410-Solar-i Solar Reflectometer

The 410-Solar-i is a battery-operated handheld reflectometer, the ideal tool for portable solar reflectance and absorptance measurements. It is designed for rapid characterization of materials, employing a touchscreen interface for guided calibration, sample identification, and immediate data display. The 410-Solar-i conforms to ASTM E903 and C1549.

The 410-Solar-i produces precision measurements comparable to complex benchtop instrumentation in an easy-to-use handheld package. The 410-Solar-i provides ± .02 measurement accuracy and ± .001 repeatability, a larger beam spot size, more durable calibration coupon, and faster measurement and calibration times than the previous 410-Solar model.

Using a modified integrating sphere, the 410-Solar-i measures reflectance at near-normal incidence for seven spectral bands: 335-380, 400-540, 480-600, 590-720, 700-1100, 1000-1700, and 1700-2500 nm. Choose from eight solar irradiance functions, including air mass 0, 1, 1.5, and 2.0. Solar irradiance is the weighting function used to calculate total solar reflectance/absorptance from the measured spectral reflectance.

Applications

SOC410-Solar-i was designed with the following applications in mind:

Validation of solar fields

Maintenance of solar fields / evaluation of soiling of mirrors

LEED – evaluation of thermal properties of green buildings

Cool roof – evaluation of thermal properties of roofs

Inspection of telescope mirrors

Inspection of coatings for space applications

Characterization of thermal properties of materials

Characterization of solar receivers in solar power generation

Characterization of mirrors used to concentrate solar power

Product Details

The 410-Solar-i offers researchers versality with benchtop or handheld configuration options. The handheld configuration allows for easy movement to inspect the reflectance/absorptance of materials in a manufacturing environment, in-the-field, or when sampling large objects. For a faster workflow with small samples, the desktop configuration is interchangeable with the handheld module and operates by remote external control from a PC. Also suitable for connection to a robotic arm for automated reflectance inspections.

Additional features include:

Option to display measured data as reflectance or absorptance
Multiple standard solar irradiance functions and ability to add custom functions
Data storage on SD cards for unlimited data collection during a measurement session

dual magnets to support both small and large volume ranges and the ability to label measurements for easy review later. The instrument’s touchscreen allows users to write, edit and run protocols directly on the instrument and rely on guided visuals for easy plate loading without needing a desktop computer. For those needing even more detail of specific spectral bands of interest, the standard bands can be customized. Lot-specific bar codes confirm proper plate position during loading or may be used for lot tracking and documentation.

Specifications

Measured parameter	Directional hemispherical reflectance (DHR)
Method	Integrated total reflectance in a band for a given angle of incidence
Data	Total reflectance
Wavelength bands	335 - 380 nm, 400-540 nm, 480-600 nm, 590-720 nm, 700-1100 nm, 1000-1700 nm, 1700-2500 nm
ASTM standards	C1549 E1980 E903
Accuracy	±.02
Measurement time	7 seconds
Angle of incidence	20° from normal incidence
Repeatability	±.001 units
Beam spot size	0.50 inches
Calibration coupon	Glazed Ceramic
Solar irradiance functions	Air Mass 0 (AM) Extraterrestrial irradiance (ASTM E490-00) Hazy sky AM1.5 beam-normal irradiance (ASTM E891-87) Clear sky AM1 global horizontal irradiance (SMARTS 2.9.5) Clear sky AM1.5 global irradiance surface tilted 37° (ASTM G173-03) Clear sky AM1.5 global irradiance surface tilted 20° (ASTM G197-14) Clear sky AM1.5 global irradiance surface tilted 90° (ASTM G197-14) Clear sky AM1.5 global horizontal irradiance (SMARTS 2.9.5) Clear sky AM2.0 global horizontal irradiance (SMARTS 2.9.5)
Sample size and geometry	Flat: ≥ 0.5 in. diameter Radius of curvature: 6 in. convex; 12 in. concave
Warm-up time	90 seconds
Time between measurements	2 seconds
Sample temperature	Ambient or heated/cooled to 0 - 100 degrees Celsius (°C)
Readout / data output	3x2 inch LCD touch screen Data stored on SD card as .txt file for export to Excel
Dimensions	11.54 in. x 9.04 in. x 3.72 in (29.31 cm x 22.96 cm x 9.44 cm)
Weight	4.7 lbs (2.13 kg)
Source	Tungsten filament, temperature controlled by user
Export control	ECCN #3A999.F