Metadata-Version: 2.1
Name: bifacialvf
Version: 0.1.7
Summary: Bifacial PV system evaluation using view factor method
Home-page: https://github.com/NREL/bifacialvf
Author: Chris Deline
Author-email: chris.deline@nrel.gov
License: BSD
Description: [![License](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-BSD%203--Clause-blue.svg)](https://opensource.org/licenses/BSD-3-Clause)
        [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/NREL/bifacialvf.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/NREL/bifacialvf)
        
        # 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](https://www.anaconda.com/download/).
        
        ## Install using pip
        [bifacialvf](https://pypi.org/project/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:
        
        1. Clone the bifacialvf repository: `$ git clone https://github.com/NREL/bifacialvf.git bifacialvf-master`
        2. Navigate to the repository directory where `setup.py` is located: `$ cd bifacialvf-master`
        3. 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
        
        * [NumPy](https://www.numpy.org/)
        * [pvlib python](https://pvlib-python.readthedocs.io/en/stable/)
        
        
        ## 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`
        
Keywords: bifacial view factor photovoltaics pv
Platform: UNKNOWN
Classifier: Development Status :: 4 - Beta
Classifier: Intended Audience :: Science/Research
Classifier: License :: OSI Approved :: BSD License
Classifier: Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7
Classifier: Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6
Description-Content-Type: text/markdown
