Tuncer, Azim DogusKhanlari, Ataollah2025-03-172025-03-1720230360-54421873-6785https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2023.128883https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13099/2185In the current work, the effect of integrating recyclable aluminum cans as tubular fins to a triple-flow solar air collector (TFSAC) has been numerically and experimentally investigated. In this regard, conventional (TFSAC) and aluminum can-integrated (TFSAC/F) systems have been simulated by applying computational fluid dynamics approach. Moreover, developed TFSACs have been fabricated and experimentally analyzed at fixed flow rate of 0.01 kg/s. According to the experimentally obtained results, utilizing recyclable aluminum cans as fins improved the average temperature difference as 14.02%. Additionally, average exergetic efficiencies for TFSAC and TFSAC/F were calculated as 18.87% and 23.25%, respectively. Economic and environmental analyses have also been performed for the developed TFSACs within the scope of the present survey. The simple payback periods for TFSAC and TFSAC/F were gained as 1.178 and 1.035 years, respectively. Moreover, the yearly CO2 savings for TFSAC and TFSAC/F analyzed in this work were attained as 0.149 and 0.169, respectively. It should be stated that mean deviation between numerically and experimentally acquired exit air temperature values are 3.71% and 7.62%, respectively for TFSAC and TFSAC/F.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessTriple-flowSolar air collectorRecyclable aluminum cansExtended heat transfer surfaces4E analysisArticle10.1016/j.energy.2023.128883282Q1WOS:0010759097000012-s2.0-85169621348Q1