ENGI 9843
Solar Engineering
Instructor: Dr. Rida Hmouda
Lecture 04:
Solar radiation measuring equipment,
Empirical Equations For Predicting Solar Radiation on
Horizontal Surface
Further Work: Reading Material
In addition to this material, consider referring to “Solar Engineering of
Thermal Processes” by Duffie and Beckman (4th edition).
Solar radiation measuring equipment
A number of radiation parameters are needed for the design, sizing, performance evaluation, and research of solar energy
applications. These include total solar radiation, beam radiation, diffuse radiation, and sunshine duration. Various types of
equipment measure the instantaneous and long-term integrated values of beam, diffuse, and total radiation incident on a
surface. This equipment usually employs the thermoelectric and photovoltaic effects to measure the radiation.
There are basically two types of solar radiation measuring instruments:
1. The Pyranometer:
A pyranometer is an instrument for measuring total
hemispherical solar (beam + diffuse) radiation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My5Z_SIfZzY
Photograph of a pyranometer (Soteris A. Kalogirou 2024)
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
The pyranometer can also measure the diffuse solar radiation if the sensing element is shaded from the beam radiation. For this
purpose a shadow band is mounted with its axis tilted at an angle equal to the latitude of the location plus the declination for the
day of measurement.
2. The Pyrheliometer:
The pyrheliometer is used to measure direct solar irradiance,
required primarily to predict the performance of concentrating solar
collectors.
Photograph of a solar pyrheliometer (Soteris A. Kalogirou 2024)
Photograph of a pyranometer with shading ring for measuring diffuse
solar radiation (Soteris A. Kalogirou 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkVifKDpq4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuNt_qNXm4A
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
Extraterrestrial Radiation on a Horizontal Surface
At any point in time, the solar radiation incident on a horizontal plane outside of the atmosphere is the normal incident
solar radiation as given by
(21)
where Gsc is the solar constant and n is the day of the year.
(22)
It is often necessary for calculation of daily solar radiation to have the integrated daily extraterrestrial radiation on a
horizontal surface, Ho. This is obtained by integrating Equation 22 over the period from sunrise to sunset. If Gsc is in watts
per square meter, Ho in daily joules per square meter per day is:
180
𝐻 = 𝐺 × 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑑𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (𝑑𝑡 = 𝑑𝜔
𝜋 × 15
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
24 × 3600𝐺 360𝑛 𝜋𝜔
𝐻 = (1 + 0.033 cos ) × (cos 𝜙 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛿 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛿) (23)
𝜋 365 180
The monthly mean daily extraterrestrial radiation is a useful quantity. For latitudes in the range +60 to −60 it can be
calculated with Equation 23 using n and δ for the mean day of the month from given Table.
Note: The mean day is the day having Ho closest to
Mean radiation Ho is plotted as a function of latitude for the northern and southern hemispheres in next Figures.
The curves are for dates that give the mean radiation for the month and thus show 𝑯𝒐 . Values of Ho for any day can
be estimated by interpolation. Exact values of Ho for all latitudes are given in next Table.
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
Extraterrestrial daily radiation on a horizontal surface. The curves are for the
mean days of the month for northern hemispheres
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Extraterrestrial daily radiation on a horizontal surface. The curves are for the
mean days of the month for southern hemispheres
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
𝒐 Monthly Average Daily Extraterrestrial Radiation, MJ/m2 , 0 ≤ ∅ ≤ 𝟗𝟎°
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Example
What is Ho, the day’s solar radiation on a horizontal surface in the absence of the atmosphere, at latitude 43° N on April 15?
Solution
From Eq. (7), the declination on April 15 (n = 105) is: δ = 9.4°
Then from Equation 23, with Gsc = 1367 W/m2,
From the above Figure, for the curve for April, we read Ho = 34.0 MJ/m2, and from the Table we
obtain Ho = 33.8 MJ/m2 by interpolation.
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
It is also of interest to calculate the extraterrestrial radiation on a horizontal surface for an hour period. Integrating
Equation 22 for a period between hour angles ω1 and ω2 which define an hour (where ω2 is the larger),
(24)
(The limits ω1 and ω2 may define a time other than an hour.)
Example
What is the solar radiation on a horizontal surface in the absence of the atmosphere, at latitude 43° N on April 15 between
the hours of 10 and 11?
Solution
The declination is δ = 9.4° (from the previous example). For April 15, n = 105. Using Equation 24 with ω1 = − 30° and ω2 = − 15°
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
Empirical Equations For Predicting The Availability of Solar Radiation
Since measurements of solar radiation are often unavailable, many investigators have made attempts to establish
relationships linking the values of radiation (global or diffuse) with meteorological parameters like number of sunshine
hours, cloud cover, and precipitation.
Monthly Average Daily Global Radiation
The first attempt at estimating solar radiation was due to Angstrom, who suggested that it could be related to the amount of
sunshine by a simple linear relation of the form:
(25)
= monthly average of the daily radiation on a horizontal surface at a location (MJ/m2.day)
= monthly average of the daily radiation on a horizontal surface at the same location on a clear day (MJ/m2.day)
= monthly average of the sunshine hours per day at the location (h)
𝑚𝑎𝑥 = monthly average of the maximum possible sunshine hours per day at the location, i.e. the day length on a
horizontal surface (h)
a, b = constants depending on location obtained by fitting data.
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
Because of difficulties in deciding what constitutes a clear day, Page suggested that 𝐻 in Eq 25 be replaced by 𝐻 , the
monthly average of the daily extraterrestrial radiation on a horizontal surface at the location under the consideration.
(26)
Values of a and b have been obtained for many cities worldwide by Lof et al. (1966), who developed sets of
constants a and b for various climate types and locations based on available radiation data. These are given in
Duffie and Beckman (4th edition). Table 2.7.2
Example
Estimate the monthly average daily radiation on a horizontal surface at a location (22° N, 73° 10´ E) during the month of March if
the average sunshine hours per day is 9.5 h. Assume that the values of a = 0.28 and b = 0.48.
Solution
Based on Klein’s recommendation, we will take 𝑯𝒐 to be equal to the value of Ho on March 16. We will assume that this
recommendation is also valid for the calculation of 𝑺𝒎𝒂𝒙
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
On March 16, n = 31+28+16 = 75
δ = -2.42°
The sunrise hour angle
The day length
Then from Equation 23, with Gsc = 1367 W/m2,
24 × 3600𝐺 360𝑛 𝜋𝜔
𝐻 = (1 + 0.033 cos ) × (cos 𝜙 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛿 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛿)
𝜋 365 180
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24 × 3600 × 1367 360 × 75 𝜋 × 89.02
𝐻 = (1 + 0.033 cos ) × (cos 22 cos(−2.42) sin 89.02 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛22 sin(−2.42))
𝜋 365 180
𝐇𝐨 = 34.206 MJ/m2
Therefore, from Eq (26),
(26)
.
MJ/m2
.
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
Empirical Equations For Predicting Solar Radiation on Horizontal Surface
1. ASHRAE Method For Predicting Solar Radiation on Horizontal Surface Under Cloudless Skies
ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers) has given a method for estimating the global
and diffuse solar radiation falling on a horizontal surface under cloudless skies (clear days). The equations are based on an
exponential decay model in which the beam radiation decreases with increased distance traversed through the atmosphere. The
global radiation Gg reaching a horizontal surface on the earth is given by:
where
𝐺 = global radiation
GbT Gd
𝐺 = beam radiation on a horizontal surface
Gbn Gb
𝐺 = beam radiation on a tilted surface. 𝜽
𝐺 = diffuse radiation reflected radiation
𝐺 = reflected radiation Gbn Gd
𝜽𝒛
𝐺 = beam radiation in the direction of the rays Gr
𝜃 = angle of incidence on a horizontal surface, i.e. 𝜷 𝜶𝒔
the zenith angle
Components of terrestrial solar radiation.
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In the ASHRAE model and also known as (Clear Sky Model), the direct beam radiation in (W/m2) is estimated from the
following formula: −
Where A, B and C are constants whose values have been determined on a month wise basis for every month and are taken
from the following table. The values of (n) in the table are calculated for the 21st of each month that is considered as the
characteristic day in ASHRAE model.
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
The coefficients used in ASHRAE model
A B C
Month
(W/m²) (dimensionless) (dimensionless)
January 21 1230 0.142 0.058
February 21 1215 0.144 0.060
March 21 1185 0.156 0.071
April 21 1135 0.180 0.097
May 21 1103 0.196 0.121
June 21 1088 0.205 0.134
July 21 1085 0.207 0.136
August 21 1107 0.201 0.122
September 21 1151 0.177 0.092
October 21 1192 0.160 0.073
November 21 1220 0.149 0.063
December 21 1233 0.142 0.057
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
Note: Since the constants, A, B and C provided are for the 21st of each month. So, linear interpolation can be used to estimate the
values for other days of the month. Here is the step-by-step process. For example on December 15
1. Identify the constants for the given month and the following month: For example, to find the constants for December 15, you
need the values for November 21 and December 21.
2. Calculate the difference in days: Determine how many days there are between the reference day (21st) of the previous month
(here November 21st ) and the target day ( December 15th). For December 15, this is 24 i.e. (9 + 15).
3. Calculate the days between the two reference points (typically 30 but could be 31 or 28 depending on the month).
𝐴 −𝐴
𝐴 =𝐴 + × (24)
30
1233 − 1220
𝐴 = 1220 + × 24 = 1230.4 𝑊/𝑚²
30
0.142 − 0.149
𝐵 = 0.149 + × 24 = 0.1434
30
0.057 − 0.063
𝐶 = 0.063 + × 24 = 0.0582
30
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Example
Using the ASHRAE model, calculate the global solar radiation falling on a horizontal surface installed on the Engineering
Building at Memorial University of Newfoundland on August 16 at noon.
Solution
From Eq. (7), the declination on August 16 (n = 212+16 = 228), for St John’s ɸ = 47.56° and thus δ = 13..45°
Since it is noon, the solar time is 12:00. The hour angle at solar noon (ω = 0°).
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
Now we need to determine the constants A, B and C for August 16.
𝐴 −𝐴
𝐴 =𝐴 + × (16 + 10)
31
1107 − 1085
𝐴 = 1085 + × 16 + 10 = 1103.4 𝑊/𝑚²
31
0.201 − 0.207
𝐵 = 0.207 + × 16 + 10 = 0.202
31
0.122 − 0.136
𝐶 = 0.136 + × 16 + 10 = 0.124
31
From Eq (29) we have:
.
.
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
From Eq (28) we have:
From Eq (30) we have:
The global solar radiation falling on a horizontal surface installed on the Engineering Building at Memorial University can be
calculated from Eq (27):
ENGI 9843 - Solar Engineering
