Solar Energy Thermal Systems: A Web Course By: in This Module 25, Lecture Nos. 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 Deal With

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Principles and Performance of Solar Energy Thermal Systems: A Web Course by


V.V.Satyamurty
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MODULE 25 Lecture Nos: 38


Passive Architecture, Overhangs and wing walls
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In this Module 25, Lecture Nos. 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 deal with
Lecture 38

25.4 UN-UTILIZABILITY
25.5 OVERHANGS AND SHADING FACTOR

Lecture 38

25.4 UN-UTILIZABILITY

When heating by passive means through a window shaded by an overhang (or wing wall) or a direct
gain window, the concept of “unutilizability” is introduced.Un-utilizability may be defined as the ratio of
solar radiation below a certain critical level to the total solar radiation. This critical level, as has been
defined earlier, is the solar radiation level needed to maintain the room at the comfort level. Thus the
radiation above this level heats the room more than needed and hence not useful
In terms of the utilizability, we have already defined, the un-utilizability on different time scales is
related by,
un  1   (25.2)

un  1   (25.3)

In other words, the solar radiation falling on the window above the critical level corresponding to the
comfort level is un-utilizable. Methods to calculate utilizability on different time scales have already been
discussed in earlier Modules.

25.5 OVERHANGS AND SHADING FACTOR

Indirect cooling by wing walls and /or overhangs is achieved by shading the surface which otherwise
receives solar radiation.

The effectiveness is indicated by the ratio of solar radiation falling on a shaded surface to the solar
radiation falling on the unshaded surface.

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Even though in depth procedures to calculate solar radiation falling on a surface of general orientation
( both short term and long term ), the calculation for shaded surfaces is complicated because the shadow
shape and area changes with time during the day and from day to day.

Types of Shadows

Accurate, yet simple relations and procedures have been developed by Rahman [29] and a simpler
version is available in [58].

The procedure simply involves estimating the solar radiation falling on an unshaded surface and
multiplying the value with a ‘shading factor’.

Shading factor can be defined as the ratio of the lit area of the surface by the total area of the surface.

Shading factor has already been explained with reference to Fig. 25.1 defined by Eq. (25.1)

Though, the instantaneous fi is defined straightforward, the long term factor is complicated, an order
of magnitude more than evaluating Rb , owing to change in the geometrical shape of the shadow, from
rectangle, to trapezium and to triangle.

Long term shading factor may be defined as,

ss

 I b Rb f i d 
sr
fi  ss
(25.4)
 I b Rbd 
sr

When evaluated under extra-terrestrial conditions, as has been done in evaluating the Rb , the above
equation simplifies to
ss

 G0 Rb fi d
sr
f io  ss
(25.5)
 G0 Rbd
sr

As has been shown in the case of Rb , extra terrestrial calculation shall be exact, if the hourly clear ness
index is uniform, not necessarily equal to unity.

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