Abstract

In the manufacture, assembly, testing and operation of solar power plants, one has to deal with a wide variety of control and measuring operations, as well as means of control and measurement of physical quantities. Analysis of methods and means of control of solar parabolic trough installations showed that they are numerous and time consuming. This requires the development of modern automated systems for measuring, recording and processing the results of the energy characteristics of solar installations. This article describes an automated stand for measuring the thermal and energy characteristics of solar parabolic trough collectors. The developed experimental setup consists of a parabolic trough collector, a measuring tank, a converter, a meter, a level gauge, temperature sensors and electric valves. Consumption (energy generated) is measured with a graduated water tank. By measuring the volume of water and the temperature passed through the solar collector, you can estimate its efficiency. Several portions of heated water are collected in the measuring tank, depending on the intensity of the heating process. As the graduated tank fills, the digital output level gauge opens the electrical drain valve. On the basis of statistical processing of experimental data, the energy characteristics of the solar parabolic trough installation are determined.