LECTURE 1 TUTORIAL

SOLUTION FOR SAMPLE QUESTIONS

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Q1) Determine the solar altitude and azimuth angles at 10:00 am local time
for Rome, Italy, on June 10.
 Rome → 41.54°N & 12.27°E
 June 10 → 161
360
 𝛿 = 23.45 sin 284 + 𝑁 = 23°
365
360
 𝐵 = 𝑁 − 81 = 239.24
364
 𝐸𝑇 = 9.87 sin 2𝐵 − 7.53 cos 𝐵 − 1.5 sin 𝐵 𝑚𝑖𝑛
 𝐸𝑇 ≈ 1 𝑚𝑖𝑛
 𝐴𝑆𝑇 = 𝐿𝑆𝑇 + 𝐸𝑇 ± 4 𝑆𝐿 − 𝐿𝐿
 𝐴𝑆𝑇 = 10: 00 + 00: 01 − 4 15 − 12.27 = 09: 50 𝑎𝑚
 Hour angle at 09:50 am → ℎ = −0.25 130 = −32.5°
 sin 𝛼 = sin 𝐿 sin 𝛿 + cos 𝐿 cos 𝛿 cos ℎ
 sin 𝛼 = sin 41.54° sin 23° + cos 41.54° cos 23° cos −32.5° = 0.84 → 𝛼 = sin−1 0.84 = 57.16°
cos 𝛿 sin ℎ cos 23° sin −32.5°
 sin 𝑧 = = = −0.912 → 𝑧 = sin−1 −0.912 = −65.78°
cos 𝛼 cos 57.16°
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 Q2) Calculate the solar zenith and azimuth angles, the sunrise and sunset
times, and the day length for Cairo, Egypt, at 10:30 am solar time on April 10.
 Cairo → 30°N & 31°E
 April 10 → 100
360
 𝛿 = 23.45 sin 284 + 𝑁 = 7.5°
365
 Hour angle at 10:30 am → ℎ = −0.25 90 = −22.5°
 cos Φ = sin 𝐿 sin 𝛿 + cos 𝐿 cos 𝛿 cos ℎ
 cos Φ = sin 30° sin 7.5° + cos 30° cos 7.5° cos −22.5° = 0.858 → Φ = cos −1 0.858 = 30.8° → 𝛼 = 59.2°
cos 𝛿 sin ℎ cos 7.5° sin −22.5°
 sin 𝑧 = = = −0.741 → 𝑧 = sin−1 −0.741 = −47.8°
cos 𝛼 cos 59.2°
360
 𝐵= 𝑁 − 81 = 18.79 → 𝐸𝑇 = 9.87 sin 2𝐵 − 7.53 cos 𝐵 − 1.5 sin 𝐵 𝑚𝑖𝑛 → 𝐸𝑇 = −1.6 ≈ −2 𝑚𝑖𝑛
364
 𝐿𝑜𝑛𝑔. 𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑟. = −4 𝑆𝐿 − 𝐿𝐿 = −4 30 − 31 = 4 𝑚𝑖𝑛
2 2
 𝐷𝑎𝑦 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ = × cos −1 tan 𝐿 tan 𝛿 = × cos −1 tan 30° tan 7.5° = 12.58 ℎ𝑟 = 12: 35
15 15
 𝑆𝑢𝑛 𝑅𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 = 12: 00 − 06: 18 − 00: 02 + 00: 04 = 05: 44
 𝑆𝑢𝑛 𝑆𝑒𝑡 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 = 12: 00 + 06: 18 − 00: 02 + 00: 04 = 18: 20 3
 Q3) What is the solar time in Denver, Colorado, on June 10 at 10:00 am
Mountain Standard Time?
 Denver → 39°N & 105°W
 June 10 → 161
360
 𝐵 = 𝑁 − 81 = 239.24
364
𝑚𝑖𝑛 → 𝐸𝑇 = 0.76 ≈ 1 𝑚𝑖𝑛
 𝐸𝑇 = 9.87 sin 2𝐵 − 7.53 cos 𝐵 − 1.5 sin 𝐵
 𝐿𝑜𝑛𝑔. 𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑟. = ±4 𝑆𝐿 − 𝐿𝐿 = ±4 105 − 105 = 0
 𝐴𝑆𝑇 = 𝐿𝑆𝑇 + 𝐸𝑇 ± 4 𝑆𝐿 − 𝐿𝐿
 𝐴𝑆𝑇 = 10: 00 + 00: 01 = 10: 01 𝑎𝑚

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 Q4) A flat-plate collector in Nicosia, Cyprus, is tilted at 40° from horizontal and pointed 10° east of south.
Calculate the solar incidence angle on the collector at 10:30 am and 2:30 pm solar times on March 10 and
September 10.
 Nicosia → 35°N
 March 10 → 69
360
 𝛿 = 23.45 sin 284 + 𝑁 = −4.8°
365
 Hour angle at 2:30 pm → ℎ = 0.25 150 = 37.5°
 cos 𝜃 = sin 𝐿 sin 𝛿 cos 𝛽 − cos 𝐿 sin 𝛿 sin 𝛽 cos 𝑍𝑠 + cos 𝐿 cos 𝛿 cos ℎ cos 𝛽 +
sin 𝐿 cos 𝛿 cos ℎ sin 𝛽 cos 𝑍𝑠 + cos 𝛿 sin ℎ sin 𝛽 sin 𝑍𝑠
 cos 𝜃 = sin 35° sin(−4.8°) cos 40° − cos 35° sin(−4.8°) sin 40° cos(−10°) +
cos 35° cos(−4.8°) cos 37.5° cos 40° +
sin 35° cos(−4.8°) cos 37.5° sin 40° cos(−10°) +
cos(−4.8°) sin 37.5° sin 40° sin(−10°)
 cos 𝜃 = 0.722
 𝜃 = 43.8°
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 Q5) A vertical surface in Athens, Greece, faces 15° west of due south. Calculate the solar
incidence angle at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm solar times on January 15 and November 10.
 Athens → 38°N
 November 10 → 314
360
 𝛿 = 23.45 sin 284 + 𝑁 = −17.9°
365
 Hour angle at 3:00 pm → ℎ = 0.25 180 = 45°
 cos 𝜃 = sin 𝐿 sin 𝛿 cos 𝛽 − cos 𝐿 sin 𝛿 sin 𝛽 cos 𝑍𝑠 + cos 𝐿 cos 𝛿 cos ℎ cos 𝛽 +
sin 𝐿 cos 𝛿 cos ℎ sin 𝛽 cos 𝑍𝑠 + cos 𝛿 sin ℎ sin 𝛽 sin 𝑍𝑠
 cos 𝜃 = sin 38° sin(−17.9°) cos 90° − cos 38° sin(−17.9°) sin 90° cos(15°) +
cos 38° cos(−17.9°) cos 37.5° cos 90° +
sin 38° cos(−17.9°) cos 37.5° sin 90° cos(15°) +
cos(−17.9°) sin 37.5° sin 90° sin(15°)
 cos 𝜃 = 0.808
 𝜃 = 36.1°
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Q6) Dimensions of a PV module have been given as 197 cm and 99 cm for its length and
width, respectively. Using many of these modules a ground mount PV power plant is going
to be constructed in Nicosia (35° N). The modules will be tilted at 25° and facing due south.
The rack configuration of the system allows that two modules to be mounted vertically as
shown in the following figure. What should be the minimum distance between each row in
order to avoid shading?

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 ℎ
𝑐 𝛼
𝑏

 Lowest altitude angle of the sun on December 21 at 12:00: 𝛼 = 90 − 35 − 23.5 = 31.5°

 ℎ = 394 × sin 25° = 166.5 𝑐𝑚
 𝑏 = 394 × cos 25° = 357.1 𝑐𝑚
166.5
 𝑐= = 271.7 𝑐𝑚
tan 31.5°
 𝑏 + 𝑐 = 628.8 𝑐𝑚