32 results about "Pyranometer" patented technology

A pyranometer for measuring solar irradiance at a selected site comprises a light detector adapted to produce an output signal in response to incident solar radiation, a reversible motor having a curved shadowband attached to its output shaft, means for mounting the light detector and motor so that the shadowband is at a fixed distance from the light detector; and a motor controller that is adapted to periodically cause the motor to rotate the shadowband from one to the other of two limit positions, with the shadowband acting to momentarily shadow the light detector during its movement between its two limit positions. A datalogger stores and processes the light detector's signal output to provide a measure of total horizontal, direct normal and horizontal diffuse solar irradiance.

A photovoltaic system is configured as minimizing the possibility of collapse relying on the self durability under any weathers or the other terrible conditions. The photovoltaic system comprises a plurality of solar tracking mechanisms arranged with a large solar energy panel enabling the solar energy panel incline and/or rotate along the solar track; a plurality of part control units for controlling one of the battery recharging, the external system communication and the electric motor driving, operation of the heater and the energy generating by the management; a central control unit connecting to a plurality of part control units at the same time to manage the collection of the photovoltaic energy; a measuring unit comprising the communication module arranged on the upper part of the supporting piece, a pyranometer, an anemoscope and a weathercock. The components are electrically-connected to the central control unit; a power delivery tower for delivering the energy collected by the central control unit to the external energy managing system; a monitoring unit connected to th e central control unit for monitoring all the units of the system.

A sky luminance mapping system includes a camera unit, two pyranometer units and a processing unit. Camera unit includes a fisheye lens to shoot image of sky dome and is equipped with light-shading devices which block the sun from the camera unit corresponding to instant location of the sun at instant time. First pyranometer unit measures daylight illuminance from the sky dome and outputs first intensity signal while the light-shading device is applied to block the sun. Second pyranometer unit measures daylight illuminance from the sky dome and outputs second intensity signal without blocking the sun. A reference intensity value is obtained by subtracting a value of the first intensity signal from a value of the second intensity signal. According to the value of the first intensity signal and the reference intensity value, a total luminance of and the luminance distribution in the image of the sky dome are corrected.

The invention relates to a calibration device and a calibration method used for an indoor pyranometer. A supporting pillar and a positioning pillar are arranged on left and right surfaces of a rotating crossbeam respectively, and a rotating shaft is fixed in a bearing in a shaft core and is movably connected with a fixed shaft; a light shield is fixed at the bottom end of a light shield disc, theupper end surface of the light shield disc is fixed with a crossbeam of a photochopper, the crossbeam of the photochopper is placed in a U-shaped mouth on an upright shaft of the photochopper and is connected with the upright shaft of the photochopper through a pin shaft; and the upright shaft of the photochopper is fixed on a worktable board, a turn table is fixed on the worktable board, the crossbeam of the photochopper is rotated clockwise to enable the light shield of the photochopper to be placed above the turn table, a light source support is fixed on the rear end surface of the worktable, an irradiation light is movably connected on the light source support, and the distance between the irradiation light and the worktable board can be adjusted. The method is characterized in that the calibration can be performed indoor at any time, and is not limited or influenced by weather; the light source is stable, the calibration time is short, and the stability is high; and the use is convenient, the efficiency is higher, and the data reliability is high.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention's self-optimizing hybrid power system includes a generator, a solar array, batteries, a GPS, a thermometer, a pyranometer, a power manager, and a computer. The computer: (i) establishes maximum and minimum state-of-charge set points; (ii) receives measurement data from the generator (load), the GPS (location), the thermometer (temperature), and the solar irradiance sensor (solar irradiance); (iii) accesses a historic database that relates to generator load, location, temperature, and solar irradiance; (iv) based on the historic database, predicts a solar profile and a generator load profile; (v) calculates an optimized maximum state-of-charge set point and an optimized minimum state-of-charge set point, based on the predicted solar profile, the predicted generator load profile, the measured location, the measured temperature, and the measured solar irradiance; (vi) transmits control signals to the power manager to vary the maximum and/or minimum state-of-charge set point.

The present invention discloses a loading device for thermal performance detection of a solar energy air collector. A rotation assembly is provided with a solar energy air collector, and an inlet detection assembly and an outlet detection assembly are respectively connected at two ends of the solar energy air collector; shaft sleeves are fixedly arranged at the bottom surface at the center of a rotation frame in the central axis direction at intervals, a bearing pedestal is installed at the top of a triangle support, a pallet is arranged at the side of the triangle support, and a motor is fixedly installed at the top of the triangle support; and a transmission bar is connected with a first motor and is connected with the bearing pedestal after passing through the shaft sleeves, the solar energy air collector is fixedly installed on the rotation frame, and the inlet detection assembly and the outlet detection assembly are respectively connected at two ends of the header in the solar energy air collector. The loading device for thermal performance detection of a solar energy air collector is able to load a solar energy panel air collector and single-branch, single-row and dual-row solar energy vacuum tube collectors, so that the practicality is improved to facilitate adjusting angles; and sun cloth is configured to automatically shield the solar energy air collector, and the loading device for thermal performance detection of a solar energy air collector is internally provided with an anemobiagraphm, a total pyranometer and a shelter.

The present invention provides a device for rapid calibration of the sensitivity of a pyranometer. The device comprises a light source camera obscura, a taenidium rod, a liftable pedestal, a stepping motor, a test board camera obscura, a laser positioning device, a main control device and a rotating motor. The light source camera obscura and the camera obscura are rapidly aligned and connected to form a large camera obscura which communicates up and down, and a movable hood is arranged in the light source camera obscura and the camera obscura; the taenidium rod penetrates and is arranged in the light source camera obscura, one end of the taenidium rod is connected with a light source, and the other end of the taenidium rod is connected with a stepping motor; the liftable pedestal is arranged in the test board camera obscura, a rotating disk is arranged on the liftable pedestal and is provided with a plurality of screws, the laser positioning device is arranged at the top surface of the liftable pedestal, and the liftable pedestal is provided with a voltage signal acquisition numerical table; and the main control device is arranged at the outer of the test board camera obscura. The device and method for rapid calibration of sensitivity of a pyranometer are able to automatically regulate the irradiance of a light source and rapidly find out an area with uniform irradiance to develop the calibration work of the sensitivity of a pyranometer.

The present invention relates to alternative equipment for solar energy prospecting with a focus on low cost, low complexity in installation, operation and maintenance, and high reliability. A low-cost solarimetric station consists of compact equipment capable of providing global irradiance measurements and estimates for direct and diffuse components, as well as hemispheric photographs, with acceptable levels of uncertainty. The pyranometer periodically provides global irradiance information to the system, and the camera records photos of the sky. Using machine learning algorithms, and based on that information, the equipment provides estimates for direct and diffuse irradiance components. The equipment has other meteorological sensors, GPS, and wireless communication facilities. The equipment has an energy supply and management system consisting of a photovoltaic module, charge controller, and battery, which provide the energy necessary for the station to operate.

The invention discloses a method and system for measuring incoming cloud distribution in a mirror field. The method comprises the steps of: S1, obtaining solar radiation data in real time through solar radiation intensity meters in different regions in the mirror field, and obtaining the position data and angle data of each heliostat in the mirror field through a monitoring device, acquiring current data in real time through a photovoltaic panel arranged on each heliostat; S2, acquiring DNI data on each photovoltaic panel in the different regions according to the solar radiation data, the angle data and the current data; and S3, according to the position information and the DNI data, performing analysis and simulation to obtain incoming cloud distribution in the mirror field. According to the method and system for measuring the incoming cloud distribution in the mirror field of the invention, the measurement of the incoming cloud distribution in the whole mirror field can be completed by combining solar radiation values measured by a few solar radiation intensity meters with the current data of the photovoltaic panels on the heliostats, so that the cost of the measurement of the incoming cloud distribution in the mirror field is reduced, real-time measurement can be realized, and therefore, the control of the heliostats in the mirror field is effectively optimized, and the utilization rate of light resources is greatly improved while safe operation of a whole power station is ensured.

A concentrated solar energy collection system includes an array of heliostats and a solar receiver that further includes a plurality of tubes having at least one inlet and at least one outlet for carrying a heat transfer fluid (HTF). A flow control arrangement is provided for controlling the flow of HTF through the tubes. This includes at least one radiation sensor such as a pyranometer for sensing values representative of the aggregate solar radiation falling on the solar receiver via the heliostats. At least one temperature sensor measures input temperature of the HTF at or near the inlet. A controller coupled to the radiation and temperature sensors regulates the outlet temperature of the HTF by controlling the flow of HTF through the tubes via the flow control arrangement. A pressure differential sensor arrangement measures pressure differential across the flow control arrangement, providing an input to the controller.

A rotating shadowband for shading a pyranometer includes a cylindrical ring and a semicircular shadowband held within the cylindrical ring, a motor configured for rotating the shadowband, at least one solar panel, a rechargeable battery, and a controller having circuitry configured to power the first motor to rotate the semicircular shadowband. The semicircular shadowband may include a window opening, wherein the window opening substantially extends from a center of the band to a first end. The controller rotates the shadowband 0 to 360 degrees about the central axis of the cylindrical ring to alternately shade the pyranometer for making diffuse radiation measurements and expose the pyranometer to direct solar radiation for making global radiation measurements. Alternatively, the shadowband may be solid and rotate pivotally 0 to 180 degrees or 0 to 360 degrees within the cylindrical ring to alternately shade and expose a pyranometer head to and from direct sunlight respectively.

A pyranometer which utilizes a sensor having an acceptance angle and which can fully reduce the COS error is provided. The pyranometer comprises: a light sensor; a first lens arranged to face a light-receiving surface of the light sensor; and a light-shielding ring arranged between the light sensor and the first lens, the light-shielding ring having a light-transmissive region allowing transmission of light at some angles of incidence in the light passing through the first lens.

A soiling detection apparatus (20) operable to detect a soiling level of a photovoltaic panel (22). The apparatus comprising a photovoltaic panel (22) operable to generate an electrical output in response to light being incident on the panel and in dependence upon a soiling level of the photovoltaic panel. The apparatus comprises a pyranometer (24) operable to generate an irradiance signal which relates to an irradiance level of light incident on the pyranometer (24). The pyranometer (24) is positioned with respect to the photovoltaic panel (22) such that the photovoltaic panel (22) and the pyranometer (24) can receive substantially the same solar radiation level as each other. The apparatus comprises calculating means operable to calculate a reference output value from the irradiance signal which relates to an ideal electrical output of the photovoltaic panel (22) at a predetermined operating condition. The apparatus further comprises measuring means operable to measure the electricaloutput of the photovoltaic panel (22) at the predetermined operating condition, and comparing means operable to compare the measured electrical output of the photovoltaic panel (22) at the predetermined operating condition with the reference output value so as to generate a comparison value. The apparatus comprises outputting means operable to output a cleaning signal when the comparison value isgreater than a cleaning threshold value.

Disclosed is a pyranometer with a housing, a sensor in the housing, an inner window and an outer dome-shaped window both overlying the sensor. An air inlet duct and an air outlet duct extend in the housing and end in a space confined by the outer window for passing air through the space, from the inlet duct to the outlet duct. The housing is substantially closed such that no outside air flows are allowed into the housing and includes a ventilator, the inlet duct being in fluid communication with a high pressure side of the ventilator, the outlet duct being in fluid communication with a low pressure side of the ventilator. The air blown into the space below the outer window is heated by the ventilator power and optionally by and added electrical heater.

The measurement of solar irradiance measurement have important applications, including solar resource assessment, solar power plants, photovoltaic system monitoring, heating and cooling loads of buildings, climate modeling and weather forecasting. An option to establish this is to solely measure the global horizontal irradiance and employ an irradiance decomposition algorithm to derive direct normal irradiance and diffuse horizontal irradiance. However, these models vary in complexity and generally have a relatively high uncertainty particularly between latitudes +60° N and −45° S these errors which includes large portions of North America, Europe, Russia, and Asia where the applications are centered. The inventors have established an improved methodology based upon an improved decomposition algorithm yielding improved accuracy in derived solar irradiance measurements in conjunction with a low cost non-moving part spectral pyranometer supporting spectral global irradiance measurements and spectral clearness indices.

A shadow band assembly includes a platform and an arcuate shadow arm extending upward from the platform and terminating in a free end above the platform. A sun sensor mounting location is located below the free end of the shadow arm. The arm is preferably further supported by a vertical strut. According to other embodiments, the arm is hollow and contains a fluid conduit and/or an electrical cable. A sun sensor may be mounted on top of the free end of the arm and a fluid nozzle may be mounted under the free end. A shadow band pyranometer includes the shadow band assembly, a sun sensor mounted at the mounting location and a motor drive coupled to the platform for azimuth tracking. Additional sensors with zenith tracking may also be provided.