Influence of Maritime/industrial Atmosphere on Solar Thermal Collector’s Degradation
Abstract
Influence of atmospheric corrosivity on solar thermal collector’s degradation was studied by exposure of flat plate collectors to two different corrosivity environments, one urban Outdoor Exposure Testing (OET) site with medium corrosivity (C2-C3) and a very high/extreme corrosivity (industrial and marine) (C5-CX) atmosphere highly polluted and simultaneously with highly airborne salinity. This OET site is a natural laboratory and can be considered as an accelerated test site. Results of thermal performance measurements after two years of exposure in the OET site with very high/extreme corrosivity (C5-CX) are presented, as well as the characterization of collectors inside environment with reference materials (zinc) in terms of corrosion rate. Measurement of thermal performance of the collectors exposed in the OET site with very high/extreme corrosivity (C5-CX) are also presented for 13/14 months and 26 months of exposure. Collectors were dismantled and optical properties of the absorbers were measured.
Keywords
Solar thermal collectors, Atmospheric corrosivity, Thermal performance degradation