Page 118 - Alternative Energy Systems in Building Design

94 SOLAR POWER SYSTEM PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGIES

Some examples of monitored data include

■ Weather-monitoring data
■ Temperature
■ Wind velocity and direction
■ Solar power output
■ Inverter output
■ Total system performance and malfunction
■ DC power production
■ AC power production
■ Accumulated, daily, monthly, and annual power production

Sun Viewer data-acquisition system The solar power monitoring system by
Heliotronics called the Sun Viewer is an example of an integrated data-acquisition sys-
tem that has been designed to acquire and display real-time performance parameters
measured by filed installed electrical power performance and atmospheric data. In
addition to providing vital system performance data monitoring and measurement, the
system provides the means to view instantaneous real-time and historical statistical
energy measurement data essential for system performance evaluation, research, and
education.
The system hardware configuration of the Sun Viewer consists of a desk to computer-
based data-logging software that processes and displays measured parameters from the
following sensors and equipment:
Anemometer (meteorologic data measurement)
■ Ambient air temperature sensor
■ Wind speed
■ Outdoor air temperature sensor
■ Pyrometer for measuring solar insolation
Photovoltaic power output performance measurement sensors
■ AC current and voltage transducer
■ DC current and voltage transducer
■ Kilowatthour meter transducer
■ Optically isolated RS-422 or RS-232C modem

Sun Viewer display and sun server monitoring software The software
provides acquisition and display of real-time data every second and displays the
following on a variety of display monitors:

■ DC current
■ DC voltage
■ AC current
■ AC voltage
■ AC kilowatthours