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

Technical Report · Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 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. (SERI), Golden, CO (United States)
• 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
INSOLATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
AEROSOLS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTER CODES
DATA COMPILATION
DIFFUSE SOLAR RADIATION
DIRECT SOLAR RADIATION
GLOBAL ASPECTS
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
OZONE
RAYLEIGH SCATTERING
THEORETICAL DATA
WATER VAPOR
COHERENT SCATTERING
COLLOIDS
DATA
DISPERSIONS
FLUIDS
GASES
INFORMATION
NUMERICAL DATA
RADIATIONS
SCATTERING
SOLAR FLUX
SOLAR RADIATION
SOLS
STELLAR RADIATION
VAPORS
140100* - Solar Energy- Resources &amp; Availability