Very important.
A solar farm in Dubai consists of 1000 PV modules arranged in 20 rows and 50 columns facing south (AM=180∘) . The dimensions of each module are 1[m]×1.7[m] . The modules have been tilted at an angle of 15∘ in landscape orientation (with the longer edge touching the ground).
At 21 degrees altitude the sun's azimuth is 130 degrees. (9AM)
At 17 degrees altitude the sun's azimuth is 234 degrees.(4PM)
What is the minimum row spacing required to avoid mutual shading between 9AM and 4PM every day of the year?
To calculate the minimum row spacing required to avoid mutual shading between 9AM and 4PM every day of the year, we'll need to consider the position of the sun at these times and the dimensions of the solar farm.
Here's the step-by-step process to get the answer:
Step 1: Calculate the solar azimuth at 9AM and 4PM.
To determine the solar azimuth, we'll use the altitude and azimuth values provided at 9AM and 4PM. The solar azimuth is the angle between the north point and the sun's position in the horizontal plane.
- At 9AM, the solar azimuth is 130 degrees.
- At 4PM, the solar azimuth is 234 degrees.
Step 2: Calculate the horizontal and vertical shading distances.
The horizontal and vertical shading distances will help determine the minimum row spacing required.
- Horizontal shading distance: This is the distance between two adjacent columns in the same row. It can be calculated as the width of a module multiplied by the tangent of the solar azimuth difference at 9AM and 4PM:
Horizontal shading distance = 1m * tan(abs(130 - 234)) = 1m * tan(104)
- Vertical shading distance: This is the distance between adjacent rows. It can be calculated as the height of a module multiplied by the tangent of the solar altitude difference at 9AM and 4PM:
Vertical shading distance = 1.7m * tan(abs(21 - 17)) = 1.7m * tan(4)
Step 3: Calculate the minimum row spacing.
The minimum row spacing required is the sum of the vertical shading distance and half of the horizontal shading distance. This ensures that no mutual shading occurs between rows.
Minimum row spacing = Vertical shading distance + 1/2 * Horizontal shading distance
Plug in the values we calculated in Step 2:
Minimum row spacing = 1.7m * tan(4) + 1/2 * (1m * tan(104))
Now you can evaluate this expression to get the final answer.