Solar Geometry

Concepts and Principles

University of Oregon January 16, 2007

Environmental Control Systems I Winter 2007

WORKSHOP REMINDER
Sun Angle Calculator Friday, January 19 Baker Lab (235 Pacific) 12:00 -12:30 Dianne Ahmann

Cluny Museum, Paris, France

Courtyard in Cambridge, UK

Sundial in near the Campo di Fiore, Rome, Italy

Rustic sundial in Heritage Park Calgary, Canada

The Solar Cat Book, Jim Augustyn

SOLAR RADIATION COMPONENTS

Plane of the ecliptic (equatorial plane)

DECLINATION

+23

-23

LATITUDE
Latitude is related two angles, measured in degrees, "minutes of arc" and "seconds of arc" denoted by the symbols [ , ', " ]

Eugene 44 7' N

LONGITUDE or MERIDIANS Earth rotates about axis in 24 hours (360o/24 hrs), 15o/hour
Eugene 123 13' W

GREENWICH

LOOK-UP Latitudes and Longitudes

http://www.bcca.org/misc/qiblih/latlong.html

U.S. TIME ZONES

WORLD TIME ZONE MAP

TRIVIA QUESTION
How can someone on an east coast state call a person on a west coast state and it be the same time?

Suns position determined by . . .

ALTITUDE

AZIMUTH

ALTITUDE of the sun at solar noon:

altitude = 90 latitude + or - declination

Rectilinear sunpath chart

Equidistant sunpath chart

Sunpeg diagram

If you are located on the WEST side of magnetic variation zero (Michigan) - the compass will point to the EAST of true north.

SOLAR SOUTH
Defined by the position of the sun at solar noon Marks the center of symmetry for the daily solar path Differs from magnetic South by the magnetic deviation value Plan South is totally arbitrary

SOLAR TIME depends on:

Speed around the sun (equation of time) Location within the longitude Daylight savings time

Calculate solar time:

Solar time = Local time + E + 4 (Lst - Lloc) (E = equation of time)

Eugene = 123oW longitude Minneapolis = 93oW longitude

EQUATION of TIME

Stone ruins of the Tholos Delphi, Greece

38 separate exposures (and 1 foreground exposure) were recorded on a single piece of film between January 12 and December 21 at 6:00 am

The Solar Cat Book, by Jim Augustyn Ten Speed Press, 1979

CONVENTIONS
Azimuth angle is usually measured from South (in architecture) but sometimes from the North South is always solar South (not magnetic South or plan South) Altitude angle is measured from the horizontal Times are always solar times

Baker Lab ShadowTracker

Water Resources Control Board Sacramento, CA

PROFILE ANGLE
Shadow Angle Architects Angle conceptual
The angle cast by the leading edge of an exterior shading device at particular times of the day, in a plane normal to the building.

SHADING DEVICE DESIGN

Shading design using trigonometry

SHADING PERFORMANCE
Historic (and useful) performance metric Shading Coefficient (SC)
SC = solar heat gain to a building through glazing x solar heat gain to a building through reference glazing

SC
SC is dimensionless (percent or decimal value) SC applies only to glazing (not frame) Reference glazing is single, clear glass SC may be found in manufacturers literature, from handbooks (ASHRAE), or derived from calculations Overall SC may be assembled
SC total = (SC1)(SC2)(SC3)

SHADING PERFORMANCE
New (and also useful) performance metric Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)
SHGC = The fraction of solar radiation admitted through a window or skylight, both directly transmitted, and absorbed and subsequently released inward

SHGC
SHGC is dimensionless (percent or decimal value) SHGC applies to glazing and frame/mullions SHGC is a measured value (National Fenestration Rating CouncilNFRCtests products) Overall SHGC is a problematic issue SHGC SC SHGC (SC)(0.87)

NFRC