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Novel high efficient offline sensorless dual-axis solar tracker for using in photovoltaic systems and solar concentrators

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  • Fathabadi, Hassan

Abstract

In this study, a novel high accurate offline sensorless dual-axis solar tracker is proposed that can be widely used in photovoltaic systems and solar concentrators. The offline estimated data extracted from solar map equations are used by the tracker to find the sun direction where the maximum value of solar energy is captured. The solar tracker has been built, and it is experimentally verified that 19.1%–30.2% more solar energy can be captured depending on the seasons by utilizing the tracker. The contribution of this work is that the proposed offline sensorless dual-axis solar tracker not only has a very simple structure with a fabrication cost much less than sensor based solar trackers but also high accurately tracks the sun direction with a very small tracking error of only 0.43° which is less than the other sensorless and sensor based dual-axis solar trackers reported in the literature excluding the sensor based dual-axis solar trackers equipped with expensive sensors mounted on high accurate mechanical carriers. Furthermore, unlike all sensor based solar trackers, since the technique is offline, the proposed tracker does not use any feedback signal, and thus, its operation is independent from external disturbances and weather conditions such as cloudy sky.

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  • Fathabadi, Hassan, 2016. "Novel high efficient offline sensorless dual-axis solar tracker for using in photovoltaic systems and solar concentrators," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 485-494.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:95:y:2016:i:c:p:485-494
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2016.04.063
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Daraban, Stefan & Petreus, Dorin & Morel, Cristina, 2014. "A novel MPPT (maximum power point tracking) algorithm based on a modified genetic algorithm specialized on tracking the global maximum power point in photovoltaic systems affected by partial shading," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 374-388.
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    6. Fathabadi, Hassan, 2016. "Novel fast dynamic MPPT (maximum power point tracking) technique with the capability of very high accurate power tracking," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 466-475.
    7. Fathabadi, Hassan, 2015. "Lambert W function-based technique for tracking the maximum power point of PV modules connected in various configurations," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 214-226.
    8. Tina, Giuseppe Marco & Gagliano, Salvina & Graditi, Giorgio & Merola, Angelo, 2012. "Experimental validation of a probabilistic model for estimating the double axis PV tracking energy production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 990-998.
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    Cited by:

    1. Satué, Manuel G. & Castaño, Fernando & Ortega, Manuel G. & Rubio, Francisco R., 2020. "Power feedback strategy based on efficiency trajectory analysis for HCPV sun tracking," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 65-76.
    2. Nurzhigit Kuttybay & Ahmet Saymbetov & Saad Mekhilef & Madiyar Nurgaliyev & Didar Tukymbekov & Gulbakhar Dosymbetova & Aibolat Meiirkhanov & Yeldos Svanbayev, 2020. "Optimized Single-Axis Schedule Solar Tracker in Different Weather Conditions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-18, October.
    3. Grażyna Frydrychowicz-Jastrzębska & Artur Bugała, 2021. "Solar Tracking System with New Hybrid Control in Energy Production Optimization from Photovoltaic Conversion for Polish Climatic Conditions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-26, May.
    4. Badr, Farouk & Radwan, Ali & Ahmed, Mahmoud & Hamed, Ahmed M., 2022. "An experimental study of the concentrator photovoltaic/thermoelectric generator performance using different passive cooling methods," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 1078-1094.
    5. Carlos Morón & Daniel Ferrández & Pablo Saiz & Gabriela Vega & Jorge Pablo Díaz, 2017. "New Prototype of Photovoltaic Solar Tracker Based on Arduino," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-13, August.
    6. Fathabadi, Hassan, 2020. "Novel solar collector: Evaluating the impact of nanoparticles added to the collector’s working fluid, heat transfer fluid temperature and flow rate," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 1165-1173.
    7. Garrido, Ruben & Díaz, Arturo, 2016. "Cascade closed-loop control of solar trackers applied to HCPV systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 689-696.
    8. Salgado-Conrado, Lizbeth, 2018. "A review on sun position sensors used in solar applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 2128-2146.
    9. Talavera, D.L. & Muñoz-Cerón, Emilio & Ferrer-Rodríguez, J.P. & Pérez-Higueras, Pedro J., 2019. "Assessment of cost-competitiveness and profitability of fixed and tracking photovoltaic systems: The case of five specific sites," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 902-913.
    10. Hammad, Bashar & Al-Sardeah, Ali & Al-Abed, Mohammad & Nijmeh, Salem & Al-Ghandoor, Ahmed, 2017. "Performance and economic comparison of fixed and tracking photovoltaic systems in Jordan," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 827-839.
    11. Fathabadi, Hassan, 2019. "Solar energy harvesting in buildings using a proposed novel electrochemical device as an alternative to PV modules," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 118-125.
    12. Shitao Wang & Yi Shen & Junbing Zhou & Caixia Li & Lijun Ma, 2022. "Efficiency Enhancement of Tilted Bifacial Photovoltaic Modules with Horizontal Single-Axis Tracker—The Bifacial Companion Method," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-22, February.
    13. Moon Keun Kim & Khalid Osman Abdulkadir & Jiying Liu & Joon-Ho Choi & Huiqing Wen, 2021. "Optimal Design Strategy of a Solar Reflector Combining Photovoltaic Panels to Improve Electricity Output: A Case Study in Calgary, Canada," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-18, May.

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