Thermal Pyranometer Using the Open Hardware Arduino Platform

Year 2018, Volume: 21 Issue: 1, 1 - 5, 01.03.2018

Elson Avallone , Paulo César Mioralli Vicente Luiz Scalon Alcides Padilha Santiago Del Rio Oliveira

https://doi.org/10.5541/ijot.5000209000

Cited By: 6

Abstract

Thermal Pyranometers are very important
devices for evaluating the intensity of solar radiation under different
climatic conditions. These devices utilize thermal radiation for comparison and
determination of their efficiency. Because of this wide use associated with the
development of new technologies, a simple and low-cost version of thermal
pyranometer has been studied, designed and manufactured. A blackened aluminum
disk is used as a hot junction, and the cold junction is exposed to ambient
air. The two terminals are connected to a digital amplifier with output signal
directed to an Arduino board. A device calibration was performed by comparing
the results with a commercial photodiode sensor. Statistical analysis of the
calibration data considering a 99% confidence level leads to an estimated
standard error of 20.8 W/m². An analysis of its response time also estimated
from a dynamic model. This model uses a numerical solution of the energy
balance on heat exchange between the aluminum disc and the environment. The
instrument response time based on the average of the estimates obtained from
the dynamic model is about 1.5 minutes. Based on these studies it was concluded
that the characteristics of the sensor are adequate for most solar energy tests
and the final cost of US $ 60.00 is much lower than the large majority of such
commercial devices.

Keywords

Pyranometer; Radiometer; Thermal sensor; Arduino

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