Application experience and field performance of silvered polymer reflectors
The solar-weighted hemispheric reflectance of unweathered silvered acrylic mirrors exceeds 92%, and specular reflectance into a 4- milliradian, full-cone acceptance angle is greater than 90%. Comparison of outdoor and accelerated tests suggests that the protected silver can resist corrosion for the five-year life that is the current goal. An installation of parabolic troughs has been cleaned monthly for two years, and reflectance is regularly returned to within a few percent of the initial reflectance values. In the presence of moisture, the silver/acrylic bond can delaminate to form a maze of tunnels and destroy specular reflectance. Proper edge preparation and protection delay the initiation of tunnels. 6 refs.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-83CH10093
- OSTI ID:
- 10151011
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-257-4146; CONF-910802-4; ON: DE92010570
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: World congress of the International Solar Energy Society,Denver, CO (United States),19-23 Aug 1991; Other Information: PBD: Apr 1991
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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