Smart Techniques for Optimizing Tilt Angles

of Solar Panels

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 1. DEFINITIONS
2. 360𝑛
1.1. Solar Constant 𝐺𝑜𝑛= 𝐼𝑠𝑐 (1 + 0.033 cos )
The solar constant 𝐼𝑆𝐶 is the energy from the 365
sun per unit time received on a unit area of
𝐺𝑜𝑛 is the extraterrestrial radiation incident on
surface
the plane normal to the radiation on
perpendicular to the
the nth day of the year.
direction of
propagation of the
radiation at mean 1.3. Declination 𝜹
earth-sun distance Recall: Jason Harris
outside the The Local Meridian is an imaginary Great
atmosphere. Circle on the Celestial Sphere that is
perpendicular to the local Horizon. It passes
A value of 𝐼𝑆𝐶 of 1367 W/m2 (1.960 cal/cm2
through the North point on the Horizon, through
min, 433 Btu/ft2 h, or 4.921 MJ/m2 h) is used in the Celestial Pole, up to the Zenith, and through
this book (Solar Engineering of Thermal the South point on the Horizon.
Processes) Declination 𝜹 The angle between the earth–sun
1.2. EXTRATERRESTRIAL line (through their centers) and the plane through
the equator is called the solar declination, The
RADIATION declination varies between −23.45° on December
the radiation that would be received in the
21 to +23.45° on June 21. The declination δ can
absence of the atmosphere.
be found from the approximate equation of
Cooper (1969)

1.4. Solar Time

Time based on the apparent angular motion of
the sun across the sky with solar noon the time
the sun crosses the meridian of the observer.
It is necessary to convert standard time to solar
time by applying

The dependence of extraterrestrial radiation on

time of year is shown in Figure. A simple
equation with accuracy adequate for most
engineering calculations is given by

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1.5. Hour Angle 15◦ per hour; morning negative, afternoon
the angular displacement of the sun east or west positive.
of the local meridian
due to rotation of the earth on its axis at

Scheme showing the hour angle  of the sun for the observer O. ss is the hour angle for sunset
sr is that of sunrise (𝑠𝑠 = −sr ).
Adapted from Perrin de Brichambaut and Vauge (1982, op. cited)

1.6. Beam Radiation

The solar radiation received from the sun without having been
scattered by the atmosphere. (Beam radiation is often referred to as direct solar radiation;
to avoid confusion between subscripts for direct and diffuse, we use the term beam
radiation.)
1.7. Diffuse Radiation
The solar radiation received from the sun after its direction has been changed by scattering by the
atmosphere. (Diffuse radiation is referred to in some meteorological literature as sky radiation or solar sky
radiation; the definition used here will distinguish the diffuse solar radiation from infrared radiation
emitted by the atmosphere.)
1.8. Total Solar Radiation
The sum of the beam and the diffuse solar radiation on a surface.4 (The most common
measurements of solar radiation are total radiation on a horizontal surface, often referred to as
global radiation on the surface.)

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Nomenclature

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 2.DIRECTION OF BEAM RADIATION

The geometric relationships between a plane of any particular orientation relative to the earth at any time
(whether that plane is fixed or moving relative to the earth) and the incoming beam solar radiation, that is,
the position of the sun relative to that plane, can be described in terms of several angles (Benford and
Bock, 1939). Some of the angles are indicated in Figure 1.6.1. The angles and a set of consistent sign
conventions are as follows:
φ Latitude, the angular location north or south of the equator, north positive; −90◦ ≤ φ ≤ 90◦ .

β Slope, the angle between the plane of the surface in question and the horizontal; 0◦ ≤ β ≤ 180◦ . (β > 90◦
means that the surface has a downward-facing component.)
𝜽𝐳 Zenith angle, the angle between the vertical and the line to the sun, that is, the angle of incidence of
beam radiation on a horizontal surface
𝜽Angle of incidence, the angle between the beam radiation on a surface and the normal to that surface.

For horizontal surfaces, the angle of incidence is the zenith angle of the sun, 𝜃z Its value must be between
0◦ and 90◦ when the sun is above the horizon. For this situation, β = 0,

cos 𝜃z = cos φ cos δ cos ω + sin φ sin δ

Useful relationships for the angle of incidence of surfaces sloped due north or due south can be
derived from the fact that surfaces with slope β to the north or south have the same angular relationship to
beam radiation as a horizontal surface at an artificial latitude of φ − β.

cos θ = cos(φ − β) cos δ cos ω + sin(φ − β) sin δ

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4. 𝑯𝟎 Monthly average daily extraterrestrial radiation (MJm -2 -day)

2.5. RATIO OF BEAM RADIATION ON TILTED SURFACE TO THAT

ON HORIZONTAL SURFACE
Rb can be estimated to be the ratio of extraterrestrial radiation on the tilted surface to that on a horizontal