Indian Institute of Science

Design of Photovoltaic Systems

Prof. L Umanand
Department of Electronic Systems Engineering
Indian institute of Science, Bangalore

NPTEL Online Certification Course

(Refer Slide Time: 00:17)

In order to estimate the insolation in kW/m 2 and the H, the energy in kWh/m2/day at any given
point on the surface of the earth, we shall use the help of solar geometry, solar geometry is
nothing but the spherical coordinate system but as it also involves the position of the Sun in
relation to the earth, it is generally referred to as solar geometry. Apparently the figure here looks
complex but it is not as complex as it looks.

We shall reconstruct this coordinate system step by step and try to get insight into the various
parameters that we have used in relation with the position of the sun and later use these
parameters to estimate the insolation and the energy H in kWh /m 2/dat at any given point on the
surface of the earth
(Refer Slide Time: 01:40)

This is the coordinates of the 3D system X Y Z and you using open SCAD for building the 3D
models. Let us build the earth centric coordinate system here and see how we can get the various
solar geometric parameters. First, let us put in a globe and give it a blue color and this is a 3D
sphere. Now, we shall cut out a quarter and make that as our 3D coordinate space. So, after
cutting out the quarter you will see something like this.

Now, in this space only you will be trying to understand the X, in this case X Y Z portion and let
us define the various parameters solar of the solar geometry and try to get our insolation estimate
model. Now, we shall try to connect the center of the earth to the center of the distant sun with a
line and that line is something like this, it is going on to the distant sun. Now I have placed it at
an arbitrary angle you can see.

Now, with respect to this line connecting the center of the earth to centre of the Sun, let us see
how the declination would appear. I have now included an equatorial plane which cuts a right
across through the globe at the equator as you can see. Now, this equatorial plane will become
the reference plane for us and we shall measure the angle of declination with respect to that. I
have now included a plane, a meridional plane which goes in such a way that it just goes through
the line which is connecting to the Sun. This line can be called as the insolation line. So, this is
the meridional plane which is going through the insolation line. I shall now draw the angles that
represents both declination and the hour angle.

(Refer Slide Time: 04:35)

Consider this figure and consider this angle which I have marked between the equatorial plane
and the line joining the center of the earth to center of the Sun. So, this is termed δ and we know
that δ from the eccentric view point is nothing but the declination. There is another angle here I
am going to introduce, the angle between this coordinate axis and the point this meridional plane
on which lies this line joining the center of the earth to the center of the Sun, that is the isolation
line we call it ω and ω is called the hour angle. The reason that it is called our angle is, because it
is directly related to the time of the day. This insolation line will move from east to west this is
because earth is rotating about its polar axis and it will appear as though this insolation line is
moving from east to west every 4 minutes one meridional plane will be traversed or 1º longitude
is traversed every 4 minutes and the ω is an indication of that traversal.

So in this 3D coordinate system, let me remove this insolation line and this meridional plane and
define the axis of the coordinate system. So, I have removed those two items which is an
meridional axis and the insolation line and we now have the plane coordinate a system. This axis,
we shall call the meridional axis. The reason being that I would like to choose this longitude, this
meridian as the point of interest. Let me emphasize that by putting a meridional plane here.

I have now included this Meridian meridional plane, this is the meridian of interest and the axis
coordinate axis which is in line with this longitude is called M or the meridional axis. This
coordinate axis orthogonal to the meridional axis, this axis will be called east of the meridian and
the one going vertically up is called the polar axis P, so this will be the polar axis P, this will be E
east of the meridian and this would be the meridional axis.

(Refer Slide Time: 07:46)

Let us now consider the solar geometry using a 2D graphic system. I am using inkscape for 2D
graphics. The visualization that we just now had using the 3D graphic system will help you to
visualize the entire solar geometry in a 2D graphics based system. So, we have these 3 axes here
as shown. The vertical axis is called P that is called the polar axis and earth is rotating about the
polar axis.
Now this earth has been chopped off, a quarter of the northern hemisphere has been chopped off
as can be seen. Now a coordinate axis is shown here and this is going out of the page and that is
orthogonal to both the other two axes but it is passing through this plane, this meridional plane.
So, when you want to consider a point of interest on the surface of the earth it will be associated
with the latitude and the longitude the longitude is the meridian.

So consider that particular meridian which is related to the point of interest, as the meridian of
interest and let this axis cut through that particular meridian and we will call this axis as M, the
meridional axis. So, it is actually the meridional axis of the meridian of interest. So, whichever is
the meridian of interest let a line be drawn from the center of the earth along the equatorial plane
cutting the meridian of interest and coming out of the page like this and that is the meridional
axis.

The third axis orthogonal to both the meridional axis and the polar axis is basically east of this
meridian and as it is just east of this meridian, we just named it as e representing east of the
meridian. Now let us draw a line joining the center of the earth to the center of the Sun, this line
is eventually going to the center of the distant Sun and that is the insolation line which represents
the incident radiation from the Sun. Any vector or any line is now considered with respect to this
plane, this plane is called the equatorial plane. So the equatorial plane, the three coordinate axes
that is the polar axis, maternal axis and the Eastern Meridian axis together form the earth centric
coordinate system with the origin positioned at the center of the earth.

Now from the insolation line, let me draw an arc like this and it is actually a projection onto the
equatorial plane and you have two important angle, one of the angle is this and this we have
known the angle of the insolation line with respect to the equatorial plane is δ which is the
declination. The other is on the equatorial plane, the angle from the meridian, so the angle from
this meridional axis up to the projection of the insolation line on the equatorial plane and that is
called ω or the hour angle.

Going back to the 3D visualization, now let us shrink this meridional plane so that it is in line
with the earth radius. So like this, now that is the meridian of interest and restoring all the other
parts. We know how the system like this. Now, let us consider a point of interest on this
meridional plane, let us say some point like this as pointed by at the cursor. Let me draw a line
from center of the earth right through the point of interest. Like this, you see that this line goes
to the point of interest here on the surface of the earth and that line continues down to the center
of the earth. The coordinate system that we have been discussing till now is with respect to this
as 000 the cursor is pointing to the origin. This is the earth centric coordinate system, where you
had the pole axis, the east of the meridian and the meridian axis.

Now this is the local point which we are interested now, someone is standing here. Now, the line
passing through the local point and the center of the earth intersecting at a specific latitude and
longitude here will become the 00 origin for the local coordinate system. Now let us say we
place a tangential plane here, we place the tangential plane here to indicate the coordinate system
at the locality and you see that we have placed a plane here at the locality, the locality point as
the origin, tangentially to the meridional plane.

So to get a better visualization if I move it like this, now you see that this plane here is tangential
to the meridional plane and it is tangential to that line passing through the through the locality.
So, this angle probably would give you a better visualization. Probably, if I move it in this
fashion, you will get a visualization of this plane. Now, this plane is called the horizon plane.
Important note, you see that this is the equatorial plane and this plane is called the horizon plane.

This plane is the horizon planes specific to this latitude, it is orthogonal to this line which is
joining this latitude point to the centre of the earth and the coordinate system for that latitude is
referred with respect to this reference plane which is the horizon plane. Now, let us write down
the coordinate system for this latitude and we call this one as local centric coordinate system.
Remember, this coordinate system which we have written down is the earth centric co-ordinate
system. Now, you have another coordinate system which is focused in this horizon plane and
relative to this horizon plane and is called the local centric coordinate system.

(Refer Slide Time: 15:56)

Let us define the coordinate axis of this locality with reference to this horizon plane. First this
axis the one which is normal to the horizon plane going right from the centre of the earth through
the locality and straight up the vertical line we shall call that as Z representing zenith. So, this is
the zenith axis which is just going normal to the horizon plane as going vertically up. So, that is
one axis the other axis is along the meridian tangential to the meridian going down south.

So, this line which goes tangential to the meridional plane going down south along the horizon
plane will be denoted as S. The S coordinate system representing south. The third coordinate axis
is shown east as E, uppercase E to distinguish between the lowercase e which we used for the
earth coordinate system and this is East. Remember that this East uppercase each of the local
coordinate system and the east of the earth coordinate system are parallel and the point to the
same direction. So this forms the coordinate system of the locality.

(Refer Slide Time: 17:54)

Let me give you a 3D visualization. I am looking down from the North Pole polar axis straight
down. You see the horizon plane here located at tangential to the local point latitude, this is the
zenith taxes as pointed by the arrow, this axis is pointing south on the horizon plane and this axis
is pointing East on the horizon plane. We could probably take another view, something that is
something that is much more familiar to us.

We have written this kind of a viewpoint on the paper. This is the Zenith axis, this is the axis
pointing south on the horizon plane, this is the axis pointing East on the horizon plane. This is
the insolation line joining the local point to the center of the Sun. Now, observe that three
important parameters, this angle here is the latitude angle because this line joining center of the
earth to the local point here makes a angle equivalent to the latitude angle and this is the
insolation line and the angle that insolation line makes with the zenith axis is called the zenith
angle and if you take a point of insolation line project it down and that projection line makes an
angle with respect to the south axis on the northern plane and this angle is called the azimuth
angle. These are the important angles that you must keep in mind with respect to the local
geometry.

So, you see that in this figure, there are two important coordinate systems. The earth centric
coordinate system and the local centric coordinate system. So, these two coordinate system are
the important ones that we need to analyze and try to estimate the insolation at the local point.
So, let us see how we go about doing that. But, first let us try to consolidate this two coordinate
system on a 2D graphic system.

Let us go back to the 2D graphics. Let us draw a line from the center of the earth to the locality
of interest. This line will make an angle Ф to the equatorial plane and this angle is the latitude
angle. Now, from this point the locality point, you draw you extend the line straight up vertically
up and at the surface of the earth, let us how a plane which is tangential to the Meridian as shown
like this and this plane is exactly horizontal at the locality is called the horizon plane.

Now, on this horizon plane will be the new coordinate system which is the local centric
coordinate system. Remember the earth centric coordinate system which was with respect to the
equatorial plane. You had the P polar axis, the east and the meridional axis. Now, at the locality
here with respect to the horizon plane, this axis exactly vertical up is called the zenith axis Z and
south going south exactly south on the horizon plane, we will call it as axis S and going east this
axis is called just East. To distinguish from the earth centric coordinate system I will use upper
case for the local centric coordinate system. Let us now draw the insolation line from the locality
point to the center of the Sun extends to the center of the Sun. So, this insolation line will make
an angle to the vertical axis or the zenith axis. Now this angle is called θz and this is called the
zenith angle.

The angle that the insolation line makes with the vertical axis at the locality the zenith axis at the
locality is called the zenith angle. There is one more term, so you consider a point on the
insolation line, drop a vertical projection onto the horizon plane and this line on the horizon
plane connecting the projected point to the local centre and the south axis, so this angle is called
the azimuth angle γS.

So these are all the variables that you will use in estimating the insolation at this locality point.
Remember, there are two coordinate systems, the earth centric coordinate system and the local
centric coordinate system. In the earth centric coordinate system, the important variables are δ
the declination, the hour angle ω and in the case of the local centric coordinate system, two
important angles are the zenith angle θz and the ultimate angle γS.