bifacialvf - Bifacial PV View Factor model

python, configuration factor model

Original code by Bill Marion Python translation by Silvana Ayala Updates by Chris Deline

Based on the publication: "A Practical Irradiance Model for Bifacial PV Modules" B. Marion, S. MacAlpine, C. Deline, A. Asgharzadeh, F. Toor, D. Riley, J. Stein, C. Hansen 2017 IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Washington DC, 2017 URL: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy17osti/67847.pdf

Introduction

bifacialvf is a self-contained view factor (or configuration factor) model which replicates a 5-row PV system of infinite extent perpendicular to the module rows. The function returns the irradiance profile along the middle (interior) row by default, but user interface options include 'first', 'interior', 'last', and 'single'. Single-axis tracking is supported, and hourly output files based on TMY inputs are saved. Spatial nonuniformity is reported, with multiple rear-facing irradiances collected on the back of each module row.

Pre-requisites

This software is written for Python 2 or 3. NREL recommends Anaconda Python.

Install using pip

bifacialvf is at the Python Package Index (PyPI). Use pip to install the latest release in your conda environment or virtualenv:

(myenv)$ pip install bifacialvf

Install development mode from GitHub

For those interested in contributing to bifacialvf:

Clone the bifacialvf repository: $ git clone https://github.com/NREL/bifacialvf.git bifacialvf-master
Navigate to the repository directory where setup.py is located: $ cd bifacialvf-master
Install via pip in development mode: $ pip install -e .

Usage

import bifacialvf

bifacialvf.simulate(inputTMY, outputfile, tilt, azm, clearance, rowspacing)
(data, metadata) = bifacialvf.loadVFresults(outputfile)

For more usage examples, see the Jupyter notebooks in \docs\

Prerequisites

Main Functions

bifacialvf.simulate(
    TMYtoread, writefiletitle,  beta, sazm, C=1, D=0.5,
    rowType = 'interior', transFactor=0.01, cellRows=6,
    PVfrontSurface='glass', PVbackSurface='glass',  albedo=0.62,
    tracking=False, backtrack=False, r2r=1.5, Cv=0.05, offset=0)

This is the main runfile. Hourly TMY3 inputs are read, and an outputfile is saved with a number of irradiance points along the module chord specified by cellRows.

loadVFresults.loadVFresults(filename=None)

read in saved file from bifacialvf.simulate. If no filename is passed, a tkinter GUI opens for file selection

Subroutines

sun.py: Solar position and irradiance-related helper files including hrSolarPos, perezComp, solarPos, and sunIncident

vf.py: View Factor helper files to help with configuration-factor calculation 1-axis tracking and self-shading calculation. Subroutines include: getBackSurfaceIrradiances, getFrontSurfaceIrradiances, getGroundShadeFactors, getSkyConfigurationFactors, trackingBFvaluescalculator, rowSpacing

tcapelle/bifacialvf