CLIMATOLOGY

RAR-309

SOLAR CHART
SUBMITTED TO - SUBMITTED BY-
Ar. SAIMA RAZA AVANTIKA DHIMAN
DIYA AGGRAWAL
KAJAL RATHORE
POOJA SHARMA
SONA JAIN
Sun path
• SUN PATH refers to a seasonal and hourly positional change
of sun and length of daylight as earth rotates and orbits
around the sun .
 Accurate location/ specific knowledge of sun path and
climatic conditions essential for :-
• Economic decisions about solar collector area
• Orientation
• Landscaping
• Summer shading
• Cost effective use of solar trackers
Thermal insulation
• A construction which will reduce all forms of conduction , heat ,
transfer through the building .
• Such a conduction heat flow would be large if the temperature
difference were large.
• With small temperature difference between the inside and
outside the heat flow would be small.
• Insulation will be most effective under steady state condition, or
if atleast the direction of the heat flow is constant for long period
of time.
Solar control
• The consequence of this is that the radiant heat, once it has entered
through a window, is trapped, inside the building.
• If solar overheating is a problem, as in all tropical climates, there are
four methods available for the reduction of solar heat gain through
windows, four variables which are within the control of the designer:
1. Orientation and window size
2. Internal blinds, curtains
3. Special glasses
4. External shading devices
Building orientation
• A building must face the southern in order to capture the sun energy.
• Solar heat gain is to be avoided, the main windows should face north or south.
• At the higher latitude, an orientation away from the Equator would receive
the least sunshine, but here it may be desirable to have some solar heat gain
in the winter, when the sun is low – so an orientation towards the Equator
may be preferable.
• In both locations only minor openings of unimportant rooms should be placed
on the east and west side. Solar heat gain on the west side can be particularly
troublesome as its maximum intensity coincides with the hottest part of the
day.
Internal blind and curtains
• Internal blinds and curtains are not very effective ways of
solar control.
• It is true that they stop the passage of radiation, but they
themselves absorb the solar heat and can reach a very high
temperature.
SPECIAL GLASS
• An ordinary window glass transmits a large proportion of all radiation
between 300 and 3000mm.
• This selective transmittance can be modified by varying the composition of
the glass to reduce substantially the infra-red transmission, whilst only slightly
affecting the light transmission Such a product is referred to as heat absorbing
glass.
• Other special glasses the glass is coated by a thin film of metal (usually nickel
or gold), applied by vacuum evaporation
• Such glasses absorb very little heat, therefore the improvement in reducing
the total solar gain is far greater, but unfortunately they are still rather
expensive.
North sun
• Sun does not touches the north side in the northern hemisphere
– sun rises in east and sets in west with variation in summer and
winter
• No direct solar radiation avaliable on the northern side
• However , daylight available during the entire duration of sun is
in north
• Daylight remians uniform in north depending upon sky conditions
• Coolest side with no direct sun.
South sun
• Solar radiation available both in summer and winter
• In winter sun angle remains low less duration of sun -9 hrs
• In summer sun angle is high , large duration of sun -14 hrs
• Maximum solar radiation available on southern side.
• In winter sun remains on south for majority times.
Solar position
• To find the angle of incidence of solar radiation, the position
of sun in relation to the building elevation must be
established in a given point in time.
• The Sun position in sky hemisphere can be specified by two
angles:-
1. Solar Altitude angle
2. Solar Azimuth angle
Solar altitude angle
• Solar Altitude angle (y), i.e. the vertical angle at the point of
observation between the horizon plane and the line
connecting the sun with the observer.
Solar azimuth angle
• Solar Azimuth angle (a), i.e.
the angle at the point of
observation measured on a
horizontal plane between the
northerly 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
Roof Designing According to Sun Path
 ANGLE OF INCIDENCE
• From these two angles , (the solar azimuth and the
solar altitude angle) the sun's position in relation to the
wall surface of any orientation (thus the angle of
incidence) can be established. The horizontal
component of the angle of incidence (δ) will be the
difference between the solar azimuth and the wall
azimuth.
•If for the example the wall is facing west (270°): δ =
270 – 239 = 31°
•The vertical component is the same as the solar
altitude angle itself (γ).
• The angle of incidence (β), i.e. the angle between a line
perpendicular to the wall and the sun's direction, can be
found by the 'spherical cosine equation.
cos β = cosδ × cos γ
 EFFECT OF ANGLE OF INCIDENCE

The transmittance, are valid for normal incidence. When the

angle of incidence is other than normal, the transmittance
(t) is reduced. For diffuse radiation the coefficients do not
change with the angle of incidence
 SHADING DEVICE
These can be of three basic types:
• vertical devices
• horizontal devices
• egg-crate devices
 HORIZONTAL SHADING DEVICES
• Horizontal Shading Devices are usually in the form of
canopies, long verandas, movable horizontal louvre blades or
roof overhangs.
• They are best suited to southern and northern elevations and
their performance is measured by the vertical shadow angle.
 VERTICAL SHADING DEVICES
• Vertical Shading Devices consist of pilasters, louvre blades or
projecting fins in a vertical position.
• Their performance is measured by the horizontal shadow
angle δ (delta).
• They are commonly referred to as fins and are most effective
on western and eastern elevations.
 EGG CRATE SHADING DEVICE
• Egg-crate devices are combinations of horizontal and vertical
elements .
• The many types of grille-blocks and decorative screens may
fall into this category.
• It shows the method of constructing the shading mask for a
moderately complex shape. These can be effective for any
orientation depending on detail dimensions.
 SHADOW ANGLE
• The performance of shading devices is specified by two
angles: the horizontal and the verticalshadow angle.
• These are both measured from a line perpendicular to the
elevation, and indicate the limit beyond which the sun would
be excluded but within which the sun would reach the point
considered.
• The solar charts also have month (date) lines horizontally and hour lines vertically;
Example altitude angles for Perth

Summer = (90°- 32°) + 23.5° = 81.5°

Summer (21st of December)
Winter   = (90°- 32°) - 23.5°  = 34.5°
Angle = (90° - latitude) + 23.5°

Autumn/Spring = (90°- 32°)      = 58°

Winter (21st of June)

Angle = (90° - latitude) - 23.5°

Spring/Autumn (equinox)

Angle = (90° - latitude)

HORIZONTAL SHADOW ANGLE
• The horizontal shadow angle (δ)
characterises a vertical shading
device and it is the difference
between the solar azimuth and
wall azimuth, same as the
horizontal component for the
angle of incidence.

• HSA= WALL AZIMUTH – SOLAR

AZIMUTH
 VERTICAL SHADOW ANGLE
• The vertical shadow angle (ε)
characterises a horizontal
shading device, e.g. a long
horizontal projection from the
wall, and it is measured on a
vertical plane normal to the
elevation considered

• tan(VSA) = tan(altitude)/
cos (HAS)
 THE SHADOW ANGLE PROTECTOR
• It gives a representation of these shadow angles on a
horizontal plane in stereographic projection and to the same
scale as the sun-path diagrams or solar charts.
• In more precise terms this protractor shows the various
combinations of azimuth differences (δ) and solar altitude
angles (y) for which a particular shadow angle would be
effective.
• The perimeter scale gives the horizontal shadow angle (δ) up
to –90° to the left and +90° to the right of the centre line.
• The accurate lines indicate the vertical shadow angle (ε) from
0°, given by the horizon circle, to 90°, the zenith point.
• If laid over a solar chart, the corresponding sun-position
angles can be read.