Dual Axis Solar Tracker

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Simulation of a dual-axis solar tracker for

improving the performance of a photovoltaic
panel
ARTICLE in PROCEEDINGS OF THE INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS PART A JOURNAL OF POWER AND
ENERGY SEPTEMBER 2010
Impact Factor: 0.65 DOI: 10.1243/09576509JPE871
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Universitatea Transilvania Brasov
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Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical

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Journal of Power and Energy
Simulation of a dual-axis solar tracker for improving the performance of a photovoltaic panel
C Alexandru and C Pozna
Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part A: Journal of Power and Energy 2010 224: 797
DOI: 10.1243/09576509JPE871
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797
Simulation of a dual-axis solar tracker for improving

the performance of a photovoltaic panel
Transilvania University of Brasov, Brasov, Romania
The manuscript was received on 20 August 2009 and was accepted after revision for publication on 9 April 2010.
DOI: 10.1243/09576509JPE871
Abstract: This article presents the virtual prototype of the tracking system used for improving the
energetic efficiency of a photovoltaic panel. From the point of view of the efficiency and safety, a
polar dual-axis system has been designed. Both motions (daily and seasonal) are driven by rotary
actuators, which are coupled with worm gears for blocking the system in the stationary positions. The tracking system is approached in mechatronic concept, by integrating the mechanical
structure of the solar tracker and the electronic control system at the virtual prototype level. The
tracking strategy aims at reducing the angular field of the daily motion and the number of actuating operations, without significantly affecting the incoming solar energy. At the same time, an
algorithm for determining the optimal actuating time for the step-by-step tracking is developed.
For performing the energy balance, the incident solar radiation is obtained using a method based
on the direct radiation and the angle of incidence, while the energy consumption for accomplishing the tracking is determined by simulating the dynamic behaviour of the solar tracker. Finally,
the validation of the simulation results is performed by comparing the virtual prototype analysis
with the data achieved by experimental measurements.
Keywords: photovoltaic panel, solar tracker, mechatronic system, virtual prototype
KNOWLEDGE STAGE AND ORIGINAL

CONTRIBUTIONS
The theme of this article belongs to a very important field: renewable sources for energy production
increasing the efficiency of the photovoltaic (PV)
conversion. The research in this field represents a priority at the international level, because it provides
viable alternatives to a series of major problems that
humanity is facing: the limited and pollutant character of fossil fuels, global warming, or the greenhouse
effect. The solution to these problems is represented
by renewable energy, including the energy efficiency,
energy saving, and systems based on clean renewable energy sources like the sun, wind, and water.
The concept of sustainable development was first
mentioned in 1987, in the Brundland Commission
Report, and it was subsequently adopted at the political level, so that the participant countries in the
Corresponding
author: Transilvania University of Brasov, Bd.
Eroilor nr. 29, Brasov 500036, Romania.

email: calex@unitbv.ro
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Conference for Development and Environment from

Rio de Janeiro (1992) undertook the development of
national strategies for sustainable development the
Program Agenda 21.
The technical solution for the conversion of solar
energy into electricity is well known: the PV conversion. The fact that PV systems can deliver energy on a
large scale at a competitive price was underlined in the
conclusion of the European Commission for Energy,
in the report A Vision for Photovoltaic Technology
for 2030 and Beyond (2004). The report emphasizes
the development of advanced technologies in the PV
area, and a European strong and competitive industry will support the strategic initiatives concerning the
security and the diversity of electric energy sources.
The efficiency of the PV systems depends on the
degree of use and conversion of the solar radiation.
The energy balance refers to the surface that absorbs
the incoming radiation and to the balance between
energy inflow and energy outflow. The rate of useful
energy leaving the absorber is given by the difference
between the rate of incident radiation on the absorber
and the rate of energy loss from the absorber [1, 2]. The
degree of use of the solar radiation can be maximized
Proc. IMechE Vol. 224 Part A: J. Power and Energy
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by the use of mechanical systems for the orientation of

the PV panels in accordance with the paths of the sun.
Basically, the tracking systems are mechanical systems
that integrate mechanics, electronics, and information
technology. These mechanisms are driven by rotary
or linear actuators, which are controlled in order to
ensure the optimal positioning of the panel throughout the day. The orientation of the PV panels may
increase the efficiency of the conversion system from
20 per cent up to 50 per cent [310], the maximum
degree of collection being obtained when the solar
radiation is normal on the active surface.
Considering the operating principle, there are two
fundamental types of tracking systems: passive and
active trackers. The passive trackers are based on
the thermal expansion of a Freon-based liquid from
one edge of the tracker to another because of the
heat-sensitive working fluid [11]. The active trackers
are based on electrically operated positioning drives,
which need motors, gearboxes, mechanisms, couplings, etc. Usually, the current active tracking systems
are based on planar or spatial linkages, gears, chain,
and belt transmissions.
The PV system with tracking is efficient if the
following condition is achieved:
= (ET EF ) EC 0
(1)
in which ET is the electric energy produced by the

PV panel with tracking, EF the energy produced by
the same panel without tracking (fixed), and EC the
energy consumption for orienting the panel. To justify the tracking, economically and energetically, the
efficiency parameter must be included in the field of
values corresponding to 2550 per cent of the electric
energy produced by the fixed reference panel (without
tracking), depending on the geographic location, the
day of the year, and the meteorological conditions. A
higher value is not possible, because this is practically
the maximum contribution of incident solar radiation,
which can be achieved by tracking the sun, while lower
values do not justify the investment involved by the
tracking system.
In the design process of the tracking systems, the
solar radiation represents the main input data. The
total solar radiation received at ground level includes
two main components: direct solar radiation and diffuse radiation. The solar radiation can be measured
using traditional instruments, or it can be digitally
recorded with a data acquisition system. At the same
time, different models were developed for modelling
the solar radiation and finding a more accurate relation of this. The speciality literature offers a series of
models for the radiation description, for example the
Hottel model for the direct component of the radiation; the Bugler model for the diffuse component; and
the Haurwitz, Kasten, and Adnot models for the global
radiation. Such models are most time specific to a
single location, due to their derived method (empirical

models based on measurements) [12]. The traditional
Angstroms linear approach is based on measurements
of sunshine duration, while relatively new methods are
based on artificial neural networks [13]. Other models
were developed for estimating the monthly mean solar
radiation, including linear AngstromPrescot variation, quadratic equation, logarithmic variation, and
exponential function [14].
Other articles refer to the computation of the yearly
energy collection allowed by different tracking strategies. A theoretical analysis of different intervals of
intermittent two-axis tracking of the sun on the
amount of annual energy received by solar panels was
performed for estimating the solar radiation in the
standard sky condition [15]. Different relationships
between the characteristics of the location and the
most suitable trackers were established considering
the location latitude, the commonly available values
of monthly irradiation, or the meteorological conditions [16, 17]. Specific software tools were developed
to simulate the energy yield of PV systems as a function of the ground cover ratio, for different tracking
strategies [18].
The active tracking systems contain mechanisms
driven by controlled motors actuators. Regarding
the control process, closed-loop systems with photo
sensors are traditionally used. The photo sensors are
responsible for discrimination of the suns position
and for sending electrical signals, proportional with
the error, to the controller, which actuates the motors
to track the sun. Many authors have adopted this
method as a basis for the construction and designing
of such systems [1921]. Nevertheless, the orientation
based on the sun-detecting sensors may introduce
errors in the detection of the suns real position for
variable weather conditions.
The alternative consists in open-loop systems
[2227], which are based on mathematical algorithms/programmes that may provide predefined
parameters for the motors, depending on the sun positions on the sky dome (i.e. the astronomic movements
of the sunearth system). These positions can be precisely determined, because they are functions of the
solar angles that can be calculated for any local area.
By using this control technique, based on predefined
parameters, the errors introduced by the use of the
sensors may be avoided.
Another solution is to incorporate some kind of
sun position sensor to check and calibrate the astronomical control system automatically. In addition, the
tracking system can also be adjusted to provide maximum output energy, to self-trim it initially or self
correct itself throughout its life. Such hybrid control systems consist of a combination of open-loop
tracking strategies, based on solar movement models
and closed-loop strategies, using a dynamic feedback
controller [28, 29].
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From the controllers point of view, different control strategies are used, such as classical techniques
like proportionalintegralderivative (PID) algorithm
or more advanced strategy such as fuzzy logic controller [3033]. An evolution of the fuzzy control
concept is the fuzzy logic neural controller, which
allows the PV system to learn control rules [34]. A
more complex controller incorporates the advantages
of two alternate design techniques, namely the deadbeat regulator for quick, rough control and the
linear quadratic Gaussian with loop transfer recovery
(LQG/LTR) regulator for soft final tracking [35]. The
first-order Sugeno fuzzy inference system is used for
modelling and designing the controller of an azimuth
and elevation solar tracker [36]; the estimation of
the insulation incident on the two-axis sun tracking
system is determined by fuzzy IFTHEN rules.
The orientation principle of the PV panels is based
on the input data referring to the position of the sun
on the sky dome; for this reason, in the design process of the tracking systems, two rotational motions
are considered: the daily motion and the yearly precession motion. Consequently, there are two basic types
of tracking systems (Fig. 1): single-axis tracking systems (a) and dual-axis tracking systems (b and c). The
single-axis tracking systems spin on their axis to track
the sun, facing the east in the morning and west in the
afternoon. The tilt angle of this axis equals the latitude
angle of the loco, because this axis always has to be parallel with the polar axis. In consequence, for this type
of tracking systems, a seasonal tilt angle adjustment is
necessary.
The two-axis tracking systems combine two
motions, so that they are able to follow very precisely
the sun along the year. Depending on the relative
position of the revolute axes, there are two types of
dual-axis systems: polar (b), and azimuthal (c). For
the polar trackers, there are two independent motions,
because the daily motion is made by rotating the PV
panel around the fixed polar axis. For the azimuthal
trackers, the main motion is made by rotating the PV
panel around the vertical axis, so that it is necessary
to continuously combine the vertical rotation with an
elevation motion around the horizontal axis.
Fig. 1
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Basic types of solar tracking systems
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The scientific objectives of the article have been

formulated considering the issues treated less (or
missing) in the literature. The research of the literature
reveals the limits of the current stage in the development of the mechanical device of the tracking systems.
This is because now there is no unitary modelling
on structural, kinematical, and dynamical aspects in
designing the mechanical structure. At the same time,
there is a lack of general approach for the conceptual
design and the structural synthesis of these mechanisms. Thus, the necessity arises of a unitary modelling
method of mechanisms, and, from the perspective
used in the article, this method is based on the multibody system (MBS) theory, which may facilitate the
self-formulating algorithms [3739]. This approach
also allows the integration of the finite-element model
in the MBS analysis, for precisely simulating the tracking system with compliant components and evaluation of the stability performance (involving results
of the modal analysis as well as the control system
design), all within the MBS environment.
On the other hand, the research is focused mostly
on the quantity of the energy achieved by tracking
and less on the evaluation of the energy consumption determined by the orientation. A possible cause
of this situation is due to the fact that the issue is not
approached as an integrated assembly (mechanical
device+actuating system and control). Thus, the article proposes the integration of the main components
at the virtual prototype level, during the entire design
process (i.e. the modelling in mechatronic concept),
which allows at the same time the evaluation of the
energetic gain obtained by tracking the sun as well as
the energy consumption for realizing the motion law.
In these terms, the following scientific objectives
of the article, which generate original contributions,
can be formulated: developing a method based on the
MBS theory for the conceptual design of the tracking
mechanisms, in order to identify suitable solutions
functionally and constructively; in-detail modelling
of the tracking mechanism, including friction and
deformability; developing the control strategies in
order to obtain as much as possible incident radiation
with minimum energy consumption; evaluating the
stability performance of the tracking system; and performing the energy balance of the PV system with solar
tracker (i.e. the energetically efficiency). In this way,
necessary conditions for approaching the functionality of the entire assembly (including the PV panel, the
tracking mechanism, the actuators, and the control
system) are assured.
Having no lesser importance, there are instruments
(techniques) used for accomplishing the objectives,
based on the testing simulation in a virtual environment (digital mock-up and virtual prototyping). This
kind of approach is based on the design of detailed
digital models and their use in virtual experiments, by
computerized reproduction of the real phenomena.
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An important advantage of this process consists in

the possibility to develop measurements in any point
or area and for any parameter (motion, force, and
energy), which is not always possible for the experimental testing on the physical models (missing of
the adequate sensors or their misplacement, high
temperatures, etc.). The design process based on the
virtual prototyping allows fast evaluation of the shape,
mounting, and functions of the tracking systems, eliminating the large period amount necessary for physical
prototyping or very expensive design modifications.
2 VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING PLATFORM
Traditional CAD/CAM/CAE practices used to evaluate the functional characteristics of the mechanical
and mechatronic systems were focused on a concept referred to as art-to-part [40]. Nearly all engineering software activities were oriented towards the
design, development, and manufacture of higherquality parts. Unfortunately, optimal part design rarely
leads to optimal system design. The interaction of
form, fit, function, and assembly of all parts in a
product is a major contributor to the overall product
quality. The big opportunity to increase quality and
reduce time and cost has now shifted to the system
level. The system-focused approach involves the following software solutions: digital mock-up (DMU)
to investigate product form and fit, functional virtual
prototyping (FVP) to assess product function and
operating performance, and virtual factory simulation
(VFS) to assess the assembly and manufacturability
of the product. The integration of the system-focused
tools provides a means for realizing the transition
from physical to virtual prototyping, with all of the
concomitant benefits [41, 42].
The analysis flowchart of the tracking systems
involves the development of three mechanical models:
kinematic, inverse dynamic, and dynamic. The kinematic model of the tracking system contains the rigid
parts, which are connected through geometric constraints (joints) and the specific geometric parameters;
the input is made using kinematic restrictions (motion
generators) that impose the motion of the driving elements (usually, the angular or linear positions). The
aim of the kinematic analysis is to evaluate the relative motion between components and to identify if
the tracking system is able to generate the necessary
angular fields.
The inverse dynamic model not only includes the
components of the kinematic model but also takes
into account the external and internal forces and
torques. Basically, mass forces are taken into consideration, which depend on the geometric model
and the material content of each mobile body, the
friction forces, and the reactions in joints. In addition, the model can be completed with other external
Fig. 2 Virtual (software) prototyping platform
factors (perturbations), for example, the wind or snow

action. The aim of the inverse dynamic analysis is
to determine the motor torque/force applied by the
driving element, in order to generate the cinematically prescribed behaviour. The dynamic model of
the tracking system (i.e. the virtual prototype) includes
the components of the inverse dynamic model, but the
input is made through the above-determined motor
torques/forces; the goal is to evaluate the behaviour of
the system in real operating conditions.
Generally, the virtual prototyping platform, shown
in Fig. 2, includes the following software products [43]:
CAD computer-aided design (e.g. CATIA, PROENGINEER, and SOLIDWORKS), MBS (e.g. ADAMS, SDEXACT, and DYMES), FEA finite-element analysis
(e.g. NASTRAN, COSMOS, and ANSYS); and command
and control C&C (e.g. MATLAB and EASY5). The MBS
software, which is the main component of the digital
platform, allows analysing, optimizing, and simulating the system under real operating conditions. The
CAD software is used for creating the geometric (solid)
model of the mechanical system; this model contains
data about the mass and inertia properties of the rigid
parts. The solid models can be exported from CAD to
MBS using standard format files, such as STEP, PARASOLID, IGS, or DXF. To import the geometry of the
rigid parts, the MBS software reads the CAD file and
converts the geometry into a set of MBS elements.
The FEA software is used for modelling flexible bodies in mechanical systems. Integrating flexibilities into
model allows to capture the inertial and compliance
effects during simulations, study deformations of the
flexible components, and predict loads with greater
accuracy, therefore achieving more realistic results.
The flexible body characteristics are defined in a finiteelement modelling output file (MNF modal neutral
file). The information in an MNF includes the location of nodes and node connectivity, nodal mass and
inertia, mode shapes, generalized mass, and stiffness
for modal shapes. The MBS model transmits to FEA
the motion and load states in the mechanical system,
which can be defined using an FEA loads format file.
The active solar trackers are in fact mechatronic
systems that integrate mechanics, electronics, and
information technology. The mechatronic systems are
built up with some units with basic functions, which
are made to interact between them in order to form
a complex system with a given functionality. The C&C
software directly exchanges information with the MBS
software: the output from MBS is input for C&C and
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vice versa. The mechanical model and the control

system communicate by passing state variables back
and forth. The analysis process creates a closed loop in
which the control inputs from the control application
affect the MBS simulation and the MBS outputs affect
the control input levels.
In this approach, complex virtual prototypes can
be developed, which exactly replicate the structure
(components) and the operating conditions of the real
physical products. Aiming at designing and simulating the virtual prototype of the PV tracking systems, a
digital prototyping platform has been developed by
integrating the following software solutions: CAD
CATIA (to create the solid model, which contains
information about the mass and inertia properties of
the parts); MBS ADAMS/View (to analyse and optimize the mechanical device); C&C ADAMS/Controls
and EASY5 (to create the control block diagram and
to simulate the mechatronic system); and FEA
ADAMS/AutoFlex (for identifying the eigenshapes,
eigenfrequencies, and equivalent stresses of the system). The model is developed in the concurrent
engineering concept, by integrating the mechanical
device and the control system at the virtual prototype level; in this way, the physical testing process is
greatly simplified, and the risk of the control law being
poorly matched to the physical (hardware) prototype
is eliminated.
3
DEVELOPING THE VIRTUAL PROTOTYPE

OF THE SOLAR TRACKER
For identifying accurate and efficient mechanical configurations suitable for tracking systems, a structural
synthesis method based on the MBS theory has been
developed. The conceptual design can be performed
in the following stages: identifying all possible graphs,
by considering the space motion of the system, the
type of joints, the number of bodies, and the degree
of mobility; selecting the graphs that are admitting
supplementary conditions imposed by the specific utilization field; transforming the selected graphs into
mechanisms by mentioning the fixed body and the
function of the other bodies; identifying the distinct
graph versions based on the preceding particularizations; and transforming these graph versions into
mechanisms by mentioning the types of geometric
constraints (e.g. revolute joint R or translational
joint T).
The graphs of the MBS are defined as features based
on the modules, considering the number of bodies and
the relationships between them (e.g. R, T, RR, RT,
RRRR, RRRT, and so on). In this way, a collection
of possible structural schemes have been obtained.
In order to select the structural solution for study,
specific techniques for product design, such as multicriteria analysis and morphological analysis [44], have
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been applied. The multi-criteria analysis has been

performed using the following steps: selecting the
possible variants in accordance with the structural
synthesis, establishing the evaluation criteria and the
weight coefficient for each criterion (the San Francisco
(FRISCO) formula), granting the importance note to
a criterion, and computing the product between the
importance note and the weight coefficient in the
consequences matrix.
The evaluation criteria of the solutions have referred
to the tracking precision, the amplitude of the motion,
the complexity of the system, and the possibility for
manufacturing and implementation. The final solution has been established based on the morphological
analysis, the description of possible solutions being
conducted by combinatorial procedures that associate
the requirements to be met (parameters, functions,
and attributes). In this way, the morphological table
is described, which eliminates the irrational constructive or incompatible solutions.
Using this conceptual design method, the solution for the tracking system in the study has been
established. This is a polar dual-axis mechanism (see
Fig. 1(b) for the basic scheme), whose revolute axis
of the daily motion is fixed and parallel with the polar
axis. Both motions are directly driven by rotary motors,
type MAXON ROBOTIS DX-117. The motion is transmitted from the output shafts of the motors by using
worm gears; these are irreversible transmissions that
ensure the blocking of the system in the stationary
positions between actuating, when the motors are
stopped (in this way, there is no energy consumption
of the motors in the stationary positions).
The MBS model of the mechanism, developed by
using the MBS environment ADAMS/View of MSC
Software, is designed so that it has three parts (Fig. 3):
(a) base/sustaining frame, on which the support of
the motor and the fixed axle of the revolute joint
for the daily motion are disposed A;
(b) intermediary element, which includes the mobile
parts of joint A and the fixed part of the joint for
the seasonal motion B;
Fig. 3
MBS mechanical model of the polar tracking

system
802
(c) support part, which contains the axle of the seasonal motion, the panel frame, and the PV panel.
For developing the solid model of the tracking system, the CAD software CATIA of Dassault Systems
has been used. The geometry transfer from CATIA
to ADAMS has been made using the STEP (standard for the exchange of product model data) file
format, through the ADAMS/Exchange interface. The
STEP format describes the level of product through a
specialized language (Express) which establishes the
correspondence between the STEP file and the CAD
model. The geometry of the PV panel corresponds to a
VITOVOLT 200 panel, which has the following specifications: active surface 1.26 m2 and weight 15.5 kg.
The equilibration of the tracking mechanism has
been made by using a system of counterweights, which
are dimensioned and disposed in order to obtain the
mass centres of the moving structures close to the revolution axes. In this way, the motor torques for orienting the panel in both directions (i.e. the daily and seasonal motions) are minimized and this has a positive
effect on the energy consumption for tracking the sun.
The virtual model takes into consideration the mass
forces, the reaction in joints, and the joint frictions. The
block diagram of the revolute joint is shown in Fig. 4,
with the following notations: Fa , Fr axial and radial
joint reactions, Tr bending moment, Tp torque
preload, Tf frictional torque, Rn friction arm, Rp
pin radius, Rb bending reaction arm, friction coefficient (static or dynamic), SW switch block, MAG
magnitude block, ABS absolute value block, FR
friction regime determination, summing junction,
and multiplication junction. Joint reactions, the
bending moment, and torque preload determine the
frictional torque in a revolute joint. These force effects
can be turned off by using switches. The joint reactions are converted into equivalent torques using the
respective friction arm and pin radius. The joint bending moment is converted into an equivalent torque
using pin radius divided by bending reaction arm.
Fig. 4
Block diagram of the revolute joints
The solar tracker is an automated (controlled)

system, which has as task the orientation of the PV
panel (i.e. the effecter) on the imposed trajectory.
Generally, the solar tracking system is composed of different subsystems, whose structure is shown in Fig. 5.
For the polar solar tracker in study (for which k = 1, 2)
are the following subsystems: the DC rotary actuators,
the mechanical transmissions, and the mechanism
structure. The connecting scheme of the subsystems
emphasizes the following: the mechanism is a coupled system (each element has influence on the other),
the transmissions are connected between the joints
and the DC motors, and the transmissions and the
DC motors are uncoupled subsystems. The design
problem can be formulated in the following ways:
designing a control system that allows the displacement of the effecter on the imposed trajectory, because
the imposed trajectory can be transformed, by using
the inverse kinematics, in n = 2 imposed trajectories
for the motor axes, the objective being to design a control system that allows the rotation of the motor axes
on the imposed trajectory.
The control system of the solar tracker has been
designed in the concurrent engineering concept,
using ADAMS/Controls and EASY5. For connecting
the mechanical model and the control system, the
input and output parameters have been defined. The
motor (control) torques developed by the rotary actuators represent the input parameters in the mechanical
model, while the outputs transmitted to the controllers
are the daily and seasonal angles of the PV panel. The
input and output plants have been modelled using
the specific module ADAMS/controls. For the input
variables, the run-time functions are null during each
step of the simulation, because the control torques
will get their values from the control system. These
functions are defined using a specific ADAMS function that returns the value of the given variable, namely
VARVAL (variable). The run-time functions for the output variables return the angles about the motion axes
(see Fig. 3): daily angle (joint A) the rotational displacement of one co-ordinate system marker attached
to the intermediary element (part no. 2) about the
motion-axis of another marker attached to the sustaining frame (part no. 1) and seasonal angle (joint B) the
rotational displacement of one marker attached to the
support part of the panel (part no. 3) about the motionaxis of another marker attached to the intermediary
element (part no. 2).
The next step is facilitating the exporting of the
ADAMS plant files for the control application. The
plant inputs refer to the input state variables, while
the plant outputs refer to the output state variables.
The input and output information is saved in a specific
file for EASY5 ( .inf ). ADAMS/controls also generates
a command file ( .cmd) and a dataset file ( .adm)
that are used during the simulation. With these files,
the control system can be created in EASY5, in order
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Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Main subsystems of the solar tracker
Control system diagram for the daily motion
to complete the interactive communication between

the mechanical and actuatingcontrol systems. For
example, in Fig. 6 the control system for the daily
motion is shown, the block for the seasonal motion
being similar. The MSC.ADAMS block, representing
the mechanical device model, is created based on the
information from the inf file.
From the controllers point of view, for obtaining
a reduced transitory period and small errors, PID
controllers have been used for both motions. This
controller attempts at correcting the error between
a measured process variable and a desired setpoint by calculating and then outputting a corrective
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action that can adjust the process accordingly. The

specific parameters of the PID controllers have been
established keeping in view the following conditions:
the increase in the proportional term generates the
decrease in the transitory period from the dynamic
response of the system and of the position error,
respectively; the integral term generates a class of
dynamic responses and attenuates the error history;
the derivative term generates a class of dynamic
responses and amortizes the error; and the system
is stable, with a critical amortization. Finally, these
performance indexes have led to a natural angular
frequency of 50 rad/s. The problem concerning the
stability of the system is described at the end of this
section, being preceded by the modal analysis of the
tracking system.
In the mechatronic model, ADAMS accepts the control torques from EASY5 and integrates the mechanical
model in response to them. At the same time, ADAMS
provides the current daily and seasonal angles for
EASY5 to integrate the control system model. This
model is used in the next section of the article for
developing/optimizing the motion law of the tracking
system.
The final aspect for design is to refine the tracking system by adding flexible bodies. The modelling of
the mechanical structure of the tracking system with
finite elements has two main objectives: identifying
the eigenshapes and eigenfrequencies of the system,
which are useful to avoid the resonance phenomenon,
due to the action of the external dynamic loads (as
wind or earthquake), and identifying the maximum
deformability and the equivalent stress, depending on
the action of the external factors and on the position of the structure. In this article, the modal analysis
of the structure is made for different values of the
daily angle of the PV panel, the seasonal position
being fixed at 22.05 (for the summer solstice day, in
Brasov geographic area). The external load is materialized by forces and pressures that are produced by a
804
Fig. 7
Specific results of the modal (finite-element) analysis
25 m/s wind speed, which acts on the structure; this

speed generates a pressure of 1200 MPa on the panels
surface.
ADAMS/AutoFlex module has been used for creating the finite-element model of the tracking system,
by meshing the geometries imported from the CAD
system. In these terms, analysing the refined virtual
prototype of the tracking system, the following results
have been obtained: the variation of the eigenfrequencies with the daily position angle is insignificant from
the quantitative point of view; the maximum values of
the equivalent stresses (von Misses), which appear in
the rotational joints of the structure, are less than the
admissible resistance values (90120 MPa), and this
ensures the mechanical resistance condition (the maximum value is 71 MPa); and the maximum value of the
deformability is small (<0.000 08 m) and this ensures
proper operation of the system. Among the specific
results, in Fig. 7 there are shown the variations of the
von Misses equivalent stresses (a) and deformations
(b) fields, as well as the eigenfrequencies (c), for the
daily angle = 60 .
The final aspect of this section refers to the stability
performance of the tracking system. With regards to
this, the following aspects must be mentioned: choosing the poles of the controlled system has provided
a relative stability that meets the criteria Kg > 6 dB
and #M (30 , 60 ), in which Kg is the gain margin
and #M the phase margin; the control system should
not excite the structure near its resonance frequency.
For the mechanical structure, resonance frequency is
a mechanical feature that depends on its rigidity and
moment of inertia. To ensure stability, the following
relation should be provided
n <
r
2
DESIGNING THE CONTROL (MOTION) LAW
The PV panel can be rotated, from the east/sunrise

position ( = 90 ) to the west/sunset position
( = 90 ), without brakes during the daylight, or can
be discontinuously driven (step-by-step motion), usually by rotating the panel with equal steps at every
hour. Obviously, the maximum incident solar radiation is obtained for continuous motion in the entire
angular field ( [90 , 90 ]), when it is possible to
have null values for the angle of incidence during the
daylight. The direct solar radiation has small values in
the limit positions, close to the sunrise and sunset (see
the diagrams shown in Fig. 8), and for this reason it is
not efficient to track the sun in these areas (the radiation gain does not justify the energy consumption for
tracking).
In these terms, the strategy for developing
optimizing the tracking law intends to identify, for
the beginning, the optimum field for the daily motion
of the PV panel, considering the continuous tracking,
without brakes. In the next stage, after the identification of the optimum field, the step-by-step tracking
strategies will be developed, in order to avoid the
disadvantages of the continuous orientation (e.g. the
operating time of the system/motor is high, with a
negative influence on the system reliability, including
the motor wearing; there are necessary transmissions
with high ratios, which can generate constructive
problems; the behaviour of the system in terms of the
(2)
in which n is the natural frequency of the controlled

system, while r is the resonance frequency. From
finite-element analysis of the tracking mechanism and
the design of the control system, the following values were obtained: r = 157 rad/s and n = 50 rad/s.
These values ensure the condition of stability, i.e. the
control system does not excite the structure near its
resonance frequency.
Fig. 8
Incident radiation curves for the considered

tracking cases
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occurrence of external perturbations, such as the wind

action, whose effect can be amplified if the system is
moving).
The energy produced by the PV panel (ET/F see
equation (1)) depends on the quantity of incident solar
radiation (GI ), which is obtained by integrating the
specific curve, the active surface of the PV panel (S)
and the conversion efficiency of the panel ()
!
ET/F = GI S
(3)
The incident radiation, which is normal to the active
surface, is given by the relation
GI = GD cos i
(4)
where GD is the direct terrestrial radiation and i the

angle of incidence. The direct radiation is established
using the Melis model [45]
!
TR
GD = G0 exp
0.9 + 9.4 sin
"
(5)
with the following components

G0 = G 0 (1 + 0.0334 cos x)
(6)
= sin1 (sin sin + cos cos cos )
(8)
x = 0.9856 n 2.72
= 15 (12 T )
(7)
(9)
where G0 is the extraterrestrial radiation, G 0 the solar

constant (1367 W/m2 ), n the day of year, TR the atmospheric turbidity factor (which is an important parameter for assessing air pollution in the local area, as well
as being the main parameter controlling the attenuation of solar radiation reaching the earths surface
under cloudless sky conditions), the solar altitude
angle, the solar declination, the location latitude,
the solar hour angle, and T the local time.
The angle of incidence is determined from the scalar
product of the sunray vector and the normal vector on
panel
i = cos1 (cos cos cos( ) + sin sin )
(10)
= sin (cos sin )

!
"
cos cos
1
= sin
cos
!
"
sin sin sin
= (sin ) cos1
cos cos
(11)
(12)
(13)
in which and are the diurnal and seasonal angles

of the sunray, and the daily and seasonal angles
of the panel, and the azimuth angle.
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805
It has been demonstrated that for every month there

is 1 day whose irradiation is equal to the monthly
average: it is the day in which the declination equals
the mean declination of the month [17]. Due to this
consideration, a noticeable facilitation is introduced
in the computing calculation, considering just the
mean days of each month instead of the 365 days
of the year. This article presents the exemplification
for the summer solstice path of the sun, considering the Brasov geographic area, with the following
specific input data = 45.5 , = 23.45 , n = 172, T
[5.579, 21.059], TR = 4.2, and = 22.05 .
For identifying the optimum angular field of the
daily motion, the correlation between the motion
amplitude and the local time has been obtained, considering symmetric revolute motions relative to the
solar noon position ( = 0). The analysis has been
performed for the following tracking cases:
(a) [90 , 90 ], T [5.579, 21.059] the maximum motion interval;
(b) [75 , 75 ], T [6.869, 19.769];
(c) [60 , 60 ], T [8.159, 18.479];
(d) [45 , 45 ], T [9.449, 17.189];
(e) [30 , 30 ], T [10.739, 15.899];
(f ) [15 , 15 ], T [12.029, 14.609];
(g) = 0, T [5.579, 21.059] the fixed (nontracked) system.
In this study, the PV panel is rotated without brakes
(continuous motion).
The computations have been made using the abovepresented mathematical model, obtaining in this way
the incident radiation for the considered tracking
cases (Fig. 8). Integrating the incident radiation curves,
and taking into account the active surface (1.26 m2 )
and the conversion efficiency of the panel (15 per
cent), the quantity of electric energy produced by
the PV system has been obtained. Afterwards, the
energy consumption for realizing the motion laws has
been determined by using the virtual prototype of the
tracking system (developed in section 3).
For the energy consumption, the return of the solar
tracker is also considered in the initial position after
the sunset. In this way, the energy balance has been
performed, the results being systematized in Table 1
(the energy gain is computed relative to the fixed panel
case). Analysing these results, the optimum angular
field for the daily motion of the panel in the summer solstice day is [60 , 60 ], in which there is
maximum energetic gain.
Afterwards, in the optimum angular field, different
step-by-step tracking strategies have been evaluated.
The objective is to minimize the operating time of the
system/motor, which is very important for the durability and reliability of the tracking system (including
the wearing of the motor). In these terms, six tracking
cases have been developedanalysed, depending on
806
Table 1
Energy balance for the continuous tracking cases
Table 2
Energy balance for the step-by-step

tracking cases
ET
(W h/day)
EC
(W h/day)
Gain
(%)
No. of
steps
ET
(W h/day)
EC
(W h/day)
Gain
(%)
[90 , 90 ]
[75 , 75 ]
[60 , 60 ]
[45 , 45 ]
[30 , 30 ]
[15 , 15 ]
0
1740.88
1739.40
1726.44
1685.62
1598.91
1449.61
1230.73
44.09
37.01
17.64
12.77
5.84
1.49
37.87
38.32
38.84
35.92
29.44
17.66
12
10
8
6
4
2
1722.19
1719.72
1718.35
1715.39
1706.92
1670.97
20.78
19.99
19.47
19.00
18.23
17.65
38.24
38.11
38.04
37.84
37.21
34.34
the number of steps (in consequence, the step dimension + ) for realizing the above-obtained optimum
angular field, [60 , 60 ]: 12 steps (+ = 10 ), ten
steps (+ = 12 ), eight steps (+ = 15 ), six steps
(+ = 20 ), four steps (+ = 30 ), and two steps
(+ = 60 ).
One of the most important problems in the stepby-step tracking is to identify the optimum actuating
time, in which the motion step has to be performed. In the article, the solution to this problem is obtained by developing an algorithm based
on the following phases: the optimum angular field
has been segmented into the intermediary positions,
depending on the step dimension for each case
(e.g. for four steps there are the following positions:
= {60 , 30 , 0 }), and the incident radiation
curves have been consecutively obtained considering
the panel fixed in these positions during the daylight; analysing these curves, the moment in which the
value of the incident radiation for a certain position k
becomes smaller than the value in the next position
k + 1 has been identified; in this moment, the motion
step is performed; the analysis continues with the next
pair of positions k + 1 and k + 2, and so on. For example, the diagrams for the four-step case are shown in
Fig. 9; because there is a symmetrical motion relative
to the noon position (T = 13.319), the actuating time
is also symmetrically disposed (IIV and IIIII).
For the considered step-by-step tracking cases, the
results of the energy balance are systematized in
Fig. 9
Determining the actuating time in step-by-step

tracking (four-step case)
Table 2. According to these results, by using the abovepresented algorithm for configuring the step-by-step
orientation, values close to the continuous motion
case have been obtained, which demonstrates the
viability of the adopted optimization strategy. The
energy consumptions for realizing the step-by-step
motion laws can be a little bigger than the energy
consumption for the continuous motion and this is
because of the over-shooting that appears when the
motor is turned on/off.
Similar studies have been performed for different
periods/days, obtaining in this way the optimum control (motion) laws throughout the year. The results
synthesis shown in Fig. 10 was obtained considering the year segmented in 14 intervals as follows:
n = [2752], [5372], [7387], [88103], [104120],
[121140], [141202], [203222], [223239], [240254],
[255270], [271290], [291315], [31626], where n is
the day number (e.g. n = 1 for 1 January). For each
interval, a representative day was established, in which
the optimum angular field of the daily motion, the
number of steps, and the optimum actuating time
were determined according to the above-presented
algorithm, the seasonal angle of the PV panel having
a constant value. The efficiency parameter is determined with equation (1), while the energetic gain is
computed relative to the fixed panel case. The average value of the energetic gain is around 30 per cent
and this value demonstrates the viabilityutility of the
tracking system.
Fig. 10
Energetic efficiency of the tracking system

throughout the year
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807
5 VALIDATING THE SIMULATION RESULTS

Considering the algorithm of the product design
development, the virtual prototype precedes the
manufacturing and implementation stage. In the virtual prototyping concept, after the build and test
phases, which have been described in the previous
sections of the article, it is necessary to validate the virtual prototype for ensuring that the simulation results
reflect the actual operating performance of the physical (hardware) product. Physical testing is used at
various stages to re-validate the model after significant
refinement. The same testing and instrumentation
procedures should be used both in the physical and
the virtual test process.
In this article, the validation of the simulation
results follows two directions: the validation of the
mathematic algorithm for determining the incident
radiation and the validation of the virtual prototype
of the mechatronic tracking system. The validation
concerning the theoretic model of the solar radiation
is performed by using experimental meteorological data that have been obtained with the meteostation DELTA-T from the research centre Product
Design for Sustainable Development in the Transilvania University of Brasov. The experimental equipment
includes data logger, temperature sensors, sensors for
direct and diffuse radiation, pluviograph, anemometer, anemograph, and software for acquitting and
processing data. The average values (for the last years)
of the solar radiation throughout the summer solstice
day are shown in Fig. 11. Such diagram can be considered as a meteorological prognosis and it will be used
in future research for developing predictive intelligent
control systems.
Comparing the experimental and theoretic data (see
Fig. 8 curve a), a good correlation is obtained and,
in this way, the validation of the theoretic model for
computing the direct solar radiation is ensured. For
clarification, Fig. 8 presents the incident radiation
curves, but the incident radiation for the tracking case
a is practically identical with the direct radiation,
Fig. 11
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Experimental data for the direct solar radiation
Fig. 12
Physical prototype of the polar tracking system
because there is continuous motion in the entire angular field, [90 , 90 ] (i.e. the angle of incidence has
null values throughout daylight, T [5.579, 21.059]).
In the next stage, the validation of the virtual prototype of the mechatronic tracking system is performed
using experimental results which were obtained by
testing the physical (hardware) prototype (Fig. 12). The
physical prototype of the tracking system is based on
the virtual prototype shown in Fig. 3. As mentioned
before, this is a polar dual-axis tracking system, at
which both motions are driven by DC rotary actuators,
type MAXON ROBOTIS DX-117. The selection of these
motors (which are very cheap, having low dimension/weight and consumption) is possible because the
necessary motor torques for moving the system in both
directions (i.e. the daily and seasonal motions) have
small values. This is ensured by the system of counterweights which realize a very good static equilibration
of the mechanical structure, the mass centres of the
moving structures being close to the revolution axes.
The motion is transmitted from the output shafts of
the motors by using worm gears; these are irreversible
transmissions that ensure the blocking of the system
in the stationary positions between actuating, when
the motors are turned off.
The motions control for the physical prototype is
realized by using the NI LabVIEW platform, which is
a graphical programming environment for the developing measurement, test, and control systems using
intuitive graphical icons and wires that resemble a
flowchart. LabVIEW offers integration with different
hardware devices and provides built-in libraries for
advanced analysis and data visualization. The communication between the LabVIEW platform and the
DC motors of the PV tracking system was made by
using serial messages of type RS 485. The control laws
for both motions are defined by databases that depend
on the sampling time of the desired joint motions and
the angular velocities of these motions.
The need to measure the energy consumption to
achieve orientation and the electricity produced by the
PV panel with tracking, which are necessary for evaluating the energy balance of the PV system, has led to
808
Fig. 13
Energy consumption for tracking: (a) simulation and (b) experimental
an electronic device connected to a microcomputer.

The device performs the following functions: collects
the signal U, I (tension, intensity); processes the signal (amplification, filtration, A/D conversion); and
saves the signal value to achieve energy balance. The
programme has an interface that displays the energy
values. Concerning the data acquisition, an NI USB6009 portable card has been used, with the following
main specifications: 14-bit resolution, 12 digital I/O
lines, 48 kS/s multi-function data acquisition (DAQ),
data logger software, 8 analog input channels, 2 analog outputs, 32-bit counter and 150 Hz output rate,
and Windows XP operating system. The choice of this
portable acquisition card is based on the performance
characteristics and high compatibility with the LabVIEW platform used for the control system of the PV
tracking mechanism.
In this article, the validation of the virtual prototype has been made considering it as an interesting
parameter for the comparative analysis of the energy
consumption for realizing the motion law. The simulation and experimental results are shown in Fig. 13,
considering the six-step motion law, which is shown
in Fig. 14 (see also Table 2). As it can be seen, there is a
good correlation between the theoretical (Fig. 13(a))
and experimental (Fig. 13(b)) results, and this fact
leads to the reciprocal validation of the models in
the study. For the experimental diagram, the filtration
of the amplitudes with the angular frequency greater
than 150 rad/s has been performed.
Fig. 14
Six-step motion law for daily motion of the PV

panel
For the current research stage, the physical prototype testing has been performed in laboratory conditions; in other words external perturbations (such as
the wind action) are not taken into consideration. For
future research, the authors intention is to implement
and test the PV tracking system in real environment, in
the area of the centre Product Design for Sustainable
Development from Transilvania University of Brasov.
The real conditions will also be simulated on the virtual prototype, creating the frame for drawing a more
relevant comparison between the virtual prototype
analysis and the data achieved by measurements.
6
FINAL CONCLUSIONS
The application is a relevant example regarding

the implementation of the virtual prototyping tools
in the design process of the PV tracking systems.
One of the most important advantages of this kind
of simulation is the possibility to perform virtual
measurements in any point or area of the tracking
system and for any parameter (for example motion,
force, and/or energy). Using the virtual prototyping platform, the conditions are ensured to optimize
the mechanical structure of the tracking mechanism,
choose the appropriate actuators, design the optimal
controller, optimize the motion law, and perform the
energy balance of the PV system. In this way, the risks
inherent in the product development cycle can be
better managed.
Connecting the electronic control system and the
mechanical device at the virtual prototype level (i.e.
the concurrent engineering concept), the physical
testing process is greatly simplified and the risk of the
control law being poorly matched to the real tracking
system is eliminated. At the same time, integrating the
finite-element model in the MBS analysis, it is possible to make changes to the flexible component and
evaluate the effect of the changes, all within the MBS
environment.
The optimization strategy of the motion law, which
is based on the determination of the optimum angular field of the daily motion, the number of actuating
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operations and the actuating time in the step-by-step

tracking leads to an efficient PV system, without
developing expensive hardware prototypes. Thus, the
behavioural performance predictions are obtained
much earlier in the design cycle of the tracking
systems, thereby allowing more effective and costefficient design changes and reducing the overall risk
substantially.
The PV tracking system has been manufactured and
it is in the implementation stage in the research centre
Product Design for Sustainable Development from
Transilvania University of Brasov, creating a real perspective for the research in the field. As mentioned
before, the proposed tracking system is at the prototype level, the approximate cost of the physical
prototype development being around 800 EUR (except
for the PV panel, energy storage system, inverter, and
panel frame, which also appear at a fixed panel, so
that their price is not tracking cost). This is a cheap
tracking system, the low price being mainly determined by the use of cheap, low-power actuators (the
price for the both rotary actuators was around 250
EUR) and that is because the tracking mechanism
is very well statically balanced. The tracking system
can be adapted for various PV panels (with various costs, depending on the constructive type, the
size/weight, or the conversion efficiency) and this is
possible due to the adaptive equilibration system with
counterweights.
The future researches will be focused on the implementation and testing of the PV tracking system in
real environment (the results in article are obtained
in laboratory conditions, neglecting the external perturbations, such as the wind action). The real conditions will be also simulated on the virtual prototype,
creating the frame for realizing a more relevant comparison between the virtual prototype analysis and
the data achieved by measurements. At the same
time, the research will establish a more accurate
model for the solar radiation, mainly on the atmospheric turbidity, which is an important parameter
for assessing air pollution in the local area, as well
as being the main parameter controlling the attenuation of solar radiation reaching the Earths surface
under cloudless sky conditions. No less important
will be the issues concerning the design and testing of control strategies based on predictive and
fuzzy methods (establishing the control methodology
depending on the meteorological prognosis combined
with on-line measurements), as well as the design
of tracking mechanisms for PV strings, by driving
more panels (with individual support) from the same
motor source. This will have a positive effect mainly
on the economic efficiency of the PV system, the
evaluation of the pay-back time being a matter of
interest.
Authors 2010
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809
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APPENDIX
Notation
EC
EF
ET
G0
energy consumption for tracking the suns

path
energy produced by the fixed panel (without
tracking)
energy produced by the PV panel with
tracking
extraterrestrial solar radiation
JPE871
G 0
GD
GI
i
Kg
n
S
T
TR
solar constant
direct solar radiation
incident solar radiation
angle of incidence
gain margin
day of year
active surface of the panel
local time
atmospheric turbidity factor
solar altitude angle

diurnal angle of the sunray
daily angle of the panel
JPE871
n
r
#M
811
seasonal angle of the sunray

seasonal angle of the panel
solar declination
efficiency parameter of the tracking
system
conversion efficiency of the panel
location latitude
azimuth angle
solar hour angle
natural frequency of the control system
resonance frequency of the tracking
mechanism
phase margin

Dual Axis Solar Tracker

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Simulation of a dual-axis solar tracker for

Available from: Catalin Alexandru

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical

Institution of Mechanical Engineers

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Simulation of a dual-axis solar tracker for improving

KNOWLEDGE STAGE AND ORIGINAL

author: Transilvania University of Brasov, Bd.

Eroilor nr. 29, Brasov 500036, Romania.

Conference for Development and Environment from

C Alexandru and C Pozna

by the use of mechanical systems for the orientation of

in which ET is the electric energy produced by the

single location, due to their derived method (empirical

Basic types of solar tracking systems

The scientific objectives of the article have been

C Alexandru and C Pozna

An important advantage of this process consists in

Fig. 2 Virtual (software) prototyping platform

factors (perturbations), for example, the wind or snow

vice versa. The mechanical model and the control

DEVELOPING THE VIRTUAL PROTOTYPE

been applied. The multi-criteria analysis has been

MBS mechanical model of the polar tracking

C Alexandru and C Pozna

Block diagram of the revolute joints

Proc. IMechE Vol. 224 Part A: J. Power and Energy

The solar tracker is an automated (controlled)

Main subsystems of the solar tracker

Control system diagram for the daily motion

to complete the interactive communication between

action that can adjust the process accordingly. The

C Alexandru and C Pozna

Specific results of the modal (finite-element) analysis

25 m/s wind speed, which acts on the structure; this

DESIGNING THE CONTROL (MOTION) LAW

The PV panel can be rotated, from the east/sunrise

in which n is the natural frequency of the controlled

Incident radiation curves for the considered

occurrence of external perturbations, such as the wind

where GD is the direct terrestrial radiation and i the

with the following components

= sin1 (sin sin + cos cos cos )

where G0 is the extraterrestrial radiation, G 0 the solar

= sin (cos sin )

in which and are the diurnal and seasonal angles

It has been demonstrated that for every month there

C Alexandru and C Pozna

Energy balance for the continuous tracking cases

Energy balance for the step-by-step

Determining the actuating time in step-by-step

Proc. IMechE Vol. 224 Part A: J. Power and Energy

Energetic efficiency of the tracking system

5 VALIDATING THE SIMULATION RESULTS

Experimental data for the direct solar radiation

Physical prototype of the polar tracking system

C Alexandru and C Pozna

Energy consumption for tracking: (a) simulation and (b) experimental

an electronic device connected to a microcomputer.

Six-step motion law for daily motion of the PV

Proc. IMechE Vol. 224 Part A: J. Power and Energy

The application is a relevant example regarding