Solar Radiation Geometry
Edited and Compiled
by
Dr. Rakesh B K
Rotation of earth
Rotation of earth
Sunrise
Noon
Sunset
The Solar angles: An important factor for improving the
power conversion efficiency
• A solar energy is one of the most prominent renewable energy source in
India.
• The solar panel’s output efficiency at max is ~22% and it heavily depends
upon various internal and external factors.
• To simplify the motion measurements of these objects, the imaginary
sphere is used, which contains an arbitrary radius and it is concentric
towards the Earth.
• To begin with, solar angles are one of the crucial external factors to be
considered while installing the PV panel on any roof.
Declination Angle (δ)
• It is the angle made between the ray of the Sun,
extended to the center of the Earth, and the equatorial
plane of the Earth.
• Whenever the rays of Sun reaches to the center of the
Earth via Northern hemisphere, the declination angle
becomes positive it reaches from the Southern
hemisphere, it becomes negative.
• Hence the solar declination angle varies from -23.5 < d
< 23.5 degrees during winter and summer
Surface Azimuth Angle (γs)
• Azimuth angle, it is calculated by measuring the angle between
North 0 and the altitude angle.
• Altitude angle [a] is nothing but the angular elevation of the object
above the observer’s horizon.
• The range of angular elevation varies from [-90 to 90 degrees],
where -90 stands for the object being below the horizon and thus
not visible.
• The observer’s horizon can also be called the fundamental plane.
• The azimuth angle can be calculated in 4 main constituents, such
as A= 0, 90, 180, 270 degrees which correspond respectively to
North, East, South, and West.
Hour Angle (ω)
• The hour angle is the angular distance between the
line of longitude (also known as the meridian) of
the observer and the line of longitude which
contains the Sun.
• Besides, the hour angle becomes zero at noon. Also,
whenever the observers longitudinal plane contains
the Sun, the hour angle increases by 15 for every
hour.
The hour angle can be calculated as:
(It varies from -ve before the solar noon to +ve after the solar noon)
Zenith Angle (θz)
• Zenith in astronomy terms means the point in sky
which is exactly above you, no matter wherever you
stand on the Earth.
• The zenith angle becomes an angle between the zenith
and the Sun.
• It works complementary with the elevation angle, in
which angular motion is calculated between the
horizon and the Sun.
• These two angles work in a complementary manner,
hence cosine of the one equals the sine of the other.
Zenith angle can be calculated as:
Solar Altitude/Inclination Angle (α)
• Angular distance between the rays of Sun and the horizon
of the Earth.
• The solar altitude angle varies because of the three main
factors which are,
• The time of the day,
• The time of the year,
• The latitude of the Earth respectively
The altitude angle can be calculated as:
Incidence angle (θi)
• Solar energy systems: the angle of the sun’s ray
renders a line perpendicular to the earth; for example,
the earth directly facing the sun has an angle of zero
incidence, and the surface parallel to the sun (such as
a sunrise reaching a horizontal rooftop) has an angle
of 90 °.
• Sunlight at 90 ° angle of incident tends to be
absorbed, while lower angles tend to be reflected.
Incidence angle can be calculated as:
Cases:
For surface facing due south, γ=0
For horizontal surface β =0, θi= θz (Zenith angle)
For vertical surface facing due south, γ=0, β =90 degree
Shadowing
• While installing the solar panels on the roof or the
facade, the shadowing factor plays a crucial role.
• It is the shadow projected by the surrounding objects on
the panel.
• Besides, it is necessary to be aware of the shadow cast,
as it changes daily
The shadowing factor can be regulated by a “solar profile angle”
Solar Time (Local Apparent Time)
• Solar day: Duration of two consecutive solar noon’s (not exactly 24hour through the year).
• Solar time: measured with reference to solar noon (sun cross observers meridian i.e., sun is at the highest position in the sky)
• Sun traverses each degree in 4 min (earth takes 24 i.e., 23 hours, 56min, 4 sec hours for one complete rotation about its axis)
• Solar time = Standard time +/- 4(Lst – Loc) (min) + E (min)
Whereas, Lst = Standard longitude
Loc = Longitude of observers location
+ve sign = standard meridian lies in western hemisphere i.e., reference to prime meridian
-ve sign = standard meridian lies in eastern hemisphere
E = equation of time (i.e., correction factor due to variation in the length of solar day caused by rotation and orbital revolution)
E = 9.87 Sin2B – 7.53 Cos B – 1.5 Sin B min
where, B = (360/364) (n-81)
n = day of the year starting from 1st of Jan
Solar Day Length
• A solar day is the time it takes for the Earth to rotate once relative to
the sun, resulting in the cycle of day and night. / duration between two
consecutive solar noon's
• On Earth, a solar day is approximately 24 hours long, or 86,400
seconds.
• The Earth's elliptical orbit and axial tilt, varies the solar day length by
an few min’s throughout the year.
• Apparent solar day: The actual length of the solar day at any given time
i.e., it can vary by few seconds from mean solar day.
Apparent Motion of the Sun
• The apparent motion of the sun, rising in the east and setting in the west, is an
illusion caused by the Earth's rotation on its axis.
• Earth spins from west to east, observers as sun appear to move across the sky.
• That’s not the actual suns motions its just the observers perspective on a
rotating planet.
Earth's Rotation:
• The Earth spins on its axis, completing one orbital rotation approximately every
24 hours.
Apparent Movement:
• This orbital rotation creates the illusion that the sun, along with other celestial
objects, moves from east to west across the sky.
Sunrise, Sunset and Day length
Solar incidence angle for horizontal collector
cos sin sin cos cos cos cos z
For sunrise as well as for sunset the =90o
cos s tan tan
where ωs is the hour angle
or s cos ( tan tan )
1
Smax (day length or maximum number of sunshine hours)
2
S max cos 1 ( tan tan )
15
24