New PublicationsBroad Band Visible Radiation Data
This report describes the work performed in Task 17 to provide daylight (broad band visible) availability data to the user community. Such data are not measured routinely, so work focused on developing or evaluating models that convert more widely available quantities such as solar irradiances into daylight availability parameters. In addition, because the development of these models requires high quality measured data, much attention was paid to the acquisition of these data. To this end, the Task participated in the International Daylighting Measurement Program organized by the CIE and WMO.
This was an extremely productive effort with many important results. These include the operation of 10 IDMP stations, amounting to a total production of over 20 site-years of daylight availability data; an exhaustive documentation of over 40 IDMP stations worldwide; testing and characterization of newly-developed photometric instrumentation and measurement techniques which led in some cases, to the improvement of available instruments; validation, refinement and development of daylight availability models; and development of a simple model for producing irradiance from cloud cover. These and many other significant accomplishments are documented in the three volumes of this report.
- Broad-Band Visible Radiation Data Acquisition and Analysis
Richard Perez,
State University of New York at Albany, August 1994
This book may be ordered from James and James Science Publishers, Waterside House, 47 Kentish Town Road, London NW1 8N2, England. Cost: £43.
This report contains the working papers from the IEA SHC Workshop on Solar Water Heater Tank Design and Rating held in February 1995 in San Diego, California. Also included is a summary of the tank designs and rating systems used in the eight participating countries as well as conclusions and recommendations for future tank designs.
The workshop showed that a wide range of solar DHW tank configurations are used in different countries. Most are still developing special tank configurations rather than adopting low cost conventional tanks. Adoption of conventional mass-produced tanks (as is being done in Canada) rather than special tanks represents the cheapest approach for system development. Outside of Australia, Greece, and Israel, there appears to be no trend toward a universal tank design.
- Summary of the Workshop on Solar Water Heater Tank Design and Rating
This report may be may be obtained from Graham Morrison, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia 2052. Fax: 61/2/663 1222.
Improved Pyranometer Measurements
This report documents research undertaken in Task 9 (Solar Radiation and Pyranometry) in recognition that most measurements of global solar irradiance were not sufficiently accurate to test solar collectors properly. Because the pyranometer signal is influenced by the specific conditions under which the measurements are made, errors may be introduced if it is assumed that the responsivity does not vary between the calibration and subsequent deployment of the instrument.
Techniques for pyranometer characterization was a central topic of the work reported here. Characterization, in this context, is the determination of how the conditions to which the instrument is subjected affect the output signal. Characterization methods and their accuracy are addressed. Results of extensive calibration routines and comparisons of benchmark calibrations are presented. Also, recommended pyranometer measurement procedures are included.
- Improved Measurement of Solar Irradiance by Means of Detailed Pyranometer Characterization
D.I. Wardle et al, March 1995
This report may be ordered from D.I. Wardle, Experimental Studies Division, Atmospheric Environment Service, 4905 Dufferin St, Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada.
Empirical Validation of Simulation Programs
This report presents the results of the largest empirical validation exercise ever undertaken for building energy analysis tools. The work was undertaken by the Model Evaluation Group which was a joint effort of IEA SHC Task 12 and BCS Annex 21. The effort was led by the U.K. which provided the measured data and managed the validation study.
A total of 25 results were obtained from 17 different simulation programs from eight countries. Fourteen of the participants were from outside of the IEA which allowed results to be obtained from a wider range of simulation programs. In the first phase of the study, the modelers were given the parameters for the 3 rooms selected and guidance on how to use it to model the rooms. This was a "blind" exercise since they had no knowledge of the actual measured performance. In phase 2, the participants were provided with all the measurements and the estimated uncertainties on the program input data and invited to explore the differences between the program predictions and the measured data.
As a result of the study, a well-documented benchmark has been developed. None of the program predictions were within the estimated uncertainty bands on all occasions, although some clearly performed better than others. This work, and other work of the IEA Model Evaluation Group, demonstrates that there is clearly a need to improve the accuracy of detailed simulation programs.
- Empirical Validation of Thermal Building Simulation Programs Using Test Room Data
K. Lomas et al, September 1994
The report may be ordered from from: CRC Ltd, c/o the Building Research Establishment, Garston, Watford WD2 7JR, U.K., Fax: 44-1923-664400. Cost: Vol 1: Final Report - 30.00, Vol 2: Empirical Validation Package - 15.00, Vol. 3: Working Reports - 10.00. Set - 50.00. Add 10% for postage..
This booklet gives a survey of data available in Design Reference Years (DRY) for some locations in Europe. A DRY, like earlier Test Reference Years, is a collection of climate data for a given location for one year, arranged as sets of hourly, simultaneous weather parameters. DRY's are used as input data for computer simulations of solar energy systems, indoor thermal climate, and heating and cooling loads of buildings. The newer simulation programs use many climate parameters which are not present in TRY's but are contained in DRY's.
The Design Reference Years are the product of a Task 9 (Solar Radiation and Pyranometry) working group.
- The Design Reference Year Users Manual
Hans Lund, Technical University of Denmark
Report No. 274, February 1995
This report may be obtained from the Thermal Insulation Laboratory, Technical University of Denmark, Building 118, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark, Fax: 45-45-93 17 55.
Caption
Models were developed in Task 17 to characterize the local daylight source (e.g., sky luminance distribution). These models were validated against measured data acquired as part of the International Daylighting Measurement Program.
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