Expt.

No :1
Date :

MEASUREMENT OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF SOLAR RADIATION ON A

HORIZONTAL SURFACE

Aim

To conduct measurements to determine the different components of solar

radiation falling on a horizontal surface and plot graphs for global, diffuse and Direct or beam
radiation. To estimate the error percentage in the measurements of beam radiation.

Apparatus required

Pyranometer, Pyranometer with shaded ring, Pyrheliometer and Multimeters.

Theory:

Pyranometer:
It is an instrument which measures either global or diffuse radiation falling on a horizontal
surface over a hemispherical field. Basically Pyranometer consists of a ‘black surface’ which
heats up when exposed to solar radiation. Its temperature increases until the rate of heat gain
by solar radiation equals the rate of heat loss by convection and conduction and re radiation.
The hot junctions of the thermopile are attached to the black surface, while the cold junctions
are located under a guard plate so that they do not receive the radiation directly. As a result,
an emf is generated. This emf which is usually in the range of 0 to 10 mV can be read,
recorded or integrated over a period of time and is measure of the global radiation.

Fig.1. Pyranometer Fig 2. Pyrheliometer Fig 3 Shaded ring pyranometer

Pyrheliometer:
A Pyrheliometer is an instrument which measures the beam radiation falling on a surface
normal to the sun’s rays. In contrast to a Pyranometer, the black absorber plate is located at
the base of of collimating tube. The tube is aligned with the direction of the sun’s rays with
the help of the two axis tracking mechanism and an alignment indicator. Thus the black plate
receives the only beam radiation and a small amount of diffuse radiation falling within the
acceptance angle of the instruments. Fig shows the Pyrheliometer used for measuring only
direct or beam radiation.

Shaded Ring Pyranometer:

The Pyranometer can also be used for the measurements of diffuse solar radiation. This is
done by mounting it at the centre of a semicircular shading ring. The shading ring is fixed in

1
 such a way that its plane is parallel to the plane of path of the sun’s daily movement across
the sky and it shades the thermopile element and the two glass domes of the Pyranometer at
all times from the direct radiation. Consequently, the Pyranometer measured only the diffuse
radiation received from the sky.

Formulae

pyranameter reading(mV ) 1000

Measured global solar flux, Ig = W/m2
Sensitivity of pyranometer

Pyreheliometer reading (mV )

Measured direct solar flux, Ib = 3.1552221.4
4.56 W/m2
𝑆ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑦𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔(𝑉)
[ − 4] × 125
0.47
Measured diffuse solar flux, Id = W/m2

Estimated direct solar flux (Ib)= (Ig)Pyranometer reading– (Id)shaded ring pyranometer reading W/m2

Error percentage (%) = (Ib measured ~ Ib estimated) / (Ib measured or / Ib estimated)which ever less (%)

Procedure

Assure the location where the instruments are to be kept is free from shading by trees and
buildings. The place has to be perfectly flat, clean and free from dust.
1. Keep the instruments on a horizontal surface such that there is some distance maintained
between the instruments.
2. Connect the output of the instruments to multimeters. However, the output of shaded ring
pyranometer is connected to an amplifier circuit such that the output signal is amplified
from micro to millivolts.
3. The output from the instruments is recorded for every 15 minutes ( interval).
4. The flux recorded in millivolts should be converted to W/m2 using the respective
correlations.

2
Observations

Time Solar Flux (mV) Solar Flux (W/m2) Calculated Error

(hrs) Beam Radiation Percentage
Global Diffused Beam Global Diffused Beam (W/m2)
radiation (A) radiation (B) radiation (C) radiation (A) radiation (B) radiation (C) (A-B)
1 8.5 2.72 4.23 923.91 223.40 648.00 700.51 8.10%

2 6.8 2.74 2.8 739.130 228.72 428.94 510.41 18.9%

3 7.6 2.81 2.1 826.086 247.34 321.70 578.746 79.90%

4 8.5 2.82 4.4 923.913 250.00 670.212 673.913 0.55%

5 8.7 2.84 4.6 945.652 255.319 704.689 690.33 2.08%

6 8.8 2.85 4.7 956.52 257.97 720.00 698.55 3.070%

7 8.9 2.98 3.7 967.391 292.55 566.81 674.841 19.05%

3
Model Calculation : Reading

4
Graph: Plot graphs for (include soft copies of graph using MS Excel or any other software)
Graph 1:Local time v/s global. diffused and beam radiation

5
Graph 2 estimated vs measured beam radiation

6
Result and discussion:
measurements to determine the different components of solar radiation falling on a horizontal surface have been conducted
graphs for global, diffuse and Direct or beamradiation have been plotted.
The error percentage in the measurements of beam radiation has been estimated.