Renewable Energy Test Centre at DCRUST

Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science & Technology has been chosen by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) to harbour a new Renewable Energy Test Centre.

About the Renewable Energy Test Centre:

A Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy Test Centre is being set up under financial assistance from Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of Haryana. The Test Centre was flagged off by Sh. P. K. Dass, IAS, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary to Govt. Haryana Science & Technology Department, Chandigarh on 06 Feb. 2012. All Test facilities are being designed & developed as per BIS standard and guidelines of Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Govt. of India.

The major aims of the Test Centre shall be:

• To provide testing facilities to test Solar Thermal Gadgets, viz Flat Plate Collector, Solar Hot Water Systems, Solar Cookers etc. as per BIS, MNRE standards and procedure.

• To provide technical back-up and training to the solar thermal system manufacturers in the North India Region.

• To promote use of solar thermal systems for various applications and develop entrepreneurs for manufacturer of Solar Thermal Systems.

• To generate human resource for manufacturing, maintaining Solar Thermal Systems by offering P.G. level training programmes in Solar Thermal.

Purpose of the centre:

In view of the present energy scenario, the use of non-conventional and renewable energy such as solar, wind, bio-energy is imperative. Government of India has set-up a target to increase contribution of renewable energy to 20% by 2020. In tune with the policy of Government of India, Government of Haryana has taken up a step to establish centre of Excellence for training and entrepreneur development in Renewable Energy in collaboration with Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science & Technology by providing financial support of Rs. 100 lakhs. Similarly Government of Haryana has established autonomous centre for Testing Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic Systems at Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science & Technology. For testing solar thermal systems there is no BIS recognized centre in North India except at SEC, New Delhi for thermal systems, hence the business in solar thermal is not increasing. Since Haryana

Government wish to promote use of Solar Energy on a large scale, there is need to establish BIS/MNRE approved test centre in this region. It is also necessary to train the manufacturers for fabrication and installation of Solar Thermal Systems. Hence the Test Centre will provide training to manufacturers and users to promote use of solar thermal systems.

Testing facilities details, as per BIS Standards:

All test facilities are established on the terrace of M.V. Teaching Block which also includes centre of excellence for ‘Renewable Energy Test Centre’. The terrace has been named as Outdoor Solar Thermal Test Bed is about 600 sq. meters with 12’ X 12’ room for data collection equipments. A separate lift is provided to transport collectors and other heavy equipments to terrace.

 Following test facilities are established:

For Flat Plate Collector according to IS: 12933

• Outdoor No Flow Exposure Test

• Rain Penetration Test

• External Thermal Test

• Internal Thermal Test

• Thermal Performance Test

• Static Pressure Leakage Test

• Impact Resistance Test

• Transmittance Test

• Time Constant Test

• Incident Angle Modifier Test

• Component Test

For Solar Cooker according to IS: 13429

• Routine Test

• Leakage Test

• Slam Test

• Mirror Reflectivity Test

• Type Test

• 6. Exposure Test

• Load Test

• Thermal Performance Test

Solar Hot Water Systems (as per MNRE and BIS standards)

Performance Testing of Solar Hot Water Systems (both Flat Plate Collector andEvacuated Tube based Solar Hot Water Systems) as per MNRE procedure.

Parabolic Solar Cookers (SK 14)

Testing of Parabolic Solar Cookers will be done as per procedure laid down by MNRE.
To know more please visit University website!

Source: Zaira Hossain, click4college Specialist