Validation of Theory of Qualitative Effect of Total Solar Eclipse on Power Generation of Solar Power Plant

Stability and functionality of equipment is highly dependent on the process variables and inherent response of the system elements to changes in the same. Equipment is designed considering certain known risks so that slight deviation in the process variables should not hinder the functioning largely. In case of solar power plants, the key risk areas hindering the power output are cloud cover, untidy surfaces of solar panels and short circuits due to overheating at scattered locations. But in addition to these, solar eclipse is a rarely occurring event which has the potential to cause severe damages to the power plant. According to an established theory, during the eclipse, there is a stall in the power output as the solar radiation is covered by the moon but as the eclipse passes the totality, one can expect a sudden surge in the incoming solar radiation which bears the potential to destabilize the power generation system. This paper intends to validate the theory by quantification and analysis of data collected during a solar eclipse in the yesteryear. The data collected during the eclipse will be compared to that collected on a consecutive day without an eclipse to confirm the surge in solar radiation once the eclipse totality is passed. This data can be helpful for solar power plant design, selection according to power generation capacity and occupational equipment safety in context of emergency preparedness and response. Gourav Vivek Kulkarni "Validation of Theory of Qualitative Effect of Total Solar Eclipse on Power Generation of Solar Power Plant" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-4 | Issue-4 , June 2020, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd31541.pdf Paper Url :https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/mechanical-engineering/31541/validation-of-theory-of-qualitative-effect-of-total-solar-eclipse-on-power-generation-of-solar-power-plant/gourav-vivek-kulkarni