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ECN publication
Title:
Indoor test facility PVT-panels : a feasibility study
 
Author(s):
 
Published by: Publication date:
ECN Energy in the Built Environment 1-6-2002
 
ECN report number: Document type:
ECN-I--02-005 Other
 
Number of pages: Full text:
57 Download PDF  

Abstract:
The measurements of the thermal and the electrical efficiencies of PhotoVoltaic/Thermal(PVT) panels with an outdoor test facility depend on fine weather conditions. Due to this weather dependence, the determination of the efficiency curve can take six months. An indoor test facility could provide the solution: quicker and more accurate measurements. However, standards to measure PVT-panels in an indoor test facility do not exist. This report describes the overview of requirements and possibilities to measure PVT-panels in an indoor test facility. The overview was deduced from the international standards with respect to the measurement of the efficiency in an indoor test facility of PV-modules (ASTM E927; IEC 904-3; IEC 904-9 and ASTM E491) and thermal solar collectors (ISO 9459-1; NEN-EN 12972-2; DIN 4757-4 and the book of Gillet & Moon (1985)). The overview was used to find a suitable existing indoor test facility to measure the electrical and thermal efficiency of PVT-panels, simultaneously or separately. This resulted in one option, namely the Vurtek indoor test facility. Fokker Space (The Netherlands) has one. The facility is able to measure the thermal and electrical effciencies simultaneously and separately. None of the other facilities were able to measure the thermal efficiency separately. However, the developments of TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) look promising. Two of the indoor test facilities nearby ECN are capable to measure the electrical efficiency separately: the own built facility at TÜV (German Standardization and Certification Institute) and the Neste facility at ECN (Energy research Centre of the Netherlands). Another possibility is to build an indoor test facility at ECN to measure the thermal the electrical efficiency simultaneously and separately. The costs depend on the produced spectrum of the sun simulator lamp(s). Expensive options ensure a simulation of the required spectrum and reliable measurement results. Cheaper options ensure this less. The estimated costs vary between EUR 138,200.OO and EUR 678,050.OO. It ?is advisable to execute an additional research to the suitable and the availability of sun simulator lamps before building the indoor test facility.


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