Mobile sensor for clouds shadow detection and direct normal irradiance estimation

This paper presents a mobile sensor system to detect and estimate low direct normal irradiance (DNI) areas caused by clouds shadows. This work proposes using a team of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to localise and characterise the shadow of mobile clouds. This information can be used by the plant...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Solar energy 2022-05, Vol.237, p.470-482
Main Authors: Aguilar-López, José M., García, Ramón A., Sánchez, Adolfo J., Gallego, Antonio J., Camacho, Eduardo F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algorithms
Cloud computing
Clouds
Computer applications
Computing time
Control systems
DNI
Irradiance
Mobile Sensor
Multi-robot
Shadows
Solar energy
Spatial solar radiation estimation
UAV
Unmanned aerial vehicles
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Summary:This paper presents a mobile sensor system to detect and estimate low direct normal irradiance (DNI) areas caused by clouds shadows. This work proposes using a team of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to localise and characterise the shadow of mobile clouds. This information can be used by the plant control system to minimise its effects over a solar plant. Simulations to test and discuss the algorithm are presented. The work presented here obtains a similar degree of precision as far as the estimation of the shape of the cloud shadow is concerned but with a much faster computational time than other algorithms described in literature. •Multi-UAV system to locate regions with low DNI values caused by clouds shadows.•Estimation of shadows sun-blocking characteristics through DNI measurements.•The simulations of the effects of the clouds shadow over a solar power plant.•Algorithm tested in different cases and conditions: number of UAVs, shadows speed.
ISSN:0038-092X
1471-1257
DOI:10.1016/j.solener.2021.12.032