Design and implementation of a Sun tracker with a dual-axis single motor for an optical sensor-based photovoltaic system

The dual threats of energy depletion and global warming place the development of methods for harnessing renewable energy resources at the center of public interest. Solar energy is one of the most promising renewable energy resources. Sun trackers can substantially improve the electricity production...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2013-03, Vol.13 (3), p.3157-3168
Main Authors: Wang, Jing-Min, Lu, Chia-Liang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative energy sources
Control algorithms
Control theory
Controllers
Design engineering
dual-axis Sun tracker
Electric Power Supplies
Electricity
energy gain
Energy resources
feedback control theory
Humans
light dependent resistor
Photovoltaic cells
photovoltaic panel
Radiation
Renewable Energy
Renewable resources
Sensors
Solar cells
Solar Energy
stand-alone PV inverter
Sun
Tracking
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Summary:The dual threats of energy depletion and global warming place the development of methods for harnessing renewable energy resources at the center of public interest. Solar energy is one of the most promising renewable energy resources. Sun trackers can substantially improve the electricity production of a photovoltaic (PV) system. This paper proposes a novel design of a dual-axis solar tracking PV system which utilizes the feedback control theory along with a four-quadrant light dependent resistor (LDR) sensor and simple electronic circuits to provide robust system performance. The proposed system uses a unique dual-axis AC motor and a stand-alone PV inverter to accomplish solar tracking. The control implementation is a technical innovation that is a simple and effective design. In addition, a scaled-down laboratory prototype is constructed to verify the feasibility of the scheme. The effectiveness of the Sun tracker is confirmed experimentally. To conclude, the results of this study may serve as valuable references for future solar energy applications.
ISSN:1424-8220
1424-8220
DOI:10.3390/s130303157