Design, Installation, and Performance Characterization of a Laboratory-Scale Solar Thermal System for Experiments in Solar Energy Utilization

The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation of a laboratory-scale solar thermal system for the Renewable Energy Systems Laboratory at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). The systein development began as a student senior design project where students designed and fabricated a laboratory-scale solar thermal system to complement an existing commercial solar energy system on campus. The solar thermal system is designed specifically for educating engineers. This laboratory equipment, including a solar light simulator, allows for variation of operating parameters to investigate their impact on system performance. The equipment will be utilized in two courses: Applied Thermodynamics, and Renewable Energy Utilization. During the solar thermal laboratories performed in these courses, students conduct experiments based on the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 93-2010 standard for testing and performance characterization of solar thermal systems. Their measurements are then used to quantify energy output, efficiency and losses of the systeth and subsystem components.