{"id":31894,"key":"Queen's_Innovation_Park_Test_Site","title":"Queen's Innovation Park Test Site","latest":{"id":1208040,"timestamp":"2025-11-27T23:24:31Z"},"content_model":"wikitext","license":{"url":"https://www.appropedia.org/Appropedia:Copyrights","title":"CC-BY-SA-4.0"},"source":"{{QAS notice}}\n\n [[File:Snow Study38564.JPG|thumb|Representative image of Queen's Innovation Park test site]]\nBack to: [[Effects of snow on photovoltaic performance]]\n\n=== 16 panel solar array ===\n\n* There are 8 panels each of [http://web.archive.org/web/20111005040355/http://www.nexpw.com:80/seriesproducts.php?s_id=1 Nexpower] amorphous silicon framed 100W and 8 panels of [http://www.bosch-solarenergy.de/fileadmin/downloads/Datenblaetter/Bosch_Solar_Module___m_Si_plus_englisch.pdf Bosch] unframed micro-morph silicon 100W panels positioned at angles from 0 to 70 degrees from the horizontal in 10 degree increments.\n* The panel at 0 degrees can pivot and allows for \"dump\" tests to determine the critical angle for snow shedding.\n* The short circuit current of the panels is measured by a datalogger to give real time power outputs correlated directly with meteorological and thermal measurements.\n\n=== Meteorological sensors ===\n\n* Snow sensor- Ultrasonic Snow sensor measures current snow depth. This is the same sensor used by Environment Canada for their snow depth measurements\n* Ambient temperature- Radiation Shielded thermometer gives an accurate indication of the ambient temperature\n* Wind speed and direction\n* Incident solar radiation- Direct and diffuse solar radiation data will be used from a nearby solar laboratory\n\n=== Thermal and panel power sensors ===\n\n* 32 channels of T-type thermocouples measure the temperature at the top and bottom of each panel\n* 16 channels of shunt wiring measures the voltage drop across a resistor in series with each PV short circuit loop. This gives an accurate measurement of short circuit current.\n\n=== Visual observations ===\n\n* A outdoor rated digital camera will be mounted nearby and used to take photographs of the array at constant intervals.\n* This will allow for an analysis of the total snow cover, the snow melting patterns over time, as well as the collection of the snow shed beneath a panel.\n\n=== Campbell scientific datalogger ===\n\n* A stand-alone datalogger running on battery power with a [[Digi-Connect WAN modem for cellular connection of dataloggers|cellular modem for external communications]]\n* Monitors meteorological conditions, panel power, and panel temperature through two multiplexers\n\n=== Physical measurements ===\n\n* Measurements will also be taken by hand at larger intervals on the following parameters\n* Snow water equivalent- This is a measure of the relative density of the snow, and will be taken using snow cores.\n* Accumulated precipitation- Measured using a standard rain gauge, will give another measure of the total precipitation between measurements\n* Panel snow accumulation- Will measure the height of snow accumulation at the top and bottom of each panel.\n\n{{Page data\n| license = CC-BY-SA-3.0\n| description = Check out Queen’s Innovation Park Test Site on Appropedia. Learn how solar panels and sensors are being used to test renewable tech.\n}}\n\n[[Category:photovoltaics]]\n[[Category:Queens Applied Sustainability Group]]\n[[Category:Rob Andrews Thesis]]"}