The Synlight high-throughput solar simulator built by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) began its formal experiment on March 23, 2017. This high-power light-emitting body (the only one in the world so far) is composed of 149 small light-emitting bodies, each with the power equivalent of a large movie projector. When these luminous bodies are gathered together, the radiation intensity generated is 10,000 times the normal solar radiation power on the earth's surface. Three embedded controllers connected to 447 Beckhoff stepper motor terminal modules can calibrate each luminous body with high precision.
Synlight consists of a total of 149 7kW short-arc xenon lamps. Each lamp is powerful enough to be used in a movie projector.
The focus of the Synlight installation is to develop the production process of solar fuel (that is, the fuel produced by the sun). In addition, researchers and industry partners in solar power plants or the aerospace industry will find ideal conditions for testing their modules of all sizes. The goal is to efficiently produce hydrogen, a carbon dioxide-neutral energy source. The solar simulator heats the metal sheet to 800°C and uses the high temperature to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen. When steam is added, the metal flakes react with oxygen in the water to release hydrogen. Then it is further heated to 1400°C to separate the oxide from the metal.
Large radiant power and high-precision focusing ability
Synlight adopts a novel modular design. The whole body is composed of 149 individually adjustable short-arc xenon lamps, whose frequency spectrum is very similar to that of the sun. Therefore, it can be used in three radiation chambers that can be used separately. Two of the radiation chambers have a solar radiation power of 240 kilowatts, and the third one is as high as 300 KW, and the maximum luminous flux density can reach more than 11MW/m2. According to Dr. Dmitrij Laaber, a control expert at DLR Solar Energy Research Institute, the radiant power output of the artificial sun is 10 times higher than that of a traditional laboratory system.
Unlike natural light, Synlight can generate temperatures as high as 3500 °C and can melt metals.
Of the three test chambers, two have been specifically designed for the development and testing of solar photochemical reactions, and can directly enter the gas scrubber and neutralizer, allowing the qualification of the process of producing solar fuel. The width and height of the door of the test room are 4 meters, and the height of the room is 5 meters, which can illuminate large parts, even those used in aerospace. A basic feature of Synlight is that it has a multi-point aggregation function. This can accurately focus the beam (even in the sub-system) and use it as needed. It can be used for large applications as well as many small test applications.
System-integrated compact drive control system
The inner mirror lampshade used as a reflector has a diameter of 1 meter and is mounted in a honeycomb shape on an area of ​​14 meters high and 16 meters wide. Beckhoff's PC-based control technology ensures precise alignment and positioning of each mirror to achieve the required radiation focus. Each lamp can be individually controlled, so a variety of layouts and temperatures can be created at the target point, even when three tests are performed at the same time. The multiple stepper motors used for this purpose are controlled by a total of 447 KL2541 and KL2531 stepper motor terminal modules directly integrated in the I/O module system. These modules are controlled by 50 Ethernet TCP/IP bus couplers BK9000 and three CX5130 embedded controllers.
A total of 447 KL2541/KL2531 stepper motor I/O terminal modules are distributed in five levels in 10 junction boxes
The KL2541 stepper motor terminal module with incremental encoder is specially designed for medium-scale control tasks, with an output of 50 V DC and a current of 5 A. These 24 mm wide bus terminal modules are very compact and integrate PWM outputs suitable for various voltages and currents, as well as two inputs for limit switches. The width of the KL2531 bus terminal module is only 12 mm, the output is 24 V DC, and the current is 1.5 A. It is suitable for use with various small stepping motors. Dmitrij Laaber believes that due to the use of a large number of drive controllers, the advantages of practical applications are also obvious: "If we were using traditional stepper motor controllers, 447 single devices would require a lot of space. Not only that, we You also have to use your own network cable to connect each device, which will make things complicated and error-prone. On the contrary, the current solution in use is a system-integrated stepper motor control directly connected in the form of a bus terminal module. It is more convenient and compact, especially if you consider that the bus terminal modules are distributed in five levels in 10 junction boxes. Other advantages include the easy and simple realization of networking and networking through the Ethernet TCP/IP bus coupler BK9000 Control system integration. The use of TwinCAT software has also benefited us a lot, because the programming of a purely automated environment like TwinCAT is much simpler than the high-level language-based solutions usually provided by stepper motor manufacturers."
Dr. Dmitrij Laaber (right), who is in charge of the Synlight control system at DLR Solar Energy Research Institute, and Ralf Stachelhaus, Manager of the Beckhoff Rhine/Ruhr Industrial Area Office, are introducing the dimensions of the solar simulator
Screen Guard,Ultra-Thin Screen Protector,Full Coverage Screen Protector,TPU Hydrogel Screen Protector,TPU Film,Screen Protection Film
Shenzhen Jianjiantong Technology Co., Ltd. , https://www.hydrogelprotectivefilm.com