LABORATORIES

L1.- GeoLab

Geometrical characterization of solar concentrators mainly based on photogrammetry assessment (three-dimensional modelling of any object from photographs that capture it from different angles), used technique to quantify the optical quality of Parabolic-trough collector elements (facets or modules), Heliostats, Fresnel lenses and reflectors, Parabolic dishes, etc. Photogrammetry modelling precision is 1:50,000 (order of 0.1 mm for parabolic-trough collector facets and 0.6-0.7 mm for 12-m-long parabolic-trough modules).

L2.- RadLab

Radiometry laboratory perform high quality measurement of radiometric magnitudes associated with high solar concentration, such as solar irradiance (flux) and surface temperature of irradiated materials (detection by IR).

L3.- SRTLab

Testing and characterization of receiver tubes for line-focus solar thermal concentrating collectors. Composed of two test benches (HEATREC and RESOL). Heat losses evaluation and emissivity calculation (between 100ºC and 450ºC) of a receiver unit up to 4.5 m length and 80 mm (absorber tube outer diameter) can be performed in HEATREC, while RESOL is a test bench for the evaluation of the optical efficiency (combined value of absorptance and transmittance) of receiver tube units (up to three units can be measured in parallel).

L4.- MaterLab

Laboratory for the evaluation of the durability and characterization of materials under concentrated solar radiation. It comprises four different rooms (Metallography, Microscopy, Thermogravimetry and Thermal Cycling rooms) devoted to the metallographic and thermogravimetric analysis and characterization of specimens treated with concentrated solar radiation The thermal room includes a thermal cycling electric furnace for accelerated ageing at high temperature (up to 1600ºC), several muffle furnaces with different maximum temperatures and an special set-up to test the attrition of receiver particles under operating temperature.

L5.- WATLAB

The Water Technologies laboratory includes all necessary equipment for evaluation of chemical, toxicological, and microbiological quality of water and wastewater. It is composed by 4 different labs: Chromatography (2 UPLC/DAD, 2 ionic chromatographs, 2 TOC analysers with Nitrogen modules, PCR), Microbiology (biosecurity II), Microscopy (optical, SEM -scanning electron microscopy- and X-ray analyser –EDX-), and General lab (biological, acute and chronic toxicity and phytotoxicity tests, as well as two solar simulators).

L6.- TESLab

The Thermal Energy Storage Laboratory allows studying the feasibility of materials for both sensible and latent heat storage like molten salt mixtures, solid fillers and phase change materials. TESLab counts on several furnaces with different capabilities in terms of temperature range & atmospheres and a microwave oven for studying power-to-heat conversion.

L7.- DesaLab

Laboratory for supporting the activities done in desalination, including basic water analysis, two membrane distillation facilities for analysing the process in all configurations at small scale (with 250 cm2 and 77 or 375 cm2 effective membrane areas, respectively), and a test-bed with two small modules of forward osmosis (effective membrane area 100 cm2 each) that can be operated in pressure retarded osmosis mode.