Software MeanPTC
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The Scope
Programma MeanPTC is a tool for computing the frequency distribution of the incidence angle on the mirrors composing a given solar
linear collector, parabolic-trough or linear Fresnel, as well as the frequency distribution of the acceptance angle of the receiver viewed by each point
of reflection.
The Software
MeanPTC is C++ written and provided with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) based on Qt library; the graphs of the frequency distribution of incidence and acceptance
angle are drawn by means of the Qwt library.
The software is distributed as open-source, under the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation version 3.
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Screenshot of software MeanPTC
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The software and all additional information about the software such as installation guide how to use software and formulas used can be requested writting to ours contact mail. The software can be downloaded here.
Input parameters required for the computation are:
- time (UT hour, day, month, year, difference TT-UT);
- geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude);
- pressure;
- temperature.
The last two parameters are used to compute the correction due to the atmospheric refraction.
The accuracy depends on the chosen algorithm: the most accurate one has a maximum error lower than 0.003°.
You can download the C++ header file containing the algorithms. The file (Sun_position_algorithms.h) is given with a short introduction (Sun_position_intro.pdf), where the algorithms are described and the use of the functions defined in the header file is illustrated. The material can be freely disseminated.
A more technical description of the algorithms can be found in:
R. Grena, Five new algorithms for the computation of sun position from 2010 to 2110, Solar Energy, vol. 86 (2012), pages 1323-1337.
(This paper should be cited if the algorithms are used in published scientific work).
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Authors: Marco Montecchi (Project Leader), ENEA TERIN
Roberto Grena, ENEA TERIN
Irena Balog, ENEA TERIN
Giampaolo Caputo, ENEA TERIN
Alberto Mittiga, ENEA TERIN
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