Ultra-Accelerated Weathering System

NREL's unique outdoor accelerated weathering capabilities include the Ultra-Accelerated Weathering System (UAWS), an ultraviolet (UV) concentrator that can produce 10 years of UV damage in just two months.

NREL is home to one of just three UAWS in the world. With this state-of-the-art system, we expose samples to a variety of outdoor accelerated exposure tests to determine their rate of degradation and to estimate lifetime. A typical test would involve measuring changes in the samples' optical properties (such as reflectivity) after multiple periods of exposure on UAWS. The UAWS is designed for a concentration factor of 100, helping to identify potential long-term problems. Scientists can then determine failure mechanisms and develop strategies to mitigate possible product failures.

NREL's UAWS is a UV concentrator that can produce a year's worth of weathering in a few days. Studies on aging can be conducted on a wide variety of surfaces—from automotive paint and building materials to coatings on solar panels—by using the UAWS parabolic dish with spherical mirror facets that concentrate and focus the sun's UV rays. Unlike weathering devices that use artificial light, the UAWS evenly reflects the whole spectrum of solar UV that reaches it (from 280 nm to 400 nm), producing aging effects that correlate more closely with natural exposure.

The UAWS won an R&D100 Award for achieving ultra-high intensity and acceleration using the UV spectrum to reflect sunlight and achieving reasonable exposure temperatures. The UAWS is available to industrial, university, and government researchers. We can provide experienced staff to operate the facility for a variety of experimental objectives.

Capabilities

• Ultra-high irradiance with ultra-high fidelity to natural sunlight spectral power distribution
• Produces 10 years of UV damage in two months
• Up to 100x aging acceleration
• R&D 100-award winning system

Facility and Laboratory Equipment

High-Flux Solar Furnace

Advanced Optical Materials Laboratory

Field Characterization Tools

Publications

Accelerated Exposure Testing of Sundog Solar Technologies: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, NREL Technical Report (2020)

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