A student calculates an optimal tilt angle of 45 degrees, for a given location. For this calculation, the student only considered direct beam irradiation and ignored the effects of the atmosphere. Whilst still ignoring clouds, how do you expect the optimal tilt angle will change if you take into account the influence of the atmosphere?
A)The optimal tilt angle will increase. This is due to a higher energy yield, caused by an increased sky view factor.
B)The optimal tilt angle will increase. This is because at lower sun altitudes, the atmosphere absorbs more light compared to higher altitudes.
C)The optimal tilt angle will decrease. This is due to a higher energy yield, caused by an decreased sky view factor.
D)The optimal tilt angle will decrease. This is because at lower sun altitudes, the atmosphere absorbs more light compared to higher altitudes.
Did you manage to find the right answer mate?
B) The optimal tilt angle will increase. This is because at lower sun altitudes, the atmosphere absorbs more light compared to higher altitudes.
To understand why this is the case, we need to consider how the atmosphere affects sunlight. When sunlight passes through the atmosphere, it interacts with gas molecules and particles in the air. These interactions cause the light to be scattered and absorbed, reducing its intensity. This effect is more prominent when the sun is lower in the sky, as the light must pass through a larger portion of the atmosphere.
By considering the influence of the atmosphere, it becomes evident that at lower sun altitudes, more of the sunlight is absorbed by the atmosphere and less reaches the Earth's surface. To compensate for this reduction in available sunlight, the optimal tilt angle for capturing sunlight will need to be increased. By increasing the tilt angle, solar panels or collector surfaces can effectively capture more sunlight even at lower sun altitudes, thus maximizing energy yield.
Therefore, the correct answer is B) The optimal tilt angle will increase because at lower sun altitudes, the atmosphere absorbs more light compared to higher altitudes.