Improving the Reliability and Accuracy of a Multipyranometer Array Measuring Solar Radiation

Abstract

The measurement of solar radiation is crucial for the use of solar energy in fields including power generation, agriculture and meteorology. In the building sciences, It is essential for daylighting studies, energy use calculations, and thermal simulation. These uses require knowing the amount of solar radiation irradiating variously oriented walls and tilted roofs, which can be calculated from beam and diffuse radiation measured on a horizontal surface. It is possible to obtain such data using a multipyranometer array (MPA). However, the MPA is not as accurate as some other sensors and suffers from poor data reliability. This work improves the accuracy of the MPA and solves the problem of invalid data. Several schemes the removal of invalid data are tested. The location of the test equipment is changed to one with fewer obstructions. A Class A sensor is substituted for one of the photovoltaic sensors. Corrections are applied to the photovoltaic sensors. The need for changing sensor alignment is tested. As a result, accuracy has been significantly improved over previous work.