Introduction to Solar Energy

Solar Light I

Week 1.6.1
Arno Smets
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(Source: NASA)
Photoelectric effect

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHFIS0u75-8
 Wavelength
Frequency
(Hz)
Electromagnetic spectrum 101
9
Gamma-rays 0.1 A

1A
101 0,1 nm
8
X-rays
Range: 101
7
1 nm
400 nm

10 nm
101 Ultraviolet
6 500 nm
100 nm
• Energy : 101
5
Visible
Near IR
1000 nm
1 mm
6.2 to 0.4 eV
600 nm
101
4
Infra red 10 mm
101
3
Thermal IR 700 nm
100 mm

• Wavelength:
101
2 Far IR 1000 mm
1000 MHz 1 mm
101

2x10-7 to 3x10-6 m
1
UHF
Microwaves 1 cm
500 MHz 101
0 Radar
10 cm
109
VHF
• Frequency: 7-13
108 Radio TV
1m

1x1015 to 1x1014 Hz
100 MHz FM 10 m
VHF 107
2-6 1 00 m
50 MHz
106 AM
1 000 m
Long-waves
Relation Irradiance and spectral power density


I   P ( ) d 
0
The sun is a black body radiator

Spectral Power Density (P)

Planck’s lawK
T = 5800
2hc 2 1
I ( , T ) 
5  hc 
exp   1
 kT 
T = 5000 K

T 4000 K
T 3000 K

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

Wavelength (nm)
Spectral power density of lamps
Solar spectrum on Earth
2.5
44%
9% 47%
2.0
P() (Wm-2 nm-1)

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
Wavelength (nm)
`

(Source: NASA)
Thank you for your attention!