This European Standard specifies test methods for validating the durability, reliability and safety requirements for liquid heating collectors as specified in EN 12975-1. This standard also includes three test methods for the thermal performance characterisation for liquid heating collectors.
It is not applicable to those collectors in which the thermal storage unit is an integral part of the collector to such an extent that the collection process cannot be separated from the storage process for the purpose of making measurements of these two processes.
It is basically applicable to tracking concentrating collectors, thermal performance testing as given in 6.3 (quasi dynamic testing) is also applicable to most concentrating collector designs, from stationary non-imaging concentrators as CPCs to high concentrating tracking designs. Parts of the solar radiation measurement should be adjusted in case of a tracking collector and in case a pyrheliometer is used to measure beam radiation.
Collectors that are custom built (built in; e.g. roof integrated collectors that do not compose of factory made modules and are assembled directly on the place of installation) cannot be tested in their actual form for durability, reliability and thermal performance according to this standard. Instead, a module with the same structure as the ready collector may be tested. The module gross area should be at least 2 m2. The test is valid only for larger collectors than the tested module.