Solar Power World

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During my rounds at Solar Power International in Dallas last week, I was able to stop by Kipp & Zonen’s booth and learn about their new pyranometer. Pyranometers are radiometers designed for measuring the irradiance on a plane surface, normally from solar radiation and lamps.

Equipped with an extremely low power smart interface, the company says their SMP pyranometers offer digital and amplified analog outputs within CMP-series housings.The output range is programmed so that all SMP pyranometers have identical sensitivities, allowing easy installation and exchange for recalibration. Serial communication allows access to measurement data, instrument status, operating parameters and calibration history. The smart interface also corrects for sources of inaccuracy inherent in thermopile pyranometers.

The smart interface not only provides versatile outputs. A temperature sensor and digital polynomial functions provide correction for the temperature sensitivity of the detector. The response time has been improved and the output ranges are standardised, making it easy to interchange instruments for recalibration. Using Modbus a range of instrument status and configuration information is available, with user-selectable options

SMP pyranometers have extremely low power consumption so that internal heating does not affect the detector performance. They operate from a wide range of supply voltages, making them ideal for power-critical applications. There are two versions, one has an analogue output of 0-1 V, the other is 4-20 mA. Both have a 2-wire RS 485 interface with Modbus (RTU) protocol. All the outputs are protected against short-circuits.

The analog outputs allow easy connection to virtually any data logger or without the need for sensitive mV inputs. Modbus interfaces directly to RTU’s, PLC’s, SCADA syatems, industrial networks and controllers. A recalibrated instrument keeps the same analog and digital measurement ranges, so saving time by eliminating re-scaling of data collection equipment.

SMP3 and SMP11 come in two versions; ‘V’ with a 0-1V analogue output, and ‘A’ with 4-20mA. Both versions have the Modbus interface, very low power requirements and are supplied with comprehensive, traceable, calibration certificates. The most appropriate model for an application largely depends on the  desired accuracy and performance.

Kipp & Zonen says the SMP-series is perfect for industrial applications, especially in solar energy and will be available soon.