FIGURE 8.5 The spectral distribution of the solar irradiance as a function of wavelength. The dotted line is the extraterrestrial irradiance
and the solid line is the clear-sky ground-level irradiance for an overhead sun.
Energy and the Environment
James A. Fay / Dan S. Golomb
Copyright © 2011 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
FIGURE 8.6 The ratio of daily diffuse to total radiation as a function of the ratio of daily total to extraterrestrial radiation, showing that cloudiness
increases the diffuse portion of total radiation.
Energy and the Environment
James A. Fay / Dan S. Golomb
Copyright © 2011 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
FIGURE 8.7 Annual average solar irradiance on a fixed flat plate collector (south facing, tilt angle = latitude) as a function of location in
the contiguous United States. The gray scale shading covers the range of 170270 W/m2, northeast to southwest.
Energy and the Environment
James A. Fay / Dan S. Golomb
Copyright © 2011 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
FIGURE 8.8 A flat plate collector absorbs incident sunlight on a thermally conducting collector plate that is cooled by a flow of liquid
delivering the absorbed heat to a storage tank. A glass cover plate reduces the heat loss to the ambient environment.
Energy and the Environment
James A. Fay / Dan S. Golomb
Copyright © 2011 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
FIGURE 8.9 The characteristics of solar heat collection systems as a function of collector area: (a) annual heat collection
and (b) capital cost.
Energy and the Environment
James A. Fay / Dan S. Golomb
Copyright © 2011 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
FIGURE 8.10 A focusing mirror (Dm) concentrates the solar irradiance I (dashed lines) on a smaller collector (Di) located at the focal point
of the mirror.
Energy and the Environment
James A. Fay / Dan S. Golomb
Copyright © 2011 by Oxford University Press, Inc.