A 28 kWe multi-source high-flux solar simulator: Design, characterization, and modeling. (15th November 2020) - Li, Xian
Highlights: Singapore's first 28-kWe high-flux solar simulator was designed and characterized. Precise and flexible adjustment frameworks were employed. The electricity-to-target transfer efficiency in a Ø60-mm target area is 29.6%. A peak radiative flux of 7740 kW m −2 was measured. Abstract: Singapore's first multi-source high-flux solar simulator (HFSS) that comprises an array of seven 4-kWe xenon short-arc lamps close-coupled with ellipsoidal reflectors is designed, constructed, and characterized. An indirect mapping system that consists of a water-cooled Lambertian target, a CMOS camera, and a heat-flux gauge is adopted herein to experimentally characterize the performance of the developed HFSS. A calibration constant of 192.8 ± 9.6 kW m −2 (GS µs −1 ) –1 is determined and used to transform the raw-flux maps with grayscale values to the absolute-flux maps. Utilizing a series of flexible and precise adjusters, the variability of ± 1 mm in the x- and y- directions of the peak flux points of the radiation modules is measured. A peak flux of 7740 kW m −2 is measured for the sum of all 7 radiation modules. Average radiative fluxes of 4191 kW m −2 and 2933 kW m −2 can be observed from circular target areas of Ø40 mm and Ø60 mm, respectively, associated with promising electricity-to-target transfer efficiencies of 18.8% and 29.6%. A Monte Carlo ray-tracing (MCRT) model is calibrated by the experimental data. Based on the minimum root-mean-standard deviation between the measured and simulated results of the radiative power on the target, the optimal parameters of the MCRT model include the arc radius of 3.4 mm and the reflector surface error of 1.1 mrad.