DESIGN AND ASSEMBLY OF A TUNNEL FOR SOLAR SIMULATOR

Abstract

Solar energy research is becoming increasingly important with the growth of renewable energies. With that in mind, the Solar Energy Laboratory of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul acquired a solar simulator to measure electrical characteristics of photovoltaic modules. These tests are required by the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology so that the photovoltaic modules can be commercialized in Brazil. The aim of this work is to study and describe the installation of the solar simulator tunnel. The manufacturer of the equipment can provide such tunnel, however, it was decided to develop and build the tunnel in the laboratory according to the guidelines indicated by the manufacturer. The tunnel must have diaphragms and dimensions according to these guidelines. It also needs to be internally covered by a surface with high absorptivity to minimize reflections of radiation on the walls. The cover materials options were tested in experiments comparing the spectral reflectivity of different materials. The standard test conditions required that the module is at 25 ºC, so the tunnel heat load was calculated using the simulation software for thermal energy performance EnergyPlus in order to select the appropriated air conditioner. The results showed that the best material among for the inner lining of the walls was a black foam, chosen among six other materials: a black fabric, a black painted MDF, a black matte automotive adhesive, a black common automotive adhesive, a black paint and black standard foam. The air conditioning load was calculated for different values of air changes of the tunnel, and for four exchanges of air per hour resulted in the thermal load 5893 BTU / h. The materials used and the tunnel assembly are also described in the paper.