A model for improved solar irradiation measurement at low flux

► Heat Flux Sensors have high error at low flux. ► A model is developed to compensate for this error in situ. ► It accounts for variations in operation conditions. ► Using the model RMSE decreased from more than 100 (W/m2) to less than 10 (W/m2). ► Calibration is done in situ without the need of lab equipment. Accurate measurement of solar radiation heat flux is important in characterizing the performance of CSP plants. Thermopile type Heat Flux Sensors (HFSs) are usually used for this purpose. These sensors are typically reasonably accurate at high heat fluxes. However measurement accuracy drops significantly as the measured radiation is below 1kW/m2, this often leads to underestimation of the actual flux. At the Masdar Institute Beam Down Solar Thermal Concentrator (BDSTC), measurement of fluxes ranging from 0kW/m2 to more than 100kW/m2 is required. To improve the accuracy of the sensors in the lower range around 1kW/m2, we have performed a test under ambient (not-concentrated) sunlight. Such low irradiation levels are experienced in characterizing the concentration quality of individual heliostats. It was found during the test that the measurement at this low range is significantly affected by ambient conditions and transients in the HFS cooling water temperature. A Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of more than 100W/m2 was observed even though we kept the transients in water temperature to a minimum. Hence we devised a model to account for this measurement error at this flux range. Using the proposed model decreased the RMSE to less than 10W/m2. The application of the model on existing heat flux measurement installations is facilitated by the fact that it only employs easily measurable variables. This model was checked by using a test data set and the results were in good agreement with the training data set.