Improved Venting for Flammability Limit Testing Using ASTM E681 Apparatus

The literature on the determination of flammability limits was reviewed and experts on the ASTM E681 standard were interviewed to identify new means of improving the reproducibility of the ASTM E681 test. Venting was identified as a variable of flammability limits not yet addressed. Limitations of the current system for sealing and venting (a rubber stopper) were identified and addressed by the development of a custom burst disc. The burst disc was evaluated for its ability to hold and maintain a vacuum, its ability to vent at pressures of interest, and for its venting phenomena. The burst disc was deemed to be a satisfactory alternative to the rubber stopper and is recommended to be included in the ASTM E681 standard.

Laminar Free Convection from a Vertically-Oriented Concentrated Photovoltaic Cell with Uniform Surface Heat Flux

This research project uses field measurements to investigate the cooling of a triple-junction, photovoltaic cell under natural convection when subjected to various amounts of insolation. The team built an experimental apparatus consisting of a mirror and Fresnel lens to concentrate light onto a triple-junction photovoltaic cell, mounted vertically on a copper heat sink. Measurements were taken year-round to provide a wide range of ambient conditions. A surface was then generated, in MATLAB, using Sparrow’s model for natural convection on a vertical plate under constant heat flux. This surface can be used to find the expected operating temperature of a cell at any location, given the ambient temperature and insolation. This research is an important contribution to the industry because it utilizes field data that represents how a cell would react under normal operation. It also extends the use of a well-known model from a one-sun environment to a multi-sun one.