Experiences gained to-date
Up to now (August 2008) three mobile test facilities have been completed. The test facilities were delivery by SWT as complete, ready to use turn-key products. One of the facilities was sold to the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) located in Pretoria, South Africa. This test facility is shown in Figure 9.
This test facility is the key component of a solar thermal test centre that was established, cofinanced by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), at the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). The test facility shown in Figure 9 allows for testing of solar collectors and thermal solar systems according to ISO 9459-2 (CSTG-method).
Due to the installation of the above mentioned test facility the SABS is able to carry out thermal performance tests and durability tests of solar thermal systems and collectors according to the relevant standards. This is one important basis for the formal accreditation of the test laboratory according to ISO 17025.
Another test facility which allows testing of solar collectors according to EN 12975-2 (and solar thermal systems according to EN 12976 or ISO 9459-2 and ISO 9459-5 respectively is installed at the Research and Test Centre for Thermal Soar Systems (TZS) at the Institute for Thermodynamics and Thermal Engineering (ITW) at the University of Stuttgart.
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A further all-in-one test facility was delivered to the Hydrometeorological Service located in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia where if forms the basis for a solar thermal test and competence centre (see Figure 10)
