Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Why standard pyranometer calibrations are inappropriate for solar collector testing

Conference · · Proc. Annu. Meet. - Am. Sect. Int. Sol. Energy Soc.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5766327
A series of Round Robin experiments were performed to isolate various aspects of pyranometer calibration problems such as tilt, deviation of the cosine law, and temperature compensation errors. These experiments have suggested that a much more rigorous approach is required for the calibration of pyranometers to be employed in solar collector efficiency tests. The meteorological approach to pyranometer calibration, which involves the determination of horizontal instrument constants based on all-day integrals, is not appropriate for instantaneous collector efficiency testing at tilt and at off-normal angles. Tilt effects, however small (which are intensity-dependent for nearly all pyranometers), deviation from cosine law, and temperature-related responsivity, can all conspire to cause errors in the optical efficiency of a solar collector of from 3-1/2 to 4%.
Research Organization:
DSET Labs., Inc., Phoenix, AZ
OSTI ID:
5766327
Report Number(s):
CONF-810509-(Vol.2)
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Proc. Annu. Meet. - Am. Sect. Int. Sol. Energy Soc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 4.2
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Calibration of pyrheliometers and pyranometers for testing photovoltaic devices
Technical Report · Wed Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1980 · OSTI ID:5612928

Accurate field calibration of pyranometers
Journal Article · Mon Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1992 · Solar Energy (Journal of Solar Energy Science and Engineering); (United States) · OSTI ID:6961587

Results of a training exercise in the comparison and calibration of pyranometers and pyrheliometers
Technical Report · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · OSTI ID:7151535