Introduction. Simply said a pyranometer is a device that measures solar irradiance from a hemispherical field of view incident on a flat surface. The SI units of irradiance are watts per square metre (W/m²).
What radiation does a pyranometer measure?
A pyranometer is a sensor that converts the global solar radiation it receives into an electrical signal that can be measured. Pyranometers measure a portion of the solar spectrum. As an example, the CMP21 Pyranometer measures wavelengths from 0.285 to 2.8 µm.
What is the use of a pyranometer?
A pyranometer is a type of actinometer used for measuring solar irradiance on a planar surface and it is designed to measure the solar radiation flux density (W/m2) from the hemisphere above within a wavelength range 0.3 μm to 3 μm.