Long term stability and performance of solar system instrumentation

Conference · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1983 · Am. Soc. Mech. Eng., (Pap.); (United States)

OSTI ID:6508353

Lior, N; Brish, R T; Koffs, S; Tedori, L

In an attempt to improve the quality and reliability of methods used for long-term performance evaluation of solar systems, detailed information is provided about the long-term (typically over 2 years) performance and stability of a relatively large number of instruments used in the performance monitoring of a well-instrumented solar heating project. The calibration methods are also described. The instruments include resistance temperature detectors, several types of flowmeters, wattmeters, pyranometers, wind anemometers, a humidity meter, a barometer, differential temperature solar system controllers, and an automatic data acquisition system used to scan, convert and store the data. Recommendations for good instrumentation of solar systems are also provided. It was found that the critical instruments for performance evaluation, and most of the instruments overall, have performed very well over the long term, allowing thermal performance evaluation with an accuracy better than 3% with only one calibration per year.

• Research Organization: Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• OSTI ID: 6508353
• Report Number(s): CONF-831111-
• Journal Information: Am. Soc. Mech. Eng., (Pap.); (United States), Vol. 83-WA/SOL-7; Conference: ASME winter annual meeting, Boston, MA, USA, 13 Nov 1983
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
RELIABILITY
SERVICE LIFE
SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE
ACCURACY
CALIBRATION
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
QUALITY CONTROL
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
CONTROL
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
HEATING SYSTEMS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
140901* - Solar Thermal Utilization- Space Heating & Cooling