SOLAR

TRACKING
High precision solar position algorithms,
programs, software and source-code for
computing the solar vector, solar coordinates &
sun angles in Microprocessor, PLC, Arduino,
PIC and PC-based sun tracking devices or
dynamic sun following hardware
Gerro Prinsloo, Robert Dobson
eBook:2014
ISBN: 978-0-620-61576-1
SOLAR TRACKING
FULL 152 PAGES WILL BE AVAILABLE
FOR DOWNLOAD ON THIS SITE
DURING IN THE NEXT MONTH
CONTENTS IN BRIEF
PART I SOLAR RESOURCE AND SOLAR RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION
1 The Sun as Solar Resource 3
2 Harnessing the Power of the Sun 23
3 Solar Tracking Platforms 41
PART II DETERMINING THE ANGLES OF THE SUN
4 Algorithms and Programs 63
5 Position and Angle Feedback Algorithms 75
6 Optical Detection and Following 83
PART III SOLAR TRACKING AUTOMATION
7 Solar Tracking Control 103
8 Tracking Automation and Integration 117
9 Performance Evaluation 127
10 Health and Safety Issues in Solar Tracking 147
PART IV SOLAR TRACKING RESOURCES
vii
11 Solar Tracking Online Resources
viii CONTENTS IN BRIEF
12 Solar Tracking Online Code Resources
153
CONTENTS
List of Figures xv
List of Tables xxiii
Foreword xxv
Preface xxvii
Acknowledgments xxxi
Acronyms xxxiii
Glossary xxxvii
List of Symbols xxxix
PART I SOLAR RESOURCE AND SOLAR RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION
1 The Sun as Solar Resource 3
1.1 Introduction 4
1.2 Solar Energy as a Natural Resource 4
1.3 Solar Trajectory 10
1.4 Solar Tracking in Simple Maths 12
ix
x CONTENTS
1.5 Solar Resource Distribution 17
1.6 Summary 20
2 Harnessing the Power of the Sun 23
2.1 Introduction 24
2.2 Harvesting Solar Thermal Energy 24
2.3 Harvesting Solar Energy with Cells 28
2.4 Harvesting Solar Energy with Solar Antenna 32
35
36
2.5 Solar Energy Capture vs Orientation
2.6 Summary
39
3 Solar Tracking Platforms 41
3.1 Introduction 42
3.2 Types of Solar Tracking Platforms 42
3.3 Solar Tracking Platforms 43
3.4 Manoeuvring the Solar Collector 53
3.5 Continuous Solar Tracking Principle 57
3.6 Summary 59
PART II DETERMINING THE ANGLES OF THE SUN
4 Algorithms and Programs 63
4.1 Introduction 64
4.2 Broad Overview of Sun Position Algorithms 64
4.3 Determining the Position of the Sun 64
4.4 Open Loop Sun Tracking 66
4.5 Sun Vector Calculation 66
4.6 Solar Position Algorithm (SPA) 68
4.7 Helios Code SPA 69
4.8 C Code SPA 70
4.9 Python SPA 70
4.10 Matlab SPA 70
71
72
73
73
4.11 Fortran Michalskys
4.12 Microcontroller Platforms
4.13 SolPos
4.14 Algorithms for Real Time Data
4.15 Location calculation 73
CONTENTS xi
4.16 Estimate of clear-sky radiation 73
4.17 Summary 74
5 Position and Angle Feedback Algorithms 75
5.1 GPS Coordinates 76
5.2 Real Time Clock 76
5.3 Encoder Angles 77
6 Optical Detection and Following 83
6.1 Optical Sun Tracking 84
6.2 Closed-loop Sun Tracking 84
6.2.1 Sun Tracking: Photodiodes and Transistors 84
6.2.2 Sun Tracking: Light Sensitive Resistors 86
6.2.3 Sun Tracking: Sun Sensor 87
6.2.4 Sun Tracking: Camera Image Processing 87
6.3 MEMS Sun Sensor 92
6.4 Image Processing System 93
6.5 Literature Study Motivation 100
PART III SOLAR TRACKING AUTOMATION
7 Solar Tracking Control 103
7.1 Solar Tracking Control 104
7.2 Electronic Control 104
7.3 Solar Tracking and Control Strategies 107
7.3.1 Open-loop Control 107
7.3.2 Solar Tracking Control Concept 109
7.3.3 Closed-loop Control 112
7.3.4 Hybrid-loop Control 113
7.4 Photovoltaic Maximum Power Point Tracking 115
7.5 Summary 116
8 Tracking Automation and Integration 117
8.1 Introduction 118
8.2 Automation Hardware Integration 118
8.3 Automation Platform Integration 122
8.3.1 Wiring the Mechatronic Platform 122
8.4 Conguration and Calibration 123
xii CONTENTS
8.4.1 Remote Control/Monitoring Capabilities 124
8.5 Summary 126
9 Performance Evaluation 127
9.1 Performance Evaluations 128
9.2 Dening Tracking Accuracy Measurement 128
9.3 Optical Test Instrumentation 130
9.3.1 Solar Tracking Performance Display Examples 132
9.3.2 Summary and Conclusion 140
9.4 Experiment 2: Evaluation of Closed-loop Sun Sensor Tracking
Accuracy 140
9.4.1 Goal 140
9.4.2 Equipment 141
9.4.3 Experimental Setup and Procedure 141
9.4.4 Results 141
9.4.5 Summary and Conclusion 143
9.5 Experiment 3: Evaluation of Closed-loop Web Camera Tracking
Accuracy 143
9.5.1 Goal 144
9.5.2 Equipment 144
9.5.3 Experimental Setup and Procedure 144
9.5.4 Results 144
9.5.5 Summary and Conclusion 145
9.6 Summary 146
10 Health and Safety Issues in Solar Tracking 147
10.0.1 Thermal Protection 148
10.0.2 Glint and Glare Hazards 148
10.0.3 Electric Shock and Lightning 150
10.0.4 Emergency Procedures 150
153
PART IV SOLAR TRACKING RESOURCES
11 Solar Tracking Online Resources
FOREWORD
So you have designed your mechanical platform for your solar positioning system,
but you were wondering how to I get this thing to follow the sun ?. So you consulted
the internet and searched for the term solar tracking or sun tracking. What you
found was millions and millions of pages that references complex scientic papers,
which you went to and could not understand a word of it - all mathematics written
by doctors and professors who explained about the astronomical angles and so forth.
If not this, then on the other end of the spectrum you found hundreds of spreadsheets
that calculated the position of the sun - still you may ask, how do I get these angles in
the spreadsheet to get my mechanical system moving ? In this book, we will get you
a little closer to realising your invention, idea or patent. We will make your work a
little simpler by giving you straightforward and practical direction on how to get you
mechanical system or electronics to follow the sun. If you dont know anything about
electronics, not a problem, we will show you simple ways on how to get started
on this also, just enough so that you are able to get your tracker to automatically
follow the sun throughout the day. For the professionals who wants to harness power
from the sun through a solar tracking system, many algorithms have already been
programmed to perform these functions and are available on open-source. An on-
axis sun tracking system such as the altitude-azimuth dual axis solar tracker uses
a sun tracking algorithm to ensure high precision sun tracking in automated solar
tracker applications.
xxv
GLOSSARY
Algorithm A set of instructions that combine to accomplish a task, such as
computer coded algorithms.
Azimuth Angle The angle between the horizontal direction (of the sun, for exam-
ple) and a reference direction (usually North, although some solar
scientists measure the solar azimuth angle from due South).
Calibration The process of comparing an instruments output signal with re-
ality.
Elevation Angle The angle between the direction of interest (of the sun, for exam-
ple) and the horizontal plane zenith (surface of the earth).
Insolation Solar radiation on the surface of the Earth.
Irradiance The rate at which radiant energy arrives at a specic area of sur-
face during a specic time interval, also known as radiant ux den-
sity. A typical unit is W/m
2
.
Latitude The angular distance from the equator to the pole. The equator is
0

, the North Pole is 90

North, and the South Pole is 90

South.
Longitude The East-West angular distance of a locality fromthe Prime Merid-
ian. The Prime Meridian is the location of the Greenwich Obser-
vatory in England and all points North and South of it.
xxxvii
xxxviii GLOSSARY
Photovoltaic Technology for converting sunlight directly into electricity, usu-
ally with photovoltaic cells.
Pyranometer An instrument with a hemispherical eld of view, used for mea-
suring total or global solar radiation, specically global horizon-
tal radiation; a pyranometer with a shadow band or shading disk
blocking the direct beam measures the diffuse sky radiation.
Pyrheliometer Instrument with a narrow (circumsolar) eld of view which mea-
sures direct normal irradiance. Pyrheliometers are mounted on
sun-following trackers so that the instrument is always aimed at
the sun.
Solarimeter An instrument for measuring the intensity of electromagnetic ra-
diation.
Solar Receiver A device that receives solar energy and converts it to useful energy
forms.
Solar Tracking Following the contour of the apparent movement of the sun as it
progresses throughout the day.
TRNSYS TRNSYS is computer software that is used for designing buildings
and systems that utilize solar energy.
Scattered RadiationRadiation that has been reected from particles, disrupting the
original direction of the beam.
Solar Collector A device that receives solar energy and converts it to useful energy
forms.
Solar ConcentratorA solar collector that enhances solar energy by focusing it onto a
smaller area through mirrored surfaces or lenses.
Solar Constant Strictly more an average, this number is the amount of solar power
ux that passes through the mean earth orbit, the currently ac-
cepted average value is 1366 W/m
2
.
Solar Irradiance The amount of solar energy that arrives at a specic area of a
surface during a specic time interval (radiant ux density). A
typical unit is W/m
2
.
Solar Spectrum The electromagnetic spectral distribution emitted by the sun or
received by a collector or instrument on earth.
Sun Position Same as Sun Vector, the location of the sun in the sky, expressed
in terms of azimuth angle and zenith angle.
Wind Rose Polar graphs that indicate the speed and relative duration of wind
according to its direction.
Zenith Angle The angle between the direction of interest (of the sun, for exam-
ple) and the zenith (directly overhead).