Large Area Light Sources

Applications:

• Material degradation research.
• Accelerated UV and solar exposure testing of color fastness and material stability for paints, textiles and plastics.
• Testing paints and coatings for extended UV exposure.

Features:

A special metal halide lamp is used as the Radiation Source. The metal halide lamp produces a dense multiline spectrum of the rare earths that is comparable to a continuous spectrum. In combination with special glass filters the metal halide lamp system provides a spectral distribution very close to natural sunlight (CIE 85). Filters with different characteristic are available for applications other than accelerated degradation testing. Using the combination of a reflector and filter with the lamp housing creates a high irradiance efficiency and a superior spatial uniformity.

The Power Supply:

To achieve the best performance, the lamps are powered using electronic power supplies. The electronic power supply or EPS-Modul drives the lamp with square-wave current. This reduces the modulation of the radiation to less than +/-1%, controls the intensity and offers a stabilized power output even when incoming (feed) power varies. In addition, it provides the lamp optimal operation conditions, which results in an extended metal halide lamp lifetime.

Control System:

The operation of the system is handled by a dedicated computer. A menu-driven software program designed for the configuration and operation of the system. The profile and output characteristics of the system can be stored as files for later recall. Stored files can be run as a sequences forming part of a complex solar simulation test program. For seamless operator interface, the solar PC using our software can be linked to the test facility master control computer. Software provides ease of use and fast test setup allowing maximum utilization of the test facility.

Positioning System:

To allow the system to effectively simulate various natural solar conditions, a mechanical positioning system is often used. This enables motorized movement of the solar array within all axes for easy adaptation to various test configurations or to simulate natural solar day cycles. The control of the positioning can be manual pushbutton or integrated into the software program, which will then offer automated control of the radiation, along with effective simulation of various sun positions in the sky. Positioning systems are often unique to the application and test facility. We will work with you to define a mounting system that will work best for you.

Systems are custom-made to meet your testing objectives. The systems are modular in nature and offer a large variety of configurations allowing for system design flexibility. With the use of various size Radiation Units, EPS-Moduls, Radiation Unit mounting systems, and the flexibility of the software, we will design a cost-effective solution to fulfill your solar simulation requirements.

Test Standards:

Our systems are specifically designed to comply with established test methods, such as the DIN 75220, “Aging of automotive components in solar simulation units”, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) methods, MIL-STD-810, EPA or others. As leaders in the solar simulation field, we often acts as consultants to test method organizations and specifying bodies. We are ready to offer guidance and support to assist with test method and specification development according to your testing objectives. Some test specifications call for radiation within spectral ranges that differ from those defined for full spectrum “global” radiation, such as concentrated Ultraviolet or Infrared radiation systems. We have experience with many types of power supplies and lamp types and can develop, design and fabricate appropriate radiation systems to meet your requirements.