SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

SOLAR ENERGY - DATA BOOK

Solar Radiation

360N

I sc 1 0.033cos
1. Corrected solar constant, I sc
365

360

(284 N )
365

2. Declination, 23.45 sin

3. Angle of incidence is found using the formula

Cos = Sin Sin Cos - Sin Cos Sin Cos

+ Cos Cos Cos Cos + Cos Sin Sin Cos Cos
+ Cos Sin Sin Sin
4. Zenith angle, cosz = Cos Cos Coss + Sin Sin
5. Solar azimuth angle is found using the formula

cos s

cos z sin sin

sin z cos

6. Hour angle corresponding to sunrise and sunset is

s = cos-1(- tan tan)

7. Maximum sunshine hours or day length (in hours) is given by the formula

S max

2
cos1 ( tan tan )
15

8. Monthly average of daily global radiation

S
Hg
a b
Ho
S max

9. Monthly average of daily diffuse radiation

Hd
Hg
1.411 1.696
Hg
H0
10. Daily extra-terrestrial radiation

H0

360n

I sc 36001 0.033. cos

s sin . sin cos . cos . sin s kJ/m2-day

365

24

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11. Monthly average hourly global radiation

Ig

Hg

I0
(a b. cos )
H0

where a = 0.459 + 0.5016 sin (s - 60),

b = 0.6609 0.4767 sin (s - 60),
12. Monthly average hourly diffuse radiation

Id
I
0
Hd H0

There is improved relation,

Id
I
0 (a 'b'.cos )
Hd
H0

Where a = 0.4922 + {0.27/

or a = 0.76 + {0.113/

Hd
Hd
} for 0.1
0.7
Hg
Hg

Hd
Hd
} for 0.7
0.9
Hg
Hg

b = 2(1 a)(sin s - s cos s)/(s 0.5 sin 2s)

13. Daily radiation on a tilted surface

HT Hd
H
R b d R d R r
1

Hg Hg
Hg

Where R b Rb
R d R d

st sin sin( ) cos sin st cos( )

s sin sin cos cos sin s

1 cos
2

1 cos
R r Rr

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Equation of Time correction, EoT = 9.87 sin 2B - 7.53 cos B - 1.5 sin B
360(n 81)
, deg rees
364
Table 1 Constants a and b in monthly average of daily global radiation equation for many

and B

cities of the world

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Table 2 Constants a and b in monthly average of daily global radiation equation for Indian
cities

Table 3 Values of constants, A, B and C obtained for predicting hourly solar radiation in
USA

B
Ig = Ibn cos z + Id
I bn A exp
cos

Id = C Ibn

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Table 4 Values of constants, A, B and C obtained for predicting hourly solar radiation in India

Source: Parishwaad G.V., Bharadwaj R.K. and Nema V.K., Estimation of hourly solar radiation for India,
Renewable Energy, Vot. 12, No. 3, pp. 303 313, 1997

WIND ENERGY Formulae Sheet

Wind Power available = AV

Actual Power produced = AV3Cp

Air density (kg/m3)
A Swept area (m2)
V Wind Velocity (m/s)
Cp - Power coefficient, ranging from 0.25 to 0.45, dimension less (theoretical maximum = 0.59)
Cp = Actual power produced/ Theoretical wind power available
Annual Energy Output = P x 24 x 365 kWhr
An important factor in rotor design is the tip-speed ratio ()
TSR () = Vblade tip /Vwind (or) Cp / CT
Vblade tip =
m/s
Thrust = AV2
r = radius of the rotor
Torque = AV2 r
Torque Coefficient
CT = Actual torque produced/ Theoretical torque

The value of CT=0.3

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Power developed by rotor

Capacity Factor (C.F)

C.F = Actual power produced/Max. possible power production
No power plant operates at 100% capacity factor.

offshore wind Minimum: 27%; Median: 43%; Maximum: 54%

onshore wind Minimum: 24%; Median: 40.35%; Maximum: 50.6%

Various Spacing schemes of wind farms (micrositing)

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