Dual-axis Tracking System Research Articles

Manufacturing of Low-Cost Parabolic Dish Concentrators with Manual Dual-Axis Tracking

The increased rate of energy crises around the world results in expanding the role of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technology for different applications, comprising heating process and power generation applications. The Parabolic Dish Concentrator (PDC) with its large concentration ratio and its modular capacity attracts researchers’ efforts. In this research work, we have designed and developed a PDC with back silvered mirrors as reflector material. Then we have sized the following geometric parameters: the dish diameter, the focal length, the aperture area, the rim angle, the geometric concentration ratio, the receiver material, and the receiver diameter. Furthermore, a dual-axis manual tracking system has been built for this PDC. It should be mentioned that the different components of the PDC have been recycled from a scrap yard to develop a low-cost PDC system. Finally, we have investigated the temperature evolution as a function of time at the focus spot. The maximum temperature obtained is 112 °C for the PDC with mirror. The findings of the study reveal the possibility of building a low-cost solar concentrator with good performance and high quality, only by employing recycled materials, and it could be operated in various applications.

A novel technique of schedule tracker for parabolic dish concentrator.

Tracking is important in a system that harnesses solar energy. Single axis tracking mechanism is cheaper and simple to develop but because of the limitation of tracking axis, this system is less efficient than dual axis. Dual-axis tracking systems necessitate a large number of equipment, sensors, motors, and a lengthy computer program to function properly. Therefore, in the present study, a novel method of solar tracking has been discussed where each tracking point has the impact of both the azimuth and altitude angle at a single point. This method is an average axis tracking method (AATM). HelioScope software was used to extract the hourly solar altitude and azimuth angles for each day and month for the site of Bhopal, India. The average method was then used to get the hourly average solar tracking angle (ASTA) for each month. The parabolic dish concentrator was designed in SolidWorks to apply and simulate the newly developed tracking points on SolTrace software. The graphical analysis was presented along with proper validation of the proposed method, and the single and dual axes were compared with AATM. The graphical study shows that the average axis tracking points have a smoother slop of wave than the single axis. From June to September, the proposed method's error was estimated between 0.85 and 0.95. It can be concluded that by making slight adjustments to the seasonal angle, this error could be minimized and the concept could be successfully applied to a parabolic dish or a solar PV system.

Estimation of the Effective Irradiance and Bifacial Gain for PV Arrays Using the Maximum Power Current

Bifacial photovoltaic modules are able to convert the solar radiation reaching their front and rear sides, which means that more electricity can be produced using the same array area as monofacial modules with similar ratings. In some locations, the cost per power unit for such a technology has already become cost-competitive with conventional monofacial modules. The so-called effective irradiance and the bifacial gain are useful metrics, respectively, to assess the solar resource and the performance of bifacial arrays. To calculate the effective irradiance, studies previously published employ rear-side irradiance measurements, whereas to compute the bifacial gain, other works make use of monofacial modules with rating similar to those of the bifacial modules under analysis. In this article, a straightforward method is presented, allowing to calculate the effective irradiance from the maximum power current, and to calculate the bifacial gain using a power scaling relation. The proposed method was experimentally tested using an outdoor platform with a dual-axis tracking system with bifacial modules. The effective irradiance was calculated using the novel method presented nRMSE of 2.88%, relative to the results obtained using the consolidated method. The bifacial gains obtained were 6.24% and 6.69%, respectively, using the proposed and traditional calculation methods. The procedure presented in this study might be useful for the quantification of the effective irradiance and the bifacial gain for PV installations, which do not have extensive monitoring hardware.

Enhanced Performance of Combined Photovoltaic–Thermoelectric Generator and Heat Sink Panels with a Dual-Axis Tracking System

The photovoltaic panel has become the most promising alternative technology for energy demand. Solar trackers have been used to improve the efficiency of a photovoltaic panel to maximize the sun’s exposure. In high temperatures, however, the photovoltaic efficiency is significantly reduced. This study observes photovoltaic/thermoelectric generator performance driven by a dual-axis solar tracking system. A photovoltaic/thermoelectric generator panel was built and equipped with angle and radiation sensors. A microcontroller processes the sensor signal and drives the motor to follow the sun’s movement in two-axis directions. Thermocouples are mounted on the photovoltaic and thermoelectric generator surfaces to monitor the temperature. The result shows that the temperature of the photovoltaic/thermoelectric generator is lower than that of the photovoltaic one. However, a contradiction occurred in the output power. The efficiency of the combined photovoltaic/thermoelectric generator was 13.99%, which is higher than the photovoltaic panel at 10.64% and the thermoelectric generator at 0.2%. The lower temperature in the photovoltaic/thermoelectric generator is responsible for increasing its performance. Although the thermoelectric generator contributes modest efficiency, its role in reducing the temperature is essential. Analyses of some cooling techniques for photovoltaic panels prove that the combined thermoelectric generator and heat sink improves photovoltaic performance with simplified technology.

Optimalisasi Daya Output Pada Photovoltaic Penggunakan Sistem Tracking dan Fuzzy Logic Controller

Photovoltaic is one of the environmentally friendly power plants. One of the problems using photovoltaic is the low efficiency level. Therefore, a method is needed to optimize photovoltaic performance. The use of fuzzy logic control for dual axis tracking system is used in this study to optimize photovoltaic performance. The dual axis tracking system functions to keep the photovoltaic always perpendicular to the direction of the sun's arrival so that it has more optimal output power. The input of the tracking system comes from the LDR sensor which is installed on each side of the Photovoltaic. This sensor is combined with RTC to anticipate weather changes (cloudy). LDR and RTC sensor data as input for fuzzy logic controller. Based on the results of the research, the output power of the Photovoltaic tracking system is 9.363 Watts or 46.82% of the Photovoltaic specifications. Meanwhile, static photovoltaic with conventional installation has a power of 7.247 Watt or 36.23% of the specification. So that Photovoltaic with fuzzy logic control for dual axis tracking system is 29.20% more optimal.

The Current Status of Photovoltaic Panel Power Peak Point Tracking System

As contemporary technologies progress, traditional energy sources have become increasingly constrained by limited resources and environmental concerns. Consequently, there has been a substantial push for the widespread adoption of new energy sources, which offer abundant resources, superior energy quality, and environmental cleanliness. Among these sources, solar energy has gained significant prominence as a key component in the development of new energy in various nations. However, enhancing the power generation efficiency and optimizing the power peak point capture of photovoltaic panels represents a crucial area of current research focus. This article first introduces the principle and structure of the photovoltaic system. Further, the paper proposed the application of artificial intelligence in dual-axis tracking technology and offers a detailed solution for the efficient tracking of power points. Through research, artificial intelligence has optimized parameters in the dual-axis tracking system through remote operation technologies such as WIFI modules so that the dual-axis tracking system can efficiently track the power peak point of the photovoltaic board.

Technical, Economic and Environmental Comparison of Three Different Grid-Connected PV Tracking Systems Power Plant Under Kurdistan Region/Iraq Climate Condition

In this paper, a 1 MW grid-connected PV system was performed and simulated numerically in Zakho city, using hourly meteorological data for three systems; fixed, single-axis, and dual-axis tracking systems for solar module. The analysis of this study is based on technical, economic, and environmental feasibility. The analysis based on the actual 3 PV solar panels using different tracking systems which installed on the roof of the Engineering college of Zakho University. The evaluation findings suggest that PV technology is quite promising in this location, with annual yield factors of (1416 kWh/kW), (1694 kWh/kW), and (1902 kWh/kW) for the three systems, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed system's capacity factors are 16.2 percent, 19.3 percent, and 21.70 percent. The economic growth of a 1MW grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system adjusted for meeting the daily peak load in Zakho is analyzed and compared based on the cost of electricity (COE), net present value (NPV), payback period (PBP), and the energy payback time (EPBT) for three systems in the present work. The COE for the three proposed systems, fixed, 1st axis, and dual axes solar tracking systems, was 0.0826 USD/kWh, 0.0489 USD/kWh, and 0.0441 USD/kWh, respectively, which indicated the tracking system is economically feasible. The findings indicate a favorable trend, implying that large-scale photovoltaics of dual-axis systems might be a feasible option for addressing future power needs.

Developing Smart Self Orienting Solar Tracker for Mobile PV Power Generation Systems

Photovoltaic (PV) devices are one of the most renewable energy sources in demand globally. To harvest the maximum possible energy output from PV panels, it is necessary to orient them in a position where the sunray can fall on them perpendicularly. In this paper, an autonomous dual-axis smart solar tracking system is designed and implemented for positioning PV panels in a way that would make them generate the highest achievable energy output automatically anywhere in the world. The designed tracking system is built based on a mathematical model which is integrated with a microcontroller (μC), a Global Positioning System (GPS), a digital compass, and a gyro orientation sensor. The designed system provides a smart solution to accurately track the sun at a minimum power budget to increase the overall efficiency of PV panels. The suggested model is implemented and tested using 50 W PV panels, and it is empirically tested in the Middle East region of Baghdad, IRAQ. For further evaluation, it is also tested using simulated tracking data collected from three different regions Berlin, Singapore, and Sydney. This was done by selecting a city above the Tropic of Cancer, a city below the Tropic of Capricorn, and a city within the tropical region near the Equator. The obtained results confirmed that the developed system can track the sun in any region around the world, optimizing power consumption by operating the tracker within specific intervals that enables mustering maximum possible power of PV panels while ensuring minimum power consumption by the tracking system. The developed tracking system expended a mere 0.62% to 0.68% of the energy gain made.

Comprehensive Methodology to Evaluate Parasitic Energy Consumption for Different Types of Dual-Axis Sun Tracking Systems

A dual-axis sun tracking system is an essential strategy to maximize the optical efficiency of harnessing solar energy. However, there is no significant study yet to optimize the net performance of the photovoltaic (PV) or concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) system equipped with a dual-axis sun tracking system. Parasitic energy loss associated with the power consumption of the sun tracking system is one of the major concerns for the solar industrial players. To address this issue, a comprehensive methodology has been developed to evaluate the yearly cumulative range of motion for dual-axis sun tracking systems in the cases of with and without fixed parking positions across the latitudes ranging from 45°N to 45°S. The parasitic energy consumptions have been investigated for three selected types of dual-axis sun tracking systems, i.e., the azimuth-elevation sun tracking system (AE-STS), polar dual-axis sun tracking system (PD-STS), and horizontal dual-axis sun tracking system (HD-STS). The simulated results indicate that the dual-axis sun tracking system with the nonfixed parking (or stow) position has lower yearly cumulative parasitic energy consumption with respect to the sun tracking system with a fixed parking position. Lastly, our simulation result has shown that the parasitic energy consumption of the sun tracking is relatively smaller to that of the electrical energy generated by the concentrator photovoltaic system with the ratio between 0.15% and 0.29% for AE-STS, between 0.15% and 0.30% for PD-STS, and between 0.17% and 0.35% for HD-STS.

Solar Tracking System with New Hybrid Control in Energy Production Optimization from Photovoltaic Conversion for Polish Climatic Conditions

This paper presents a comparison of the 24-month production of electricity and momentary power by two photovoltaic systems with a nominal power of 1000 Wp each. The analyzed systems are connected to the power grid and operate independently: a fixed system with optimal all-year-round angular positioning and an astronomical-sensor-controlled dual-axis tracking system. The systems under consideration consist of PV modules with a unit electrical power of 200 Wp, and the production technology of those modules is the same. The tested systems were located on the building rooftop of the Faculty of Control, Robotics and Electrical Engineering of the Poznan University of Technology in Poland (Central Poland, 52°24.4152′ N, 16°55.7958′ E) at a height of 30 m above ground level. The measurements take into account the consumption of electricity by the actuators of the dual-axis positioning system. Increases in the produced electricity by 35.6% and 44.7% were observed for local climatic conditions during the first and second measuring years, respectively, when comparing the use of the dual-axis tracking system with the use of fixed units. Results show that the analyzed region of central Poland, represented by the city of Poznań, creates favorable climatic conditions for the use of astronomical-sensor spatial positioning systems for photovoltaic modules, also in the case of a significant share of diffuse solar radiation in the global value. These results may make the planning of solar tracking investments easier and help with the estimate calculations of the total investment return period and operational costs.

Techno-economic potential assessment of mega scale grid-connected PV power plant in five climate zones of Pakistan

The industrial sector is of great importance for the economic development of any country. The current energy crisis in Pakistan is the major obstacle to its economic growth. Diesel generator is used as reliable backup power source in many industrial and commercial applications during load shedding hours, which increases the cost of energy per kWh and environmental emissions. The grid-connected PV plants increase the share of solar energy in the power grid toreduceenvironmental emissions. The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the techno-economic assessment of mega-scale grid-connected PV plants for the industrial sector in Pakistan's five climate zones. Based on energy injected into the gird, payback period and GHG emission reduction, a detailed technical, economic, and environmental analysis is conducted by using the PVsyst software. This study concludes that PV plants for all five climatic zones are technically, economically, and environmentally feasible but Quetta (Zone-C) is the most feasible location with the highest annual generation 4441 MWh, highest capacity utilization factor 20.3%, lowest cost of energy 0.026 USD/kWh and lowest payback period 3.2 years for fixed tilt orientation. The designed system has the potential to reduce 39442.5 tCO2 emissions over its lifetime, resulting in a green environment. When compared to a fixed tilt system, the energy produced yearly by a single axis tracking system is 5.7% higher, while the energy produced yearly by a dual axis tracking system is 34.3% higher. Moreover, the validation of simulation results with actual results collected from an installed 2.5 MW solar plant at a cement factory in Fateh Jang (Zone-B), shows that actual plant performance is closely matched with simulation results. This study provides guidelines for researchers and policymakers to identify acceptable location-based PV technologies for the industrial sector.

Optimization of Photovoltaic Array Orientation and Performance Evaluation of Solar Tracking Systems

In recent years, solar energy has received tremendous attention in accordance with the global efforts in moving towards clean energy generation. A solar tracking system shifts the position of solar panel following the Sun's movement, allowing more energy to be harvested. This paper aims to evaluate the performance of solar tracking system in Malaysia, including the east-west single-axis tracking system, north-south single-axis tracking system, vertical axis tracking system, and dual-axis tracking system. The periodical tilt angle adjustment of fixed-tilt photovoltaic system is also investigated to optimize its performance. A mathematical model is formulated to compute the amount of solar radiation collected in a photovoltaic system and the optimization model is solved using genetic algorithm to determine the optimal tilt and azimuth angles for maximum solar radiation yield. Based on the results, PV system with dual-axis solar tracker has 22.14 % more solar radiation collected compared to the fixed-tilt system, while monthly tilt angle adjustment improves the yield by 2.15 %.

A feasibility study of the 1.5-axis tracking model in utility-scale solar PV plants

Many solar tracking technologies have been developed with the aim of improving the energy performance of solar PV installations. Among these, single-axis tracking (SAT) systems give good economic prospect for ground-mounted PV plants but experience inevitable power loss when the trackers diverge from the incident solar irradiance during winter. The 1.5-axis tracking (1.5AT) model is developed in recent years to achieve a balance between the benefits and shortcomings of the SAT and dual-axis tracking (DAT) systems. Despite the anticipated superiority of the 1.5AT, there is a lack of literature on the methodology to analytically study the potential and feasibility of the 1.5AT model, especially from a global perspective. In this paper, a comprehensive feasibility study has been conducted to evaluate the energy performance and shading analysis of the 1.5AT model. The developed methodology serves as a general benchmark to explore the prospects of the 1.5AT model at different geographical locations and seasons. This encourages further research and deployment of the 1.5AT model as a potential alternative to improve the return of investment for various PV system stakeholders.

Model Development and Validation of a Dual-Axis PV Tracking System: A Case of South Africa

Dual axis photovoltaic (PV) tracking system is considered in general to be a poor investment. This is mainly due to the substantial initial investment costs that these systems carry. However, in recent years, solar panels and accompanying component costs have decreased significantly. Additionally, electricity price hikes in South Africa have compelled most of the country’s citizens to reconsider their sources of electrical energy. A popular alternative to grid energy in South Africa is the use of photovoltaic systems. Careful consideration is required when choosing from the various systems available on the market. The main method for maximizing the output power of these systems is to introduce solar tracking systems. Therefore, in this paper, a model of a dual axis tracking system is developed and validated against a real-world plant in the Bloemfontein region in South Africa. The presented model was observed to be accurate to within an error rate of 6.39%. Additionally, the performance of the inverters of the PV tracking systems were evaluated and discussed. The validated model may prove to be an excellent tool for energy managers to determine the feasibility of such systems, compared to conventional photovoltaic setups.

The Impacts of Tracking System Inaccuracy on CPV Module Power

The accuracy and reliability of solar tracking greatly impacts the performance of concentrator photovoltaic modules (CPV). Thus, it is of utmost significance to know how deviations in tracking influence CPV module power. In this work, the positioning characteristics of CPV modules compared to the focus points were investigated. The performance of CPV modules mounted on a dual-axis tracking system was analysed as a function of their orientation and inclination. The actual experiment was carried out with CPV cells of 3 mm in diameter. By using a dual tracking system under real weather conditions, the module’s position was gradually modified until the inclination differed by 5° relative to the optimal position of the focus point of the CPV module. The difference in inclination was established by the perfect perpendicularity to the Sun’s rays. The results obtained specifically for CPV technology help determine the level of accuracy that solar tracking photovoltaic systems are required to have to keep the loss in power yield under a certain level. Moreover, this power yield loss also demonstrated that the performance insensitivity thresholds of the CPV modules did not depend on the directions of the alterations in azimuthal alignment. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that earlier, no information had been found regarding the tracking insensitivity point in CPV technologies. A further analysis was carried out to compare the yield of CPV to other, conventional photovoltaic technologies under real Central European climate conditions. It was shown that CPV needs a sun tracking accuracy of at least 0.5° in order to surpass the yield of other PV technologies. Besides providing an insight into the tracking error values of solar tracking sensors, it is believed that the results might facilitate the planning of solar tracking sensor investments as well as the economic calculations related to 3 mm cell diameter CPV system investments.

Design and development of an optical system for obtaining fixed orientation of concentrated sunlight for indoor applications

A novel apparatus has been designed, simulated and fabricated to harness solar energy for indoor solar cooking and day lighting purposes. Herein, a fixed orientation collimated beam of concentrated sunlight has been achieved irrespective of the sun’s position using three optical components, viz. concentrator, reflector and collimator with a dual axis tracking system. Two different designs were simulated using optical ray tracing simulations and the optical output was compared. The first design uses a paraboloidal reflector while the second design uses a Fresnel lens as concentrator. Simulation results show that the first design employing paraboloidal reflector has 52.5% optical loss just after the collimator and 52.9% loss at a 4 m distance from the collimator. Similarly, the second design has 50.6% optical loss just after the collimator and 61.8% loss at a 4 m distance from the collimator. The prototype of the Fresnel lens-based design with automatic dual axis tracking was fabricated and the system was tested from morning to evening. Stationary focal spot was observed throughout the day irrespective of the sun’s position demonstrating the feasibility of the system for transporting solar energy for indoor applications. Optical loss of the prototype system was measured and was compared with the simulation results. Optical loss for the prototype just after the collimator was found to be 61.6% which is in good agreement with the simulation results. Thus, the developed novel system can be used as an alternative and clean source of energy for indoor solar cooking and day lighting applications.

Fabrication and Development Low Cost Dual Axis Solar Tracking System

Solar energy is gaining importance day by day as an energy resource. By sun tracking we can increase the electric energy of solar panel. When the solar panel is perpendicular to the sun’s rays it receives more sunlight. This paper about follow the sunlight direction across the sky by using a DC motor(satellite motor), the LM324 IC control the movement of DC motor by this the solar panel will change their position, solar panel detects the sunlight using four light dependent resistors (LDRs). The objective is to design and implement an automatic solar-tracking mechanism using an embedded system design with minimum cost and reliable structure. The results presented in this review confirm that the azimuth and altitude dual axis tracking system is more efficient compared to other tracking systems.

Design of parabolic solar dish tracking system using arduino

This paper demonstrates the designing parameters of a solar parabolic dish prototype for rustic areas with great solar irradiance rate availability, where have no access of electricity services or low-income people survives to buy a stove (electric or gas). The solar parabolic dish prototype intends a solution against these types of remedies and pursues solar light to work. The parabolic dish has a polished surface, where the solar radiations fall and collected at a single concentrated focal point. At this point the collected form of energy is used to derive different thermal applications like as; cooking & heating with single and dual axis schemes. This paper discusses the important stages of dual axis prototype; implementation, solar location strategy, the analysis in terms of theory, structural design & material. The dual axis prototype is implemented through the help of Arduino chipboard that is easily in maintenance, along with that this prototype is configured with anti-lock H-bridge (L298) module to overcome the control circuit complexity and AVR modules. Two rotational motors of 12V are installed on 4*4ft designed aluminum frame with a dual-axis tracking system. The jerks among trackers are also reduced with this prototype which maintains the experimental declination angle about .To finish, this paper results that parabolic solar dish tracker obtains 3.43% improved power efficiency in comparison of photovoltaic panel tracker.

Evaluation of Photovoltaic Solar Power of a Dual-Axis Solar Tracking System

In this research project, a tip-tilting angle of a photovoltaic solar cell was developed to increase generated electrical power output. An active, accurate, and simple dual-axis tracking system was designed by using an Arduino Uno microprocessor. The system consisted of two sections: software and apparatus (hardware). It was modified by using a group of light-dependent resistor sensors, and two DC servo motors were utilized to rotate the solar panel to a location with maximum sunlight. These components were arranged in a mechanical configuration with the gearbox. The three locations of the solar cell were chosen according to the tilt angle values, at zero angles, which included an optimal 33-degree angle for the Baghdad location and a variable angle with the dual-axis tracking system. For maximum value of the extracted solar energy, a photovoltaic solar panel that collects sunlight should be in normal position onto this radiation. Solar trackers relocated the panel toward the path of the Sun to ensure that the collector rotated at an optimal tilt angle. The results showed that the generated power at the dual-axis position was 3.384 watts per hour (W/h), the 33-degree angle yielded 2.237 W/h, and the zero-degree angle yielded 1.09 W/h. The results confirmed that the performance of a dual-axis solar tracking system is active and efficient.

Solar Panel Tracking System Using Optical Fiber

In this work we present a new method for the measurement of the light intensity for the solar panels with dual axis tracking system by using optical fiber to conduct the direct sunlight to the light dependent resistors (LDR). With this method we keep away the influence of the temperature on the photoresistors which measure the light intensity. The measurements with the proposed system was done at the same time and place with a classical system with the same configuration, but with the LDRs directly exposed to the sunlight. The results highlighted that, in cloudy conditions when the sunlight is not in direct path on the solar panels and suffers a high scattering, the optical fiber system is more efficient compared to the classical one with differences up to 18% in the generated power.