Design, manufacturing and installation of a combined indoor and. outdoor test stand for solar thermal collectors for the Centre for Solar
Energy Studies (CSES) in Libya
Christian Zahler1*, Stephan Scherer1, Frank Luginsland1, Andreas Haberle1
Hans-Dieter Wegmann2
Ulrich Fritzsche3, Michael Adrian3
Matthias Rommel4, Joachim Koschikowski4
1PSE AG, Emmy-Noether-Str.2, D-79110 Freiburg,
T +49 761 479 14 0, F +49 761 479 14 44, cz@pse. de, www. pse. de
2Bavaria Engineering GmbH (BEG), Marschallstr.14, 80802 Munchen, T +49 89 387 99 284,
F +49 89 39 30 80, hd. wegmann@baveng. com
3TUV Immissionsschutz und Energiesysteme GmbH, TUV Rheinland Group, Am Grauen Stein, 51105 Koln,
T +49 221 806 2016, F +49 221 806 1350
4Fraunhofer ISE, Heidenhofstr. 2, 79110 Freiburg, rommel@ise. fraunhofer. de
Corresponding author: cz@pse. de
Abstract
In 2007, a solar research and development centre for the CSES in Libya was completed near Tripoli. The general contractor was Bavaria Engineering GmbH. TUV, a project partner, sub-contracted PSE AG to design, manufacture and install an indoor/outdoor test stand for solar thermal collectors. PSE worked closely with TUV and Fraunhofer ISE to design the test stand including two-axis tracker, thermostat and measured data acquisition equipment, all of which are mounted on a moveable carriage on tracks to allow for both indoor and outdoor testing. A lamp field with an artificial cold sky simulates the natural sky for indoor testing. The testing surface has space for four standard collector modules, which can be tested simultaneously in outdoor tests. The tracker has a guaranteed precision of better than ±1°. The test stand conforms to all relevant international/European standards and norms and can be used for research, testing and certification of solar thermal collectors.
Keywords: indoor/outdoor test stand, tracker, solar simulator
This project—the planning, design and installation of a solar center in Libya-- began in 2002 as a contract with the federal Libyan General People’s Committee for National Academy for Scientific Research. With the installation of the last test system for solar technology, the project is now completed. The goal of the project was the installation of a research and development laboratory and scientific facilities for solar and wind energy utilization studies, including the necessary systems operation training, for the CSES of the National Office for Research and Development near Tripoli, Libya.
The project involved the planning, design and erection of the laboratory and scientific facilities building, as well as fitting the building out with a complete set of equipment including measurement equipment, test systems, and workshop equipment. In addition, an outdoor testing
area was designed and equipped. Bavaria Engineering GmbH (BEG), based in Munich, with its many years of experience in solar energy, led the operations as general contractor for the project from its office in Tripoli and prepared a long-term technical master plan for the project. TUV Rheinland Immissionsschutz und Energiesysteme GmbH was contracted as partner for aspects of the engineering. PSE was recommended by TUV as subcontractor for the essential components of the indoor and outdoor test stand for measurement of solar thermal collectors, and was contracted by BEG. The work group for thermal collectors at Fraunhofer ISE made itself available to PSE in an advisory capacity for the realization of the project.
Already in 2003, PSE had manufactured and installed a similar indoor test stand for the GREEN Institute in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, as part of a UN project [1]. PSE is also experienced in the construction of trackers.
What is special about the stand for CSES in Libya is the combination of indoor and outdoor test stand. The concept is based on two facilities built by the company Dornier in Jordan and India in the early 1990s.
