Simplified clear sky model for direct and diffuse insolation on horizontal surfaces

Technical Report · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6510849· OSTI ID:6510849

Bird, R. E.; Hulstrom, R. L.

A detailed comparison was made between five simple broadband models for clear sky global insolation. Compared models were those of Atwater and Ball, Davies and Hay, Watt, Hoyt, and Lacis and Hansen. A sixth simple model, called the Bird model, has been formulated by using parts of these five models and by comparison with the results from three rigorous radiative transfer codes. All of the simple models provide results that agree within < 10% with the three rigorous codes when the sun is in the zenith position. The Bird and Hoyt models agree within 3% with each other and with the results of the rigorous codes. However, the Bird model is easier to implement and has broader application than the Hoyt model.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 6510849
• Report Number(s): SERI/TR-642-761
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140100* -- Solar Energy-- Resources &amp; Availability
AEROSOLS
COHERENT SCATTERING
COLLOIDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTER CODES
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
DIFFUSE SOLAR RADIATION
DIRECT SOLAR RADIATION
DISPERSIONS
FLUIDS
GASES
GLOBAL ASPECTS
INFORMATION
INSOLATION
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUMERICAL DATA
OZONE
RADIATIONS
RAYLEIGH SCATTERING
SCATTERING
SOLAR FLUX
SOLAR RADIATION
SOLS
STELLAR RADIATION
THEORETICAL DATA
VAPORS
WATER VAPOR