9/3/2016

PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS OF

BUILDING SCIENCE
MODULE 1: SOLAR GEOMETRY

Dr. E. RAJASEKAR
Architecture and Planning

Module Contents

 Earth – Sun relationship

 Sun-path diagrams
 Solar time and Local time
 Solar radiation
 Design Implications

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The Earth – Sun Relationship

 Climate of earth is driven by the energy input from the Sun

 For designers there are two essential aspects to understand:

1. The apparent movement of the sun (the solar geometry) and

2. The energy flows from the sun and how to handle it (exclude it or
make use of it)

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 Earth moves around the sun on a slightly elliptical orbit

 Axis is tilted by 23.5o

Angle between the earth’s equatorial plane and

the earth–sun line (Declination) varies

+23.45o on June 22 (Northern solstice)

0o on March 21 and Sept. 22 (Equinox dates)
−23.45o on December 22 (Southern solstice) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/North_season.jpg

Heliocentric view

Tropic of Cancer

Equator

Tropic of Capricorn

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For building problems the loco-centric view proves helpful

Observer’s position is at the centre of the sky hemisphere

Sun’s position can be determined by two angles

Altitude : Measured upwards from the horizon

Azimuth: measured in the horizontal plane from north

𝐴𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 = arcsin(𝑠𝑖𝑛. 𝐷𝐸𝐶 × sin. 𝐿𝐴𝑇 + 𝑐𝑜𝑠. 𝐷𝐸𝐶 × cos. 𝐿𝐴𝑇 × 𝑐𝑜𝑠. 𝐻𝑅𝐴)

𝑐𝑜𝑠. 𝐿𝐴𝑇 × 𝑠𝑖𝑛. 𝐷𝐸𝐶 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠. 𝐷𝐸𝐶 × sin 𝐿𝐴𝑇 × cos 𝐻𝑅𝐴
𝐴𝑧𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 = arccos
𝑐𝑜𝑠. 𝐴𝐿𝑇

𝐷𝐸𝐶 = 0.33281 − 22.984 × 𝑐𝑜𝑠. 𝑁 + 3.7872 × 𝑠𝑖𝑛. 𝑁 − 0.3499 × cos 2𝑁

+0.03205 × sin 2𝑁 − 0.1398 × cos 3𝑁 + 0.07187 × sin(3𝑁)

𝑁𝐷𝑌
𝑁=2 × 𝜋 × (radians) (NDY = number of day of year)
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𝐻𝑅𝐴 = 15 × (ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟 − 12)

DEC : Declination
HRA: Hour angle from solar noon, 15o/hr

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Location: Srinagar (Lat: 34.1oN; Long: 74.8oE)

Summer Solstice Equinox Winter Solstice

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Location: Trivandrum (Lat: 8.5oN; Long: 76.9oE)

Summer Solstice Equinox Winter Solstice

Sun-path Diagrams

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Srinagar Trivandrum
Stereographic Lat: 34.1oN Lat: 8.5oN
Projection Long: 74.8oE Long: 76.9oE

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Solar Time and Local Time

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 The time used on solar charts is solar time

 Coincides with local clock time only at the reference longitude of each time zone

 Reference longitude of India – 82.3o E

 Every 15o longitude band gives one hour difference (360/24=15)

 Every degree longitude means a time difference of 4 mins (60/15=4)

Example : Mumbai vs. Dibrugarh

Mumbai : 73oE longitude

(west of India’s reference longitude by 9o30’)
Dibrugarh : 95oE longitude
(east of India’s reference longitude by 12o30’)

Equation of time correction:

Depends on the day of year considered
For instance: 26th January = -13’; 26th October = +16’

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Example : Mumbai vs. Dibrugarh

Mumbai : 73oE longitude

(west of India’s reference longitude by 9o30’)
Dibrugarh : 95oE longitude
(east of India’s reference longitude by 12o30’)

Considering 26th January

Local solar noon at Mumbai occurs 51’ later than Indian standard time
12:00 - (12:00 – 38’ – 13 = 11:09) = 51’

Local solar noon at Dibrugarh occurs 37’ earlier than Indian standard time

Solar Radiation

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Measured in two ways

Irradiance (W/m2) : instantaneous flux or energy flow density

Irradiation (Wh/m2) : energy quantity integrated over specific time period

 Sun’s surface is at a temperature of some 6000oC

 Peak of its radiant emission spectrum is around the 550nm wavelength

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Solar_Spectrum.png

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Large variations in irradiation amongst different locations on the earth, for three
reasons

Angle of incidence : according to the cosine law

Atmospheric depletion : a factor varying between 0.2 and 0.7, mainly because
at lower altitude angles the radiation has to travel along
a much longer path through the atmosphere

Duration of sunshine : i.e. the length of daylight period

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Srinagar
Lat: 34.1oN
Long: 74.8oE

Trivandrum
Lat: 8.5oN
Long: 76.9oE

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Sol-Air Temperature

Sol-air temperature (Tsol-air) is the hypothetical temperature of outdoor air which, by convection
and conduction only, would result in the same rate of heat transfer to a building surface as is
accomplished by the combined effects of the actual air temperature and solar radiation.

Tsol-air = Tout + (a*I)/ho

Where;
Tout – outside temperature in oC
a – absorptivity of the surface (taken as 0.4 in this case for a light coloured surface)
I – global solar irradiance (W/m 2)
h0 – heat transfer co-efficient for radiation and convection (W/m 2K)

Typical Sol-Air Temperature

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Effect of reflective coating and shading on Sol-Air Temperature

Design Implications

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Location: Srinagar (Lat: 34.1oN; Long: 74.8oE)

Winter Solstice Summer Solstice

Location: Trivandrum (Lat: 8.5oN; Long: 76.9oE)

Winter Solstice Summer Solstice

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Location: Srinagar (Lat: 34.1oN; Long: 74.8oE)

Location: Trivandrum (Lat: 8.5oN; Long: 76.9oE)

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RECAP

 Earth – Sun relationship

 Sun-path diagrams
 Solar time and Local time
 Solar radiation
 Design Implications

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