The University of Minnesota indoor solar test facility is used to study component design under carefully controlled conditions. Current study focuses on heat exchanger and tank design. The solar collector is simulated with with a 13 kW in-line electric boiler. The boiler is controlled using a microprocessor-based process controller which is capable of maintaining either a constant temperature or constant temperature differential across the heater. Temperature control is within 0.5 C. Antifreeze is circulated through the simulated collector loop by a centrifugal pump.
Flow rate is controlled by adjusting a globe valve located downstream of the pump.
Fluid temperature differences as well as fluid temperatures are measured across and at each inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger. In the current configuration, we also measure fluid and wall temperatures in the interior of the heat exchanger. Indoor solar test facility at the University of Minnesota. Current effort focuses on solar thermolysis of hydrogen sulfide to produce hydrogen and commodity sulfur with no adverse environmental consequence. We have an outdoor solar furnace and a smaller scale indoor facility heated with an electric furnace.