Tutorial CH2

❑ Consider the earth to be a blackbody with average surface temperature

15◦C and area equal to 5.1 × 1014 m2. Find the rate at which energy is

radiated by the earth and the wavelength at which maximum power is

radiated. Compare this peak wavelength with that for a 5800 K blackbody

(the sun)?
 Solution

• E = AσT 4

• = 2.0 × 1017 W

• The wavelength at which the maximum power is emitted is given by:

• λmax(earth) = 2898/T (K)= 2898/288= 10.1 μm

• For the 5800K sun,

• λmax(sun) = 2898/5800= 0.5 μm

❑Find the optimum tilt angle for a south-facing photovoltaic module in Tucson

(latitude 32.1ᵒ) at solar noon on March 1.

 Solution

• March 1 is the sixtieth day of the year so the solar declination δ =-8.3ᵒ

• makes the altitude angle of the sun equal to

• βN = 49.6◦

• Tilt = 40.4◦
❑ Find the altitude angle and azimuth angle for the sun at 3:00 P.M. solar

time in Boulder, Colorado (latitude 40◦) on the summer solstice?

 Solution
• Since it is the solstice we know, without computing, that the solar declination δ is 23.45◦.
• Since 3:00 P.M. is three hours after solar noon,
15° 15°
• H= (ℎ) x (hours after solar noon) =( ℎ ) x (−3ℎ)=−45°
• the altitude angle is
• sin β = cosL cosδ cosH + sin Lsinδ = cos 40◦ cos 23.45◦ cos(−45◦) + sin 40◦ sin 23.45◦ = 0.7527
• β = sin−1(0.7527) = 48.8◦
• the sine of the azimuth angle is sin φS = cosδ sinH / cos β = cos 23.45◦ · sin(−45◦) /cos 48.8◦ = −0.9848◦
• But the arcsine is ambiguous and two possibilities exist:
• φS = sin−1(−0.9848) = −80◦ (80◦ west of south)
• or φS = 180 − (−80) = 260◦ (100◦ west of south)

• To decide which of these two options is correct:

• cosH = cos(−45◦) = 0.707 and (tanδ / tanL) = tan 23.45◦ /tan 40◦ = 0.517

• Since cosH ≥ (tanδ / tanL ) we conclude that the azimuth angle is

• φS = −80◦ (80◦ west of south)
 ❑Find By using the given table, estimate the insolation available on a clear day

at 40◦ Latitude in January on a south-facing collector with a fixed, 30◦ tilt

angle at the site having the sun path and obstructions diagram shown in Fig.

bellow:
Table: Clear Sky Beam Plus Diffuse Insolation at 40◦ Latitude in January for
South-Facing Collectors with Fixed Tilt Angle and for Tracking Mounts (hourly
W/m2 and daily kWh/m2-day)
Solution
❑ Find Eastern Daylight Time for solar noon in Boston (longitude 71.1◦W) on July 1st. Also,

Find the time at which sunrise will occur in Boston (latitude 42.3◦) on July 1.?

Table: Day Numbers for the First Day of Each Table: Local Time Meridians for U.S. Standard
Month Time Zones
 Solution
Find Eastern Daylight Time for solar noon in Boston (longitude 71.1◦W) on July 1st
 Solution
Find the time at which sunrise will occur in Boston (latitude 42.3◦) on July 1
Solution
❑ Find At solar noon in Atlanta (latitude 33.7◦) on May 21 the altitude angle of the sun was
found to be 76.4◦ and the clear-sky beam insolation was found to be 902 W/m2. Find the
beam insolation at that time on a collector that faces 20◦ toward the southeast if it is tipped
up at a 52◦ angle?
Solution