Hourly Output Data |

| Displaying Hourly Output Data
When you run simulations in the "saving hourly data" mode, or after setting preferences to save hourly data as described below, Solar Advisor stores a set of hourly performance data in a text file. The model provides several options for viewing the hourly data:
• | In Windows, you can display hourly data in either Excel or DView directly from Solar Advisor.
• | In both Windows and Mac OS, you can export hourly data to comma-separated text files or to the clipboard.
• | In both Windows and Mac OS, you can open the simulation output data file directly in a text editor, spreadsheet program, or other software that can read tab-delimited text files.
The hourly data for all options is for the "base case" input data, or based on values of input variables visible on the input pages. Solar Advisor does not store hourly performance data for additional simulations for parametric or other analysis configurations that require multiple simulations. Each time you run simulations, Solar Advisor stores data from the simulation in a .out file generated by the simulation engine. Solar Advisor displays a subset of the data from this file when you display the case summary data directly in Excel or DView, and when you export the case summary data to a file or the clipboard. You can open the .out file directly to see the complete set of hourly data generated by the simulation engine. To view case summary data:
• | Click the Export and view data button to open the Export Data window, or
• | Click an option on the Results menu.
To view the simulation data (Windows and Mac OS):
1. | On the File menu, click Preferences.
2. | In the SAM Preferences window, check Save TRNSYS hourly data, list, and log files.
3. | Click to specify an easy-to-find folder where you want Solar Advisor to save the files.
4. | Click Close.
5. | On the File menu, click Clear Cached Simulations.
6. | Click Run.
Solar Advisor saves the files in the folder you specified with the extension .out.
7. | Open the file using any program that can read tab-delimited text files, such as Excel, DView, or a text editor.
The hourly data folder is named with the extension .out. The naming convention is technology.hourly.out:
• | Dish-Stirling systems: dish.hourly.out
• | Photovoltaic systems: pv.hourly.out
• | Parabolic trough systems: trough.hourly.out
• | Power Tower systems: tower.hourly.out
| Parabolic Trough Empirical Hourly Variable Descriptions
Table 37. Hourly data variable names and explanations for parabolic trough systems.
Variable name | Units | Description
--- | --- | ---
E_dump | MW | solar electric generation in excess of power plant maximum output
E_gross | MW | gross total electric generation
E_min | MW | solar electric generation below minimum power plant output
E_net | MW | net electric energy production (gross parasitics)
E_parasit | MW | total parasitics for entire system
Epar_OffLine | MW | total offline parasitic losses
Epar_OnLine | MW | total online parasitic losses
Q_abs | W/m2 | absorbed energy
Q_dni | MW | solar radiation incident on the collector
Q_dump | MW | the amount of energy dumped (in excess of turbine and storage)
Q_from_ts | MW | energy from thermal storage
Q_gas | MW | gas thermal energy Input
Q_hftFpHtr | MW | HTF freeze protection from auxiliary heater
Q_htfFPTES | MW | HTF freeze protection from thermal energy storage
Q_nip | W/m2 | measured beam radiation
Q_SF(MW) | MW | solar field thermal output (availability factor not applied)
Q_to_PB | MW | energy to the power block
Q_to_ts | MW | energy to thermal storage
Q_ts_Full | MW | energy dumped because the thermal storage is full
Q_tur_SU | MW | the energy needed to startup the turbine
QSF_Abs | MW | absorbed energy for the solar field
QSF_HCE_HL | MW | receiver heat losses for the solar field
QSF_nipCosTh | MW | measured beam radiation cosine theta
QSF_Pipe_HL | MW | piping heat losses for the solar field
QTS_HL | MW | energy losses from thermal storage
TIME | none | hour of the year
TOUPeriod | none | time of use periods (1 through 6)
| Photovoltaic Systems Hourly Variable Descriptions
Table 38. Hourly data variable names and explanations for photovoltaic systems.
Variable Name | Units | Description
ACPower | kW | AC power at inverter output, not derated
AmbTemp | °C | ambient temperature
CellTemp | °C | cell temperature
DCPower | kW | DC power at array output, not derated
GlobHozRad | kW/m2 | global horizontal radiation
IncBeamRad | kW/m2 | incident beam radiation
IncDiffRad | kW/m2 | incident diffuse radiation
IncTotRad | kW/m2 | incident total radiation
InvEff | none | inverter efficiency by hour
InvPartLoad | none | inverter part load efficiency by hour
TIME | none | hour of the year
Windspd | m/s | wind speed