A novel experimental device for solar radiation simulation: Design and evaluation

• Detailed sketch of the prototype and its applications. • The structure allows adjustment of azimuth and altitude for 3D movement • Calibrated to match the solar radiation spectrum. • Capable of achieving radiation levels ranging from 100 to 4000 W/m². • Capable of reaching temperatures between 30 to 100°C. This study introduces the Heliodome as a physical prototype of a system designed to simulate solar radiation and its thermal impact on objects over the Earth's surface, to conduct experiments under controlled conditions. The Heliodome replicates solar conditions tailored to specific geographic locations, dates, and times of day using a combination of incandescent, gas, and LED bulbs to emit infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. The system's light spectrum is meticulously calibrated through various configurations to match natural solar radiation. Featuring an adjustable structure for azimuth and zenith angle orientation, the Heliodome enables precise three-dimensional movement. Experimentally, the system achieved temperatures ranging from 30°C to 70°C and irradiance levels between 100 and 4000 W/m² on test objects located at different distances form the luminaire, accurately maintaining conditions for real-world scenarios. The temperature and irradiance ranges at 1.2 m from the luminaire are 31 to 60°C and 50 to 1250 W/m² respectively, consistent with the global solar constant of 1361–1367 W/m². The system performance was compared against multiple benchmarks: the National Solar Radiation Database, the Photovoltaic Geographical Information System, a mathematical solar radiation model and computational fluid dynamics. The heliodome was calibrated to underestimate solar inputs relative to these references, minimizing the risk of overestimation and increasing the likelihood of successful prototype performance when moving from laboratory conditions to real-world environments.