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CONTENTS
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 Introduction to Solar Radiation

 Introduction to Solar energy Engineering
 Solar radiation availability and it’s measurement
 Solar Radiation - Introduction
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 Solar radiation is a general term for the

electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun.
 Solar radiation can be captured and turned into
useful forms of energy, such as
 heat

 electricity

“using a variety of technologies”

 Solar Radiation - Introduction
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 Energy is radiated by the sun as emw of which

99% have wavelengths in the range of 0.2
μm to 4 μm
 Solar energy reaching the top of the earth’s

atmosphere consists of
8% UV – <0.39 μm

46% visible light – 0.39 μm to 0.78 μm

46% IR - >0.78 μm
 Sun–earth relationship.

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 Solar Engineering - Introduction
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 Solar Engineering deals with the design and

development of  power plants, systems and
products that operate on solar power.
 Solar energy engg is also aimed at developing
components and system to harness the massive
amounts of energy transmitted from the sun to
Earth.
 Photovoltaics – the conversion of light into
electricity.
 Thermal – the conversion of heat into electricity.
 Solar radiation availability and it’s measurement
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 The fraction of the energy flux

emitted by the sun and intercepted
by the earth is characterized by
the solar constant.
 The solar constant is defined as
essentially the measure of the
solar energy flux density
perpendicular to the ray direction
per unit area per unit time.
 It is most precisely measured by
satellites outside the earth
atmosphere. The solar constant is
currently estimated at 1367 W/m2
 Solar radiation availability

The amount of solar radiation that reaches any one

spot on the Earth's surface varies according to:
 Geographic location

 Time of day

 Season

 Local landscape

 Local weather.
 Solar radiation availability
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 As the solar radiation passes through the atmosphere, it gets

absorbed, scattered, reflected, or transmitted.
 All these processes result in reduction of the energy flux

density.
 Actually, the solar flux density is reduced by about 30%

compared to extraterrestrial radiation flux on a sunny day and is

reduced by as much as 90% on a cloudy day.
The following main losses should be noted:
 absorbed by particles and molecules in the atmosphere

 reflected and scattered back to space

 scattered to earth (direct radiation becomes diffuse)

 Solar radiation availability
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 Direct radiation reaching the earth surface never exceeds

 83% of the original extraterrestrial energy flux.
 This radiation that comes directly from the solar disk is
defined as beam radiation.
 The scattered and reflected radiation that is sent to the
earth surface from all directions (reflected from other
bodies, molecules, particles, droplets, etc.) is defined as
diffuse radiation.
 The sum of the beam and diffuse components is defined
as total (or global) radiation.
 Solar radiation availability
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 Solar radiation measuring equipment
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Need for Measuring Radiation parameters

Radiation parameters are  total solar radiation

needed for the  beam radiation
 design,
 diffuse radiation
 sizing,
 sunshine duration.
 performance evaluation,

 Research

of solar energy
applications.
 Types of solar radiation measuring instruments:
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The pyrheliometer Pyranometer

It is an instrument used It is used to measure
for measuring the direct total (beam and
solar irradiance. diffuse) radiation within
its hemispherical field of
view
 Solar radiation measuring – Based on
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 This equipment usually employs

the
 Thermoelectric effects

 Photovoltaic effects

“to measure the radiation”

 Pyrheliometers
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 Used to measure beam

of direct radiation.
 It collimate the
radiation to determine
the beam intensity as a
function of incident
angle.
 Also known as normal
incidence pyranometer
 Pyrheliometers
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 long collimator tube to collect beam

radiation
 field of view is limited to a solid
angle of 5.5° by appropriate
diaphragms inside the tube.
 Inner surface is blackened to absorb
any radiation.
 At the base of tube a wire wound
thermopile
 Tube sealed with dry air to eliminate
absorption of beam of radiation
within the tube by water vapor.
 Pyrheliometers
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 Sunlight enters the

instrument through
collimator tube
 and is directed onto
a thermopile (sensing
element) which
converts heat to an
electrical signal that
can be recorded.
 Pyrheliometers
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 The Angstrom Compensation

Pyrheliometer
 The Abbot Silver disc Pyrheliometer

 Eppley Pyrheliometer
 The Angstrom Compensation Pyrheliometer

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 Abbot Silver disc Pyrheliometer
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 Eppley Pyrheliometer
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 Pyranometer
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 It measures the total

hemispherical solar radiation.
 Solar constant-The average
amount of solar radiation
received by the Earth's
atmosphere, per unit area, when
the Earth is at its mean distance
from the Sun.
 The value of the solar constant is
found experimentally to be 1368
W/m2.
 Pyranometer
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 Pyranometer
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 Pyranometer
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 Eppley Pyranometer
 Yellot Solarimeter (pv solar cell)
 Solar radiation on Tilted surfaces
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 The solar power incident on a given surface

depends not only on the power contained in the
sunlight, but also on the angle between the module
and the sun.
 When the absorbing surface and the sunlight are
perpendicular to each other, the power density on
the surface is equal to that of the sunlight
 The angle between the sun and a fixed surface is
continually changing, the solar power also varies.
 Solar radiation on Tilted surfaces
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Ratio of the radiation falling on the tilted surface to that falling on a horizontal surface is
called as tilt factor
 Solar thermal collectors
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 Solar thermal collectors
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 Converting solar energy into heat requires the

utilization of solar thermal collectors.
domestic water heating
 heating of swimming
pools
space heating,
water processes for
industrial heating
agricultural drying
 Solar thermal collectors - Classification
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 Solar thermal collectors - Classification
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Flat plate collectors

Concentrating type collectors
 Flat Plate Collector
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 CASING
 ABSORBER PLATE
 TUBES OR CHANNELS
 INSULATIONS
 TRANSPARENT COVER
OR GLAZING SHEET
 Flat Plate Collectors
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 Both beam &diffused radiation

 No optical concentration method
 No need of solar tracking
 Applicable for heating Less than 100˚C
 Positioning if Flat plate collector
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 Heat balance in Solar collectors
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 COLLECTOR PERFORMANCE
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The thermal performance of a collector can be

calculated from a first-law energy balance. according to
the first law of thermodynamics, for a simple flat-plate
collector an instantaneous steady-state energy balance
is
Useful energy gain (Qu) =
“energy absorbed by the collector - heat loss
to surroundings”
 COLLECTOR
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PERFORMANCE
Qu = Ac[HR (𝜏.α)e –UL (tp-ta)]
Qu = Useful energy gain
Ac = Collector area
HR = Solar energy received on the upper surface of
collector
UL = Overall heat loss transfer coefficient
(𝜏.α)e = Transmissivity - absortivity product
 COLLECTOR
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PERFORMANCE
Qu = Ac[HR (𝜏.α)e –UL (tp-ta)]
Qu = Useful energy gain
Ac = Collector area
HR = Solar energy received on the upper surface of
collector
UL = Overall heat loss transfer coefficient
(𝜏.α)e = Transmissivity - absortivity product
 Energy balance equation
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Ac[HR (𝜏.α)e ] = Qu + Ql + Qs

Collector efficiency = Useful Heat gain

Incident Solar energy
 Absorber plate
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 Absorber plates are usually made of metal—

typically copper or aluminum—because the metal
is a good heat conductor.
 Absorber plate
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The key considerations in flat plate collector design

are
 maximizing absorption,

 minimizing reflection and radiation losses,

 effective heat transfer from the collector plate to

the fluids.
 Absorber plate- types
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Types of Absorber Plates

Rectangular or cylindrical Roll bond type or semi-

Pipe and Fin type
full sandwich type sandwich type
 Absorber plate- types
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 Absorber plate- types
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 Selective surfaces
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 SOLAR WATER HEATING (HOT WATER
SUPPLY SYSTEM
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BASIC ELEMENTS
 FLAT PLATE COLLECTOR

 STORAGE TANK

 CIRCULATION SYSTEM& AUXILARY SYSTEM

 CONTROL OF THE SYSTEM

TYPES
 NATURAL CIRCULATION SOLAR WATER HEATER (PRESSURISED)

 NATURAL CIRCULATION SOLAR WATER HEATER (NON-

PRESSURISED)
 FORCED CIRCULATION SOLAR WATER HEATER

 SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEM WITH ANTIFREEZE

 NATURAL CIRCULATION SOLAR WATER HEATER (PRESSURISED)

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 NATURAL CIRCULATION SOLAR WATER HEATER (NON-PRESSURISED)

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 FORCED CIRCULATION SOLAR WATER HEATER

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 SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEM WITH
ANTIFREEZE
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 Solar Dryers
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 Solar dryers
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Solar dryers are devices that use solar energy to dry substances, especially
food.
There are two general types of solar dryers: Direct and indirect.
 DIRECT
 Direct solar dryers expose the substance to be dehydrated to direct sunlight.

 They have a black absorbing surface which collects the light and converts it to

heat; the substance to be dried is placed directly on this surface.

 These driers may have enclosures, glass covers and/or vents to in order to increase

efficiency.
 INDIRECT
 In indirect solar dryers, the black surface heats incoming air, rather than directly

heating the substance to be dried.

 This heated air is then passed over the substance and exits through a chimney, taking

moisture from the substance with it.

 Solar driers
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 Solar driers
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 SOLAR CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS

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 SOLAR CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
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 Solar concentration is the

most cost effective way to
achieve sufficiently high
temperatures
 Concentration of solar
radiation is achieved by using
an optical device between the
source and absorber
 Concentrating technologies
typically rely on the direct
normal irradiance component
of the solar resources.
 SOLAR CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
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  Concentration ratio (C).
 By physical meaning, the concentration
ratio is the factor by which the incident
energy flux (Io) is optically enhanced on
the receiving surface (Ir) –
 So, by confining the available energy
coming through a chosen aperture to a
smaller area on the receiver to increase the
flux.
 The ratio of area of the receiver to the area
of the aperture, Cgeo =  Ar/Aa is called
the area concentration ratio
 Collector efficiency: Ratio of the energy
actually absorbed and transferred to the
heat-transport fluid by the collector (useful
energy) to the energy incident on the
collector.
 SOLAR CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS -
TYPES
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 Cylindrical Parabolic Concentrator
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 Mirror strip reflector
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 Fresnel lens collector
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 Fresnel lens collector
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 Solar thermal power plant
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 Solar thermal power plant
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 Solar Photo Voltaic Conversion
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What is Photovoltaic generation ?

Photovoltaic generation with no moving
parts using solar cells (technically
photovoltaic cells), which produce
electricity from the absorption of
electromagnetic radiation, especially
light, predominantly within
semiconductor materials
What is a Solar Cell?
Solar Cell or Photovoltaic (PV) cell is a
device that is made up of
semiconductor materials such as
silicon, gallium arsenide and cadmium
telluride, etc. that converts sunlight
directly into electricity.
 How solar cell woks?
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 Solar cell/Solar Module/Solar system
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 Solar cell types
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 Solar PV system
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 Solar cell applications
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