Solar chart & its use

•The movement of sun along a well defined path is known as

solar path.
•It varies from place to place and day to day.
•The location of the sun in the sky hemisphere can be
specified by two angles:
 Altitude angle
 Azimuth angle.
g a
 Solar altitude angle (g): the vertical angle at the point
of observation between the horizon plane and the line
connecting the sun with the observer.
 Solar azimuth angle (a):the angle at the point of
observation measured on a horizontal plane between
the northly direction and a point on the horizon circle,
where it is intersected by the arc of a vertical circle,
going through the zenith and the sun’s position.
 Solar azimuth and solar altitude angles can be read
directly for any date of the year and any hour of the day
from the solar chart or sun path diagram.
Solar chart or sun path
diagram

It is the chart which represent sun movement two dimensionally for the
whole day and day’s of the year.
Solar chart
 Date line : The curved lines running from east to west
represents the path of the sun of each month of the
year . It is also known as date line. The extreme lines
are always 22nd June and 22nd Dec . The center line is
always for 21st March and 23rd Sep. (equinox).
 Time line : The curved line running north –South
direction are called time lines.
 The 12 noon time line is a straight line in the center.
 The 6 a.m. and p.m. time line starts from the marking
of east and west respectively.
 The sun line is always on the circumference of the solar
chart circle is of sun rise or sun set.
 A.M. & P.M. sector of solar chart: The eastern semi
circular part is called A.M. time sector and western
semicircular part is called P.M. time sector.
 Position of observer: The observer in solar chart is at
the center where two major axis are crossing.
 Azimuth scale: is marked with
 Zero at north, 90° at east,180° at south and 270° at west
and back to north, in clockwise direction.
_ Zero at north,90° at west,180 °at south and 270° at east
and back to north in anti clockwise direction.
 North (a) =0° or 360 °

East (a) =90 °

South (a)= 180°
West (a)= 270°
 Altitude scale: is marked with zero on the
circumference and with inward concentric circles to get
observer as 90°.
 Latitude: the latitude for which the solar chart is
drawn can be calculated by observing the equinox date
line altitude, subtracted from 90°.

Latitude = 90° - solar altitude on march 21st or sep 23rd

Use of solar chart

 To find the angle of incidence of solar radiation

 The position of the sun in relation to the building
elevation
 To find solar altitude angle (g) and solar azimuth
angle(a)
Design of sun shading devices

 The impact of direct solar radiation raises the

temperature of the building.
 During summer months solar heat will be most
unwelcome.
 The only method of reduce the heating of interiors is to
cut off the heat before it gets inside.
 During the winter season heat will be desirable . Hence,
it is essential to examine the possibility of controlling
the ingress of direct radiation by shading device.
 Rule of shadow formation with sun’s rays : i.e. Sun light
travels in straight lines.
 If a stick be planted vertically on a horizontal surface at a
given place(of known latitude) the tip of the solar shadow
will be found to move along paths predictable from the
solar path diagrams.
 The shadow of the stick on the horizontal plane lies along
the line opposite to the direction of the sun.
Solar altitude =g (S’OA)
Solar azimuth =a (NOA)
PO = 1m ( height of pin)
OB = Shadow
OB= PO * cot g
OB= 1 cotg

g
a g
Angle of incidence

 To find the angle of incidence of solar radiation, the

position of the sun in relation to the building elevation
must be established for the given point in time.(i.e.
solar azimuth and solar altitude angle)
 Angle of incidence (β): the angle between a line
perpendicular to wall and the sun’s direction can be
found by the spherical cosine equation.

Cos β = cosδ * cosγ

β – angle of incidence
γ- solar altitude angle
δ - azimuth difference (horizontal shadow angle)

Wall normal
 Wall normal: It is the normal line outward drawn to its
exposed surface to determined the orientation of a
wall.
 Wall azimuth: The angle between north direction to
wall normal is called wall azimuth. It is denoted by (ω).
 Example: A wall of length 6m and height 3m is oriented
such that the wall normal is 20° south and east i.e.
110°E of N. The solar altitude is 50° and azimuth 160°
of N. Neglecting the thickness of the wall find the
shadow.
 Given;
Solar altitude angle (g) =50°
Solar azimuth angle (a) =160°
Wall normal = 110° E of
Horizontal shadow angle(δ)=5
°
(note: δ= a- ω)
We know that,
AC’ = AC * cot g
AC’ = 3*cot 50°
= 3* .084 = 2.52 m

The shadow of a vertical

 Shadow Angles
1. Horizontal shadow angle (δ) – It is the difference between the solar
azimuth angle and wall azimuth angle. It characterizes a vertical shading
device.
2. Vertical shadow angle (ε) – it is measured on a vertical
plane normal to the elevation considered. It
characterizes a horizontal shading device.
 g–solar altitude angle
ε - vertical shadow angle
= δ– horizontal shadow
angle.
tan ε = tang * sec δ
The difference between
solar altitude angle and
the vertical shadow
angle must be clearly
understood.
g -the sun’s position in
relation to the horizon.
ε - the performance of the
shading device.
Numerically the two
coincide (g= ε), only when
the sun is exactly opposite
the wall considered (when
a=ω ) and δ=0.

Vertical shadow angle

Angles with reference to
objective

coordinates.
Solar altitude angle (from horizontal)- g
 Solar azimuth angle (from north) – a
 Wall azimuth angle (orientation) -ω

Angles with reference to a wall

•Azimuth difference (horizontal shadow
angle) –δ
•Angle of incidence –β
•Vertical shadow angle -ε
Shadow angle protractor

 It is a transparent tool , which is used to determine

vertical and horizontal shadow angles.
 It is also used in preparation of shading mask for further
prediction of insolation.
 The perimeter scale gives the horizontal shadow
angle(δ) up to -90° to the left and
+ 90 ° to the right of the center line.
 The arculate lines indicate the vertical shadow angle (ε)
from 0° given by the horizon circle to 90° the zenith
point.
Shadow angle protractor
Shadow angle protractor
Use of shadow angle
protractor with solar chart
1. To define the shape of shadow cast at any moment.
2. To predict the penetration of sunlight into a room at a
moment.
3. To predict the time at which a point in a room will
receive direct sunlight.
4. To predict the time at which a window surface will
receive sunlight.
1. To define the shape of shadow cast at any moment.
Date: 15 April at 11:00 am.
Wall azimuth (ω) = 110° E of N.
 By orienting the shadow angle protractor over the
solar path chart(appropriate to the latitude) such that
“o” of the protractor is directed along the wall
normal and determine the δ and ε accurately.
 75°

+35°
The use of the shadow angle protractor to draw the outline of
shadow due to a louver.
2. To predict the penetration of sunlight into a room at a moment.
 +δ

+δ -δ
 Insolation Period
Date From (a.m.) To (p.m.) Total Period (hrs)

22nd June 8:00 15:00 7 hrs.

15th May

15th Apr

21st Mar

28th Feb

28th June
Solar Radiation at various
surfaces of building
 The intensity of solar radiation on any surface is easily
determined.
 The quantities to be known are:
 Solar altitude angle (g)
 Azimuth difference (δ)
 Angle of incidence (β)
 The angle of inclination of the surface with the horizontal
(θ).
 Solar radiation at horizontal surface:
The component of intensity
normal to the horizontal surface
will be I sing, which is the
I component that heats up the
Ising horizontal surface.

g
 • Solar radiation at vertical
surface (wall): 3. I cos γ.cosδ
1. I sin γ acting acting normal to
parallel to the the wall
wall vertically
downward.

I sin γ γ
g
δ
2. I cosγ. Sinδ
acting parallel I I cos γ . Cos
to the wall δ
horizontally. I cos γ. sinδ
Wall normal
• Solar radiation assessment at
inclined surface:
(pitched roof) 1. I sinγ acting vertically
I sin γ. Cos θ + I cos γ.cos δ. downward.
sinθ 2. I cos γ .cos δ acting
horizontally.
3. I sin γ. Cos θ + I cos γ.cos δ.
Sinθ
I sin acting normal to the inclined
γ surface.

I cos γ. cosδ P

θ
SUN CONTROL

There are two types of surfaces:

1. Opaque surface
2. Non opaque of surfaces
Opaque surfaces:
 The effect of radiation on opaque surface can be combined with the
effect of warm air by using the sol air temperature concept.
 The magnitude of sol air temperature is influenced by factors within the
designer’s control (absorbance and surface conductance).
 Ts = To+(I x a )/fo,

Where, Ts – sol air temperature, in °C.

To – outside air temperature, in°C
I – radiation intensity, in w/m2
a- absorbance of the surface.
fo – surface conductance (outside), w/m2 deg C
Non opaque surface: (windows)
 The greatest source of heat gain of the building can be
the solar radiation entering through a window.
 Window glasses are practically transparent for short
wave infra red radiation emitted by the sun, but almost
opaque for long wave radiation emitted by objects in
the room.
 There are four methods for reduction of solar heat gain
through windows.
I. Orientation & window size
II. Internal blinds , curtains
III. Special glasses
IV. External shading devices.
I. Orientation: in the equatorial location, if solar heat
gain is to be avoided, the main windows should face
north or south.
II. Internal blinds & curtain: these are not very effective
ways of solar control . They stop the passage of
radiation, but they themselves absorb the solar heat
and can reach a very high temperature
III. Heat absorbing glasses:
 on opaque surfaces the incident radiation is partly absorbed and
partly reflected.
a+r=1
 on non opaque surfaces the incident radiation is partly
absorbed, partly reflected and partly transmitted.
a+ r + t = 1
 Ordinary glass transmit a large proportion of all
radiation , but in heat absorbing glass ,the
transmittance can be modified by varying the
composition of glass to reduce the infra red
transmission.
Heat transfer through glass
IV. Shading devices: there are three basic types:
a) Vertical devices
b) Horizontal devices
c) Egg-create devices
a) Vertical devices:
 It consists of louver blades in a vertical position.
 The horizontal shadow angle (δ) measures their
performance.
 Vertical devices is most effective when the sun is to one
side of the elevation, such as an eastern or western
elevation.
 ε

Vertical shading devices

b) Horizontal devices:
o Canopies, horizontal louver blades etc.
o Their performance will be measured by a vertical shadow
angle (ε).
o These will be most effective when the sun is opposite to the
building face . i.e. north or south face walls.
Horizontal shading devices
C) Egg- crate devices:
o These are combination of horizontal and vertical elements.
o The many types of grille blocks and decorative screens
may fall into this category.
o These may be effective for any orientation depending on
detail dimension.
Egg - crate shading devices