Solar energy collector

A solar energy collecting device comprising a rectangular container having top, bottom, and side walls with said top wall being transparent for transmission of solar rays to the interior of said container, an inlet passageway to said container extending through one of said side walls, a perforate diffuser conduit connected with said inlet passageway and extending across the interior of said device substantially from one side wall to an opposite side wall for distributing incoming fluid substantially uniformly throughout a cross section of said container, and a heat transferring matrix, an outlet passageway spaced from said inlet passageway and extending through a side wall adjacent an end of the device opposite said inlet passageway and diffuser, a matrix of heterogeneously and closely intertwined solar energy absorbing blackened metallic lathe turnings adjacent said transparent wall filling a major portion of the space intermediate said passageways and substantially enclosing said diffuser conduit, all fluid passing from said inlet passageway and diffuser conduit to said outlet passageway flowing lengthwise through said matrix for receiving heat from the blackened metallic lathe turnings and elevating the temperature of said fluid.