Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

So i built my solar panel heater and everything but I don't know where I'm going with this. Any ideas on what I can do with the heat measurements and stats. What's a creative way to go further with this project? I've been trying to come up with something but I can't think of anything interesting. Help please?

I can think of a few directions to go. You could compare the heat output of your panel with an equivalently sized PV (electric) panel. In a bright sun, your panel will raise the temperature of air by some number of degrees. If you make that measurement (which you can convert to BTU/hr and subsequently to watts), compare that to what a commercial PV panel can put out in that same sunlight. Is your panel more or less effcient if the goal is to warm air?

What is the optimal airflow? If you move the air too fast it doesn't heat well. If you move it too slowly, you don't extract all the heat. What is the optimum? How do you go about making sure the fan in your device runs to extract the most amount of heat possible?

You made yours with pop cans with an eye toward recycling. Are there other materials you could recycle? Old plumbing pipes?

Thanks! Those are some good ideas but we're actually building a second one using green and seeing how much of an impact it makes on the intake and output of energy if we use green instead of black. Thanks though! It's appreciated!