Sun-tracking Photovoltaic System Research Articles

Investigation of the feasibility and potential use of sun tracking solutions for concentrated photovoltaic Case study Fez Morocco

This paper investigates the requirements, the feasibility and reliability of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) with trackers in Fez city (Morocco) climate. In a first step, an appropriate sun tracker for a CPV prototype is design-simulated and then, based on finite element analysis, the effect of wind velocity distribution induced charge on the global structure (tracker and CPV module) is investigated for several elevation angle of the CPV unit. For all the investigated configurations, the maximum simulated misalignment still negligible, and is estimated to 4.6 × 10−6°, for a wind speed of 3.3 m/s. As a result, it is anticipated that the examined high CPV system (HCPV) will works safely under these effects. In a second step, using a home-developed Python code, and geometrical solar equations, calculations have been performed to estimate the diffuse, the direct and the global irradiations in this location. Ultimately, the energy performance of the system using System Advisor Model (SAM) software is carried out and compared to some on site real measurements. This simulation process led to a rigorous evaluation of the potential energy production with a tracked CPV panel, proving its viability in Fez Morocco. It also shows the level of accuracy of at least 0.5° that sun-tracking photovoltaic systems are necessary to maintain the least amount of power yield loss, especially for CPV facilities. This research will also serve as a valuable guide for the future sun-tracking CPV system.

Changes of Photovoltaic Performance as a Function of Positioning Relative to the Focus Points of a Concentrator PV Module: Case Study

This article examines the positioning features of polycrystalline, monocrystalline, and amorphous silicon modules relative to the focus points of concentrator photovoltaic modules under real meteorological conditions using a dual tracking system. The performance of the photovoltaic modules mounted on a dual-axis tracking system was regarded as a function of module orientation where the modules were moved step by step up to a point where their inclination differed by 30° compared to the ideal focus point position of the reference concentrator photovoltaic module. The inclination difference relative to the ideal focus point position was determined by the perfect perpendicularity to the rays of the sun. Technology-specific results show the accuracy of a sun tracking photovoltaic system that is required to keep the loss in power yield below a defined level. The loss in power yield, determined as a function of the measurement results, also showed that the performance insensitivity thresholds of the monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous silicon modules depended on the direction of the alignment changes. The performance deviations showed clear azimuth dependence. Changing the tilt of the modules towards north and south showed little changes in results, but inclination changes towards northwest, southwest, southeast, and northeast produced results diverging more markedly from each other. These results may make the planning of solar tracking sensor investments easier and help with the estimate calculations of the total investment and operational costs and their return concerning monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous silicon photovoltaic systems. The results also provide guidance for the tracking error values of the solar tracking sensor.

Techno-economic optimization and real-time comparison of sun tracking photovoltaic system for rural healthcare building

This paper studies the optimum sizing and techno-economic feasibility of photovoltaic systems for rural healthcare building located in a south Indian State, Tamil Nadu, which experiences tropical weather climate. In this study, fixed tilt, annual optimum tilt (AOT), and six other sun tracking installation types are analyzed using hybrid optimization of multiple energy resource (HOMER) energy to understand the power generation potential. As a first step, weekly and monthly optimum tilt angles and AOT are estimated for the study location. The selection of the optimum configuration is arrived with the lowest values of initial cost, operating cost, total net present cost, and levelized cost of energy. It has been found that AOT with fixed installation is the optimum configuration for the study location. However, the performance would vary when the system is put to operate in practical conditions. In order to understand the varying performance, a prototype model is implemented for horizontal axis sun tracking system. The performance of the prototype is analyzed as per the varying real-time weather conditions for four days typically considering the sandstorm day, cloudy day, clear day, and partially cloudy day.

Mechatronic design and implementation of a two axes sun tracking photovoltaic system driven by a robotic sensor

In the study presented in this paper , the problem of the design and implementation of a two-axis sun tracking system was addressed by applying a set of two robotic systems, one for the automatic orientation of the photovoltaic modules and the second for providing the reference trajectory (robotic sensor). The design methodology was based on mechatronic concepts, in particular the VDI 2206 standard, according to which the system is divided into interconnected modules to be designed, validated, and integrated. This approach provides an efficient energy collection system in terms of the mechanism, instrumentation system, energy supply, and automatic trajectory tracking control. Experimental results illustrate the behavior of the proposed system, which achieves a better performance than fixed systems, as well as one-axis tracking mechanisms.

The Effects of Inclined Angle Modification and Diffuse Radiation on the Sun-Tracking Photovoltaic System

The photovoltaic (PV) system with an East–West sun tracker can obtain 10–35% additional radiant energy, compared with optimally tilted fully static arrays. The relationship between solar interarray spacing and the plus irradiance at different times obtained by sun tracking were studied and discussed. In three locations with different diffuse radiation ratios, the tracking efficiency of the East–West sun-tracking PV system with different interspacing was computed and analyzed. Considering the inclined angle modification of the PV module surface, the power gains of the PV module with four different glasses were analyzed for their tracking systems in different interarray spacing. In addition, experiments of tracking systems were designed in Changzhou, China, to verify the theoretical irradiance calculation model. In addition, reasonable tracking angle routes based on interspacing between solar arrays were optimized to get the maximum power output in limited space.

Analysis of fixed tilt and sun tracking photovoltaic–micro wind based hybrid power systems

In this study fixed tilt and sun tracking photovoltaic based micro wind hybrid power systems are analyzed along with determining the optimum configurations for a 6kWp roof mounted micro wind based hybrid system using fixed and tracking photovoltaic systems to enhance the power generation potential in a low windy Indian hilly terrain with good solar resource. The main objective of the study is to enhance power generation by focusing on photovoltaic component of the hybrid system. A comparative power generation analysis of different configurations of hybrid systems with fixed tilt, monthly optimum tilt, yearly optimum tilt and 6 different sun tracking photovoltaic systems is carried out using Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables. Monthly and seasonal optimum tilt angles determined for the location vary between 0° and 60° with annual optimum tilt angle as 29.25°. The optimum configurations for all sun tracking systems except for the two axis tracking system is found to be 7kWp photovoltaic system, one 5kWp wind turbine, 10 batteries and a 2kWp inverter. The optimum configuration for two axis tracking system and two types of fixed tilt systems, is found to be a 8kWp photovoltaic system, one 5kWp wind turbine, 10 batteries and a 2kWp inverter. The results show that horizontal axis with monthly adjustment, horizontal axis with daily adjustment, horizontal axis with continuous adjustment and two axis tracking system generate 4.88–26.29% more energy per year than the existing fixed tilt photovoltaic system. The cost of energy is found to be more for two axis tracking than all tracking systems and fixed tilted photovoltaic system. However, two axis tracking is found to be more advantageous than other systems despite higher costs to maximize power output of the hybrid systems. The methodology followed can be applied to improve the power generation potential of photovoltaic–micro wind based hybrid systems for any location worldwide.

An insight on advantage of hybrid sun–wind-tracking over sun-tracking PV system

This paper introduces the design and application of a novel hybrid sun–wind-tracking system. This hybrid system employs cooling effect of wind, besides the advantages of tracking sun for enhancing power output from examined hybrid photovoltaic cell. The principal experiment focuses on comparison between dual-axes sun-tracking and hybrid sun–wind-tracking photovoltaic (PV) panels. The deductions based on the research tests confirm that the overall daily output energy gain was increased by 49.83% compared with that of a fixed system. Moreover, an overall increase of about 7.4% in the output power was found for the hybrid sun–wind-tracking over the two-axis sun tracking system.

Performance comparison of a double-axis sun tracking versus fixed PV system

In the present study, performance results of two double axis sun tracking photovoltaic (PV) systems are analyzed after one year of operation. Two identical 7.9kWp PV systems with the same modules and inverters were installed at Mugla University campus in October 2009. Measured data of the PV systems are compared with the simulated data. The performance measurements of the PV systems were carried out first when the PV systems were in a fixed position and then the PV systems were controlled while tracking the sun in two axis (on azimuth and solar altitude angles) and the necessary measurements were performed. Annual PV electricity yield is calculated as 11.53MWh with 1459kWh/kWp energy rating for 28 fixed tilt angle for each system. It is calculated that 30.79% more PV electricity is obtained in the double axis sun-tracking system when compared to the latitude tilt fixed system. The annual PV electricity fed to grid is 15.07MWh with 1908kWh/kWp for the double axis sun-tracking PV system between April-2010 and March-2011. The difference between the simulated and measured energy values are less than 5%. The results also allow the comparison of different solutions and the calculation of the electricity output.

BIPV prototype for the solar insolation calculation

Purpose Renewable energy components such as Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) often influence the aesthetic quality of a building adversely and hence need to be analyzed for their impact on building form and aesthetics. This becomes crucial especially in the case of a sun-tracking photovoltaic system. Moreover, there is a need to propose a reasonably accurate but quick system to estimate the amount of solar insolation received by a given location. Both the visualization of BIPV’s movement and the solar insolation calculation can be integrated into a Building Information Model (BIM) to help design professionals to assess the feasibility of various solar photovoltaic options. Method A solar insulation model proposed by Kumar and Umananda is used to develop a BIPV prototype in a BIM platform (Autodesk Revit). A graphical user interface is developed to input the time and location information. Results & Discussion A BIPVprototype is developed to calculate solar position and determine the amount of solar insolation from given time and location information. The proposed model can be integrated into BIM to automatically calculate the solar position and the amount of solar insolation based on user inputs of time and location. We plan to compare this prototype with PV F-chart method. We will also research the use of Modelica for creating PV-component models and integrating the PV-modeling into thermal and daylight modeling.

Aluminum alloy laboratory clamps

In the present study, performance results of two double axis sun tracking photovoltaic (PV) systems are analyzed after one year of operation. Two identical 7.9 kWp PV systems with the same modules and inverters were installed at Mugla University campus in October 2009. Measured data of the PV systems are compared with the simulated data. The performance measurements of the PV systems were carried out first when the PV systems were in a fixed position and then the PV systems were controlled while tracking the sun in two axis (on azimuth and solar altitude angles) and the necessary measurements were performed. Annual PV electricity yield is calculated as 11.53 MW h with 1459 kW h/kWp energy rating for 28 fixed tilt angle for each system. It is calculated that 30.79% more PV electricity is obtained in the double axis sun-tracking system when compared to the latitude tilt fixed system. The annual PV electricity fed to grid is 15.07 MW h with 1908 kW h/kWp for the double axis sun-tracking PV system between April-2010 and March-2011. The difference between the simulated and measured energy values are less than 5%. The results also allow the comparison of different solutions and the calculation of the electricity output.