Solar collectors - pure energy for everyone
23.06.2009. 09:06:50
The prices of fossil fuel are increasing, namely in the last years, what makes the alternative sources of energy more attractive for economists and politicians. There are more renewable energy resources, that can be used technologically for power, heat and transport fuels production: biomass including biogass, solar, water, wind and geothermal energy.

Solar collectors belong to that group of products, that can use the solar energy actively. The average year energy of solar radiation to the horizontal surface is 1200 - 1300 kWh/m2. The amount of incident solar energy to the area of the Slovak republic is approx. 200 times larger than the current consumption from all primar energy sources of the country.

TSÚ Piešťany, š.p., deals for more than ten years with the solar systems testing issue, including the solar collectors. Nowadays, we are performing following tests and measurements:
- testing of inner pressure absorbers,
- specification of pressure losts of solar collectors.

These tests are performed for the purpose of conformity assessment of so-called construction products. According to the requirements of our customers, we decided to extend our services to the testing of heat rate of solar collectors.

On 1st July 2009, TSU begins the pilot run of the testing laboratory of solar collectors in Pobedim, where the heat rate of the solar collectors shall be tested. We plan to ensure the premises and testing equipment till the end of this year so, that we can provide all testing activities required by the standard STN EN 12975-1:2008 “Heat solar systems and components. Solar collectors. Part 1: Common requirements”.

There are following tests included:
- test of high temperature resistance
- test of exposure to the outdoor influence
- test of outdoor temperature spike resistance
- test of inner temperature spike resistance
- test of rain penetration resistance
- test of frost resistance
- test of mechanical load resistance

Requirements of this standard are fulfiled according to the standard STN EN 12975-2:2006 „Heat solar systems and components. Solar collectors. Part 2: Testing methods“ and gives the condition to compare single collectors. It is necessary for the fair comparison to perform the tests under correctly defined and repeatable conditions.

These standards have no harmonized Annex binding for the EU, therefore the European standardization organizations CEN and CENELEC responsing to the requirements of open-market started the conformity certification of products with EU standards, and so they made easier the access of some kinds of products to the market. They called into action the project of conformity certification of products with EU standards and the result is the KEYMARK. This product´s identification proves for the user and consumer the conformity of the products with requirements of relevant EU standards. The KEYMARK helps to protect the consumer or environment by guaranty of quality, safety and the same characteristics of the products as in time of its introduction. The product which was tested, certified and marked by KEYMARK in one of the EU countries does not need to be tested and certified again in the other EU countries. KEYMARK will open all markets and it will be the key to the EU market.

TSÚ Piešťany wants to take part in this system and to give the possibility to its customers to obtain the KEYMARK for solar collectors. The real condition to achieve this objective is the opening of the testing laboratory of solar collectors.

Ján Matuška appointed to the function of General Director of TSU.
02.09.2010. 16:09:08
According to the results of selection precess, on 23th August 2010 Ing. Ján Matuška was appointed to the function of General Director of TSU Piešťany by President of Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing.

Infrared thermography
Infrared measurement of surface temperature of objects in order to diagnose failures, to prevent damages and to find heat bridges.

Russian Federation
Technical Testing Institute Piešťany in co-operation with Gosstandart Information-Certification Centre in Bratislava goes towards parties interested in Russian Federation export and offers the possibility of the obtaining of Product Certificates according to GOST – Standards, which are indispensable for export to the Russian Federation markets. TSÚ registration number in GOST R system is POCC SK.0001.21AЮ23.

The Republic of India
The new co-operation between TSÚ Piešťany and Zenith Quality Assessors Pvt. Ltd. offer a comprehensive conformity assessment for CE marking issue for customer from India, SAARC countries, UAE and African countries, who would like to export their product to EU market.