Kipp & Zonen is proud to present six new smart instruments that make our range of solar radiation measurement solutions complete.
A totally Smart solar and sky radiation monitoring station is now available at all performance levels; thanks to the expansion of our range of instruments with the new SMP6, SMP21 and SMP22 pyranometers, the SGR3 and SGR4 pyrgeometers, and the SUV5 total UV radiometer.
Our Smart range has as the main benefit a RS-485 Modbus® interface, combined with an amplified analogue output. Instruments can be connected directly to a digital data acquisition system for live radiation measurements, to monitor the status and power supply and to keep track of the calibration history. Connection of up to 247 instruments is possible to just one Modbus® cable.
Reprogramming data loggers after recalibration is history with the Smart range because all Kipp & Zonen’s Smart instruments have standardised output ranges. This makes them easily exchangeable, saving time and cost. Another maintenance-saving development is that all new Smart instruments will have internal desiccant with a guaranteed lifespan of 10 years. No need any more to inspect drying cartridges and change desiccant.
In climatology we aim for the highest accuracy, and this is also becoming a requirement at the top of the solar energy market. Kipp & Zonen has now combined the research-grade CMP21 and CMP22 pyranometers with our Smart features to provide even better performance, in the new SMP21 and SMP22 models.
All of our Smart instruments have active temperature correction but in the SMP21 and 22 it is individually optimised, making measurements even more accurate. Smart pyranometers are also faster. The response time of the secondary standard models provides a good match with PV requirements.
Pyrgeometer detectors produce a ‘net’ output signal that represents the difference between the temperature of the detector and the temperature of the sky. It is necessary to measure the pyrgeometer temperature and apply an equation to calculate the actual downward long-wave far infrared irradiance.
The new smart SGR3 and SGR4 pyrgeometers perform this calculation internally, accurately and in real-time, avoiding possible external processing errors. The digital output includes net radiation, downward radiation and temperature.
The new, free, and easy to use SmartExplorer computer software allows simple configuration of the instrument communication settings, monitoring of the measurement and status parameters, logging and viewing of the data. Even if the communication parameters are lost, or unknown, the software is able to establish communication and set the instrument back to a defined state.
With this expansion of the Smart range Kipp & Zonen now offers the widest selection of Smart instruments in solar and sky radiation measurement. It is now possible to measure global, direct, diffuse, UV, long-wave and short-wave … all Smart!