| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78889 | Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells | 2012 | 9 Pages |
In order to reduce electricity generation costs of concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies, new low-cost reflector materials are being developed. These materials need to withstand harsh outdoor conditions without a significant loss in specular reflectance. In this work, samples of enhanced anodized aluminum reflectors protected by a sol–gel coating that have been exposed at different weathering sites were analyzed with an innovative specular reflectometer in order to monitor corrosion and scattering caused by surface roughness. A model to estimate the specular reflectance as a function of exposure conditions at different weathering sites has been developed.
► The degradation mechanisms of enhanced first‐surface aluminum reflectors are analyzed. ► The influence of degradation on the specular reflectance of the mirror is measured. ► A model to predict the specular reflectance as a function of time has been developed. ► The estimated reflectance loss after 10 years of weathering at four sites is presented.
