Significant Improvements in Pyranometer Nighttime Offsets Using High-Flow DC Ventilation

Michalsky, Joseph J.; Kutchenreiter, Mark; Long, Charles N.

doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0224.1

Title: Significant Improvements in Pyranometer Nighttime Offsets Using High-Flow DC Ventilation

Abstract

Abstract Ventilators are used to keep the domes of pyranometers clean and dry, but they affect the nighttime offset as well. This paper examines different ventilation strategies. For the several commercial single-black-detector pyranometers with ventilators examined here, high-flow-rate [50 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and higher] 12-VDC (where VDC refers to voltage direct current) fans lower the offsets, lower the scatter, and improve the predictability of the offsets during the night compared with lower-flow-rate (35 CFM) 120-VAC (where VAC refers to voltage alternating current) fans operated in the same ventilator housings. Black-and-white pyranometers sometimes show improvement with DC ventilation, but in some cases DC ventilation makes the offsets slightly worse. Since the offsets for these black-and-white pyranometers are always small, usually no more than 1 W m−2, whether AC or DC ventilated, changing their ventilation to higher CFM DC ventilation is not imperative. Future work should include all major manufacturers of pyranometers and unventilated and ventilated pyranometers. An important outcome of future research will be to clarify under what circumstances nighttime data can be used to predict daytime offsets.

Authors:

Michalsky, Joseph J. ^[1]; Kutchenreiter, Mark ^[2]; Long, Charles N. ^[1]

Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, and NOAA/Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado

Publication Date:: Tue Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2017

Research Org.:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Wind and Water Technologies Office (EE-4W)

OSTI Identifier:: 1364678

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1369124

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5D00-67398
Journal ID: ISSN 0739-0572

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Published Article

Journal Name:: Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Name: Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology Journal Volume: 34 Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 0739-0572

Publisher:: American Meteorological Society

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION; pyranometer; offsets; climate records; data processing; in situ atmospheric observations; instrumentation/sensors; quality assurance/control; surface observations

Citation Formats


                    Michalsky, Joseph J., Kutchenreiter, Mark, and Long, Charles N. Significant Improvements in Pyranometer Nighttime Offsets Using High-Flow DC Ventilation.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
Web.  doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0224.1.

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                    Michalsky, Joseph J., Kutchenreiter, Mark, & Long, Charles N. Significant Improvements in Pyranometer Nighttime Offsets Using High-Flow DC Ventilation.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0224.1

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                    Michalsky, Joseph J., Kutchenreiter, Mark, and Long, Charles N. Tue .  
"Significant Improvements in Pyranometer Nighttime Offsets Using High-Flow DC Ventilation".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0224.1.

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@article{osti_1364678,

  title        = {Significant Improvements in Pyranometer Nighttime Offsets Using High-Flow DC Ventilation},

  author       = {Michalsky, Joseph J. and Kutchenreiter, Mark and Long, Charles N.},

  abstractNote = {Abstract Ventilators are used to keep the domes of pyranometers clean and dry, but they affect the nighttime offset as well. This paper examines different ventilation strategies. For the several commercial single-black-detector pyranometers with ventilators examined here, high-flow-rate [50 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and higher] 12-VDC (where VDC refers to voltage direct current) fans lower the offsets, lower the scatter, and improve the predictability of the offsets during the night compared with lower-flow-rate (35 CFM) 120-VAC (where VAC refers to voltage alternating current) fans operated in the same ventilator housings. Black-and-white pyranometers sometimes show improvement with DC ventilation, but in some cases DC ventilation makes the offsets slightly worse. Since the offsets for these black-and-white pyranometers are always small, usually no more than 1 W m−2, whether AC or DC ventilated, changing their ventilation to higher CFM DC ventilation is not imperative. Future work should include all major manufacturers of pyranometers and unventilated and ventilated pyranometers. An important outcome of future research will be to clarify under what circumstances nighttime data can be used to predict daytime offsets.},

  doi          = {10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0224.1},

  journal      = {Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology},

  number       = 6,

  volume       = 34,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Tue Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2017},

  month        = {Tue Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2017}

}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN): structure and data description (1992–2017)
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Title: Significant Improvements in Pyranometer Nighttime Offsets Using High-Flow DC Ventilation

Abstract

Citation Formats

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