Application of advanced methods for durability assessment of new absorber coatings

Accelerated life testing of solar energy materials has been one of the main topics within the former Task X 'Solar Materials Research and Development' of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Solar Heating and Cooling Programme. In the case study of some selective solar absorber coating materials for domestic hot water systems procedures are presented for service time assessment, applicable for example to absorber coating materials. As a continuation of the finalized Task X a working group, 'Materials in Solar Thermal Systems' also in the framework of the International Energy Agency (IEA) 'Solar Heating and Cooling Programme' was initiated. One of the first projects is described here. Its aim is to investigate the conformity of the durability assessment, applied on solar absorber coatings tested by different laboratories. Each lab is working independently, this means there is no information exchange between the labs until the results are on paper. Test samples are delivered by the participants. Four different absorber coatings are identified to be useful for the project. The coating materials as well as the production procedures of the coatings are not relevant for the study, therefore no information is given. The experimental procedures as well as the judgement over the different absorber coatings are described in detail. Some comparisons between individual results of the different labs indicates possible weaknesses and further necessary refinements. Finally, expected costs for the whole procedure are presented.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.