Solar thermal collectors
Work on solar thermal collectors was the focus of one of the work areas.
The main objective was to support the revision of the EN 12975 standard. Subsequently, due to positive developments in International harmonization, this was slightly revised with more ambitious objectives to finalize and present the first draft of the new standard EN ISO 9806, based on the EN 12975-2, as well as to initiate in parallel a CEN/ISO public enquiry on this draft. The QAiST team contributed to the revision of EN 12975-1.
Two very useful documents were issued and are available to the relevant stakeholders: a brochure and a Guideline to the EN 12975 standard. Moreover, the Energy Output Calculation tool was devised and included in the Solar Keymark scheme rules.
Document | Content | Target group(s) |
Proposals for revision of the present EN 12975 with respect to tracking/concentrating and mid temperature collectors including ETC | ||
Topic report: Performance testing of evacuated tubular collectors (R2.1) | Summary of work carried out, main results and proposals for standard revision | Industry; |
Topic report: Experience from tests on concentrating and tracking collectors (R2.2) | Summary of work carried out, main results and proposals for standard revision | Industry; |
Topic report: Concentrating / tracking collector component characterization (R2.4) | Summary of work carried out, main results and recommendations for standard revision | Industry; |
A guideline to the EN 12975 allowing uniform interpretation of requirements, harmonized application of the standard and presentation of results | ||
A guide directed to established and new test laboratories for collector testing. The main purpose is to give a quick introduction to the standard for new laboratories and in general to contribute to a uniform interpretation of the standard and presentation of results. | Test laboratorie | |
A guide directed to manufacturers and importers of collectors. The purpose is to give a very light introduction to the standard and to explain how it is used for type testing as well as for innovation and development support. | Industry; | |
A procedure for calculation of energy output of solar thermal collectors | ||
Software developed to calculate the annual energy output from a solar thermal collector. The software is free of charge and can be downloaded from the Technical Research Institute of Sweden’s (SP) or the QAiST's webpages. | Test laboratories; certification bodies; industry; SK Network | |
A report on durability and reliability requirements and testing methods for all collectors and its components (incl. new designs), including proposal for changes or complements to current EN12975 | ||
Summary report on durability and reliability requirements (D2.2) | Summary report on durability and reliability requirements and test methods for collectors and components including proposal for changes or complements to current EN 12975. This report summarises the work carried out and the findings that are communicated with further detail in various reports. | Industry; |
Review of evaluation criteria in the current EN 12975 standard; Proposal for a revised method based on AS-NZS-2712-2007; Proposal for improved evaluation criteria; Report on practical experiences from application of the revised method by five laboratories; Inputs to revision of EN 12975 | Industry; | |
Background to decision to carry out one year exposure test at nine laboratories; Reports on performance measurements on 20 collectors whereof 16 ETCs with heat pipe, before and after the one year exposure plus observations on degradation; Input to revision of EN 12975 | Industry; | |
Background to pressure drop measurements on solar collectors and why a generalized method would be desirable; Review of pressure drop theory; Report from measurements on a flat plate collector using different fluids and temperatures; Proposals for a generalized method and for further work | Industry; | |
Background explanation of need for freeze testing of heat pipes; Report on practical tests based on two different approaches; Proposal of a new mandatory test method including evaluation criteria; Inputs to revision of EN 12975; Proposals for further work | Industry; | |
Background explanation of need for impact resistance test; Summary of four different methods: IEC test for PV modules, Swiss method and the two EN 12975 methods; Inputs to revision of EN 12975; Proposals for further work | Industry; | |
Background explanation of what mechanical loads and the related testing is about in practice, how it relates to PV module testing, to CE-marking and to CPD ("Structural safety") and how it is a topic of many different CEN TCs; Short review of shortcomings in the current methods of EN 12975 and 12976; Inputs to revision of EN 12975 and EN 12976 and to the guide to EN 12975 (Deliverable D2.3); Review of some on-going work and proposal for further work; Summary of detailed studies of loads on collectors and systems (Annex) | Industry; | |
Background explanation of need for absorber surface durability testing; Short explanation of the Task X method" which is introduced as a new standard; Inputs to revision of EN 12975 and to a new ISO standard on collector components and materials; Proposals for further work | Industry; | |
Summary report on stagnation temperature determination (R2:19) | Background explanation of the need for stagnation temperature determination on solar collectors; Summary of approaches offered in the EN 12975 including sensor positioning descriptions; Evaluation of a new method for calculating the stagnation temperature based on performance test results; Inputs to revision of EN 12975 | Industry; |
Project outcome:
- Solar Thermal Collectors
- Solar Thermal Systems
- Quality Assurance in testing
- New areas for Quality Assurance
- Communication and Dissemination
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