ENGI 1040

Thinking Like an Engineer

Solar Power
Case study
15/01/2019

Submitting to
Prof. Darlene Spracklin-Reid

Submitted by
Amar Ibna Islam

201845146

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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Discussion....................................................................................................................................................4
Flat-plate collector...................................................................................................................................4
Evacuated tubes......................................................................................................................................4
Comparison.........................................................................................................................................5
Creating Spreadsheet and Graphs to determine the Best Orientation for the panels.................................6

6
Creating Spreadsheet and Graphs to determine Average power................................................................8
Creating Spreadsheet and Graphs to determine Average Efficiencies.......................................................10
Equation check..........................................................................................................................................12
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................12
References.................................................................................................................................................13

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Introduction
In this case study, we will research two types of solar panel. One with flat-plate collectors and one
with evacuated tubes. We will be creating tables, sorting and filtering data, plotting graphs analyzing
them and discussing them. In the end, we will decide the best type of solar power regarding the
amount of solar power captured and cost in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. And in what
orientation the solar panels optimized most sunlight.

The energy from the sun reaching earth is unimaginably large. It can provide energy equivalent to
19,000 billion tons of oil. Only 9 billion is enough to support the world’s present energy needs. If we
can harness this power, this would be cost effective and provide green energy.

Sun emits 6.29 X 107 Watts of power per m2 of its surface. The electromagnetic wave carries this
power (and decreases the intensity by obeying inverse square law) as it travels 150 million km to
reach earth. Only, 1350 W/m2 of solar power reaches Earth’s outer atmosphere. This is taken as a
standard value, also known as Solar Constant. The amount of power reaching Earth’s Surface is
further reduced by atmosphere as well as weather. This is called Solar Irradiation has units W/m2.

Figure 1 The photo illustrates how Solar power reaches the Earth and its intensity reduced by atmosphere [ CITATION Gre16 \l 1033 ]

Solar Irradiation is what solar panels will use to heat the water. Solar panels mainly consist of 3 parts
collector, heat exchanger, and a hot water tank. Collectors consist of water pipes. Heat is trapped in
collectors that heat the water inside copper pipe. The water leaving the pipe is hotter than water
entering it. The hot water then flows through the heat exchanger where heat form collector’s water is
transferred to the water form hot water tank. Water from collector pipes is never mixed with water
from the hot water tank. This insures copper pipes is always filled with running water. The heated
water stored in hot water tank is later used in homes or commercial buildings. Beside solar panels
also consist of pump to increase water flow and heat control system to control the temperature of
water in hot water tank by controlling the flow of water.

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Discussion

Flat-plate collector
Flat-plate collectors are shallow metal boxes coated with thick black glass. This coating works like a
green house and heat up the internal of solar panel. Inside the panel there is water pipes. The water
pipes is made of copper or other material good at conducting heat. The heat trapped heats up the
water inside water pipe. The water is then run through heat exchanger, where heat form collector is
transferred to water in hot water tank.
[ CITATION Alt19 \l 1033 ]

Figure 2 shows typical flat plate collector [ CITATION Alt19 \l 1033 ]

Evacuated tubes
This version of collector looks like thick fluorescent strip. Completely vacuumed inside, they collect
and trap the heat form sunlight. This flows to a collecting device (called manifold) which can be
located at the top or the end thorough which water or another fluid (sometimes mixture of alcohol
and glycerol) flows, carrying the heat to hot water tan. Because the collector is completely vacuumed
it is efficient at trapping heat and not letting it flow outside. However, they are high tech and
sophisticated, which makes them expensive to purchase.

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 Figure 3 shows how evacuated tubes work[ CITATION Alt19 \l 1033 ]

Figure 4 shows outer part of Evacuated tube [ CITATION Alt19 \l 1033 ]

Comparison
The weather in Newfoundland is cold most of the times reaching below zero. Comparing both the
collector types it is obvious evacuated tube would provide more energy form the solar power.
Because evacuated tube is highly efficient and would let very little heat to pass through. However,
some may prefer using flat-plate tube because it is cheaper however it won’t work most of the year.

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Figure 5: shows a table of month daily length and Energy absorbed for varying orientation of solar panel throughout period of one year

The date is taken form NRCan (National Resources Canada) through filtering Newfoundland and
St.John’s from the database provided by NRCan[ CITATION Nat17 \l 1033 ]. The data that were taken
are months, Daily energy for varying orientations. Days per months, number of days was added
additionally. Monthly energies is calculated by multiplying daily energy and days per month. Annual
energy for each orientation was also additionally calculated by summing up the monthly energies.

Creating Spreadsheet and Graphs to determine the Best Orientation for

the panels
.

Figure 6 shows a table of month daily length and Energy absorbed for varying orientation of solar panel throughout period of one year

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If we focus on the above table and look at the columns of monthly energy in kWh. We can see some
similar trends between Horizontal, Latitude-15 and latitude. The bar starts from small form the start
of the year rises all the way up between June and July and falls to minimum at the end.
For all the bar the energy absorbed is maximum in summer from May-august. Energy is maximum
during summer because solar panels receives more sunlight. However, for the vertical orientation
energy absorbed remains almost constant. That is because vertical panel receives very less amount of
sunlight throughout the year. The orientation of the sun during the year makes negligible difference
between energy absorbed by the vertically orientated solar panel.

Annual Energy Absorption for Various orientation Angles, St. John's , NL

1400

1200
Vertical
1000 Latitude
latitude+15°
800
kWh

latitude-15
600 Horizontal

400

200

Figure 7: shows annual energy absorbed by solar panels for varying orientation

The Graph demonstrates energy absorbed for different orientation throughout the year. The maxima
or maximum energy was absorbed by latitude-15. Latitude of Newfoundland is assumed to be 48 o
approximately so latitude-15 gives the value of 33O. According to the theory most energy is absorbed
when the sun radiation is perpendicular to the plane of solar panels. Therefore, latitude-15 is the
closest to plane of solar panel being perpendicular to the sun radiation.
Latitude produce similar result as latitude-15. Latitude or 48O is very close to maxima. This could mean
sun radiation is perpendicular to solar pane for latitude for half of the day. Also perpendicular to
Latitude-15 for other half of the day. The difference is only 16kWh.
Vertical solar panel produce least energy because solar radiation is furthest away form being
perpendicular to the solar panel. Least amount of solar radiation is received by the solar panels.
Latitude+15 and horizontal follows similar pattern the difference between the annual average is
39kWh approximate. Which is more than the difference between latitude and latitude-15.

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Creating Spreadsheet and Graphs to determine Average power

Figure 8 shows data table for daily energy and daily power for varying orientation

1000 × daily energy ∈kWh

Daily power in watts is calculated energy by time. Power(W )=
daily length∈h

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 Average Daily Power by Month for Varying Panel Orientation
450.00
400.00
350.00
300.00 Vertical
250.00 Latitude
latitude+15°
Power (W)

200.00
latitude-15
150.00
Horizontal
100.00
50.00
0.00
ry ry ch ril ay ne Ju
ly st be
r er be
r
be
r
nua rua ar Ap M Ju ugu m tob m m
Ja b M A e Oc ve ce
Fe pt
Se No De

All the orientation of the panel, excluding horizontal panel, follows a similar pattern. They start from
January rises and reach Apex point on March and starts to slide down reaching minima at June. It then
picks up the pace. Power for latitude-15, latitude and latitude+15 reaches peak again at August and
slides down after that. Graph for vertical reaches up to 230W approx. and continues to slide down till
the end of December.
Although line for Vertical orientation also follow similar graphs there is wild bends. There is wild
bends in February, march and October.
Graph for horizontal orientation is quite different comparing to others. It starts form 130W form
January reaches peak at April. It slides down for a moment follows a wavy pattern and reaches
pinnacle at July. The power continues to drop after July and reaches minimum at December which is
just only 100W.
Comparing maxima and minima for each graph the difference between most and least power
produced is for horizontal graph it reaches peak somewhere between June and July and reaches
minima at December.
Power produced for summer is more compared to that of winter because of day length. As day length
increases solar panel gets more sun radiation more energy converted hence more power produced as
power is directly proportional to energy. As for winter less, radiation less energy produced hence least
power during coldest part of winter.

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Creating Spreadsheet and Graphs to determine Average Efficiencies

Collector variables
type
Optical Heat loss Heat loss Temperatur Temperatur Difference in
efficienc Coefficien Coefficien e of e of Temperatur
y t k1 t Collector Surrounding e (K)
(W/m^2K) k2 (K) s (K)
(W/m^2K)
Flat plate 80 4 0.1
Evacuate 80 1.5 0.005 353 283 70
d Tube

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Figure 9 illustrates data table for efficiency regarding different type of collector

Latitude-15 was randomly chosen from the graphs that shows similar pattern. It doesn’t matter if we
choose another database except for the Horizontal orientation. They would produce similar result .

Efficiency of Flatplate & Evacuated Tube collectors vs. Months

80

79.5

79
Efficiency in %

78.5

78

77.5
r y y h r il ay e l y st r er r r
ua ua
r
ar
c
Ap Ju
n Ju u be b be be
n r M
M ug em to m m
Ja Fe
b A t Oc ve ce
S ep N o D e

Efficiency of Flatplate Collector Efficiency of Evacuated Tube

Figure 10 Graph showing monthly efficiency for different types of collector

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The Graph illustrates that the pattern is very spontaneous for Flat plate collector. In other words, it
depends on the weather, availability of sunlight in order to produce more power. In place like saint
Johns when weather gets cold the efficiency decreases to 78.4.
The graph of Evacuated tube remains constant almost throughout the year. The efficiency of this type
of collector varies insignificantly with weather change. This type of collector is best used in cold places
like Newfoundland and Labrador because it can produce high power output even when intensity of
sunlight is low.

Equation check

The equation is only correct when the equation is homogeneous. That means the equation should
have same units on both the sides.

W
k ( W2 )k
1. %=%−
2
m k( )−
m k
W W
2
m m2
2. %=%

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Conclusion

In this case study we have learned how solar panels work and studied about two panels. At first we
discovered how orientation of solar panels can produce different energy and power output. We took
database from the website of NRCan[ CITATION Nat17 \l 1033 ] and plotted graphs to study the trends
further. We plotted graphs of sum of energy output annually, power output monthly discussed
relationship between power and energy. We went beyond in finding the efficiency of solar panels first
graphs of annual and energy output was done to check the best orientation. We discovered most
orientation follow different similar pattern an concluded graph for latitude would be the best one to
pick up. To study the difference between two types of collector we plot monthly graph of efficiency
for two types of collector. This helped to conclude that Evacuated tube would be best for Saint John’s
Newfoundland weather.
I n this case study I get to learn more about solar panels, how they work, different orientation can
maximize power output. I learned the difference between two types of collector. The most important
thing is that I learned to work with the engineering too called excel. I had no idea about how powerful
excel is and I am glad we got to apply lots of excel knowledge which extended by compatibly of using
excel.

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References

[1] "Green Rhino Energy," 2016. [Online]. Available:

http://www.greenrhinoenergy.com/solar/radiation/extraterrestrial.php.

[2] A. E. Tutorials, "alternative energy tutorials," [Online]. Available: http://www.alternative-energy-

tutorials.com/solar-hot-water/flat-plate-collector.html. [Accessed January 2019].

[3] "Natural Resources Canada," 20 03 2017. [Online]. Available: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/18366.

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