbing fabric transfers thermal energy to preheat air that is drawn through the radiant heat absorbing fabric and then into the interior cavity of the air collector,
• wherein outside air is provided to the chamber in response to the temperature of outside air being at least equal to a threshold temperature, and
• wherein the preheated air within the interior cavity of the air collector is provided to the chamber in response to the temperature of outside air being less than the threshold temperature so that the preheated air in the chamber is then drawn into the interior of the structure.

An air collector, comprising:

• a base portion;
• and
• an internal cage structure that defines a fist surface that is covered with at least one layer of radiant heat absorbing fabric that is air permeable,
• wherein the internal cage structure and the base portion cooperatively define at least an interior cavity of the air collector,
• wherein the radiant heat absorbing fabric transfers thermal energy to preheat air that is drawn through the radiant heat absorbing fabric and then into the interior cavity of the air collector,
• wherein outside air is provided to an interior of a structure in response to the temperature of outside air being at least equal to a threshold temperature, and
• wherein the preheated air within the interior cavity of the air collector is provided to the interior of the structure in response to the temperature of outside air being less than the threshold temperature so that the preheated air in the chamber is then drawn into the interior of the structure.