Two-axis sun tracking system: design and simulation

摘要

The performance of a photovoltaic (PV) panel is affected by its orientation and its tilt angle with respect to the horizontal plane. Solar Tracking Systems (STS) ensure a significant increase in the percentage of solar radiation, especially when diffused radiation contribute is a the prevalent amount of the total energy received by the surface of the PV panel. In this paper particular attention has been devoted to the exploitation of suitable sensors for monitoring the actual orientation, the inclination of the panel, nevertheless to find the direction along which the solar radiation is maximum. In particular the position and "status" of the Sun are detected by: a rosette of nine light-dependent resistor (LDRs), for rotation, and three aligned LDRs for inclination, disposed into suitable plastic supports. The results have been compared to outcome of theorethical study (i.e. the theorethical sun path).