- Author
- Streed, E. R. | Thomas, W. C. | Dawson, A. G., III | Wood, B. D. | Hill, J. E.
- Title
- Results and Analysis of a Round-Robin Test Programfor Liquid-Heating Flat-Plate Solar Collectors.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
- Sponsor
- Department of Energy, Washington, DC
- Report
- NBS TN 975, August 1978, 119 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
- measurement | modelling | solar | standards | testing | solar collectors
- Abstract
- A round robin test program was conducted at 21 United States test facilities, using a common test procedure, to determine the intercomparability of thermal performance data pertaining to two liquid-heating flat-plate solar collectors. The statistical analysis of the data revealed a relatively large spread inthe measured values of collector efficiency. Data from approximately half the facilities were then selected for detailed analysis. A collector analytical model was used to show that less than one-third of the mean-square distance could be attributed to difference environmental conditions from facility to facility. It was found that the data showed less scatter for one of the two collectors than for the other. In general, the data were consistant for any single facility; most of the scatter was therefore attributed to systematic uncertainties from facility to facility. When the data from six participants reportedly adhering to the requirements of ASHRAE Standard 93077 were analyzed, the scatter was found to be within normal limits expected for the test procedure.