Development of a portable specular reflectometer for field measurements of solar mirror materials

Technical Report · Sun Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6593912· OSTI ID:6593912

Freese, J. M.

A portable reflectometer designed for in-the-field measurements of solar mirror materials has been developed. This instrument is of a convenient size for use by one operator in an outdoor environment. Instrument design, operation, and calibration are discussed. It is shown that the instrument responds linearly (+-0.006 transmission units) to variations of intensity of incident and reflected beams and that the readings are not affected by the presence of stray light. The mirror materials measured with the portable instrument include samples of polished aluminum, metallized plastic film and silvered glass. The reflectance values of these materials were within +-0.005 reflectance units of the values obtained from appropriately averaging reflectance versus wavelength data taken with a laboratory bidirectional reflectometer. This instrument should prove useful in monitoring the effects of dirt and weathering on mirror specular reflectance in the field.

• Research Organization: Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-04-0789
• OSTI ID: 6593912
• Report Number(s): SAND78-1918
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
ALIGNMENT
ALUMINIUM
CALIBRATION
CSP
Concentrating Solar Power
DESIGN
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
GLASS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
MIRRORS
OPERATION
OPTICAL EQUIPMENT
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASTICS
REFLECTIVITY
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR REFLECTORS
SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE
SURFACE PROPERTIES