SOLAR TRACKING METHOD AND SOLAR TRACKING APPARATUS ADOPTING IMAGE RECOGNITION SYSTEM

摘要

PURPOSE: A solar tracking method and apparatus is provided to achieve an improved utilization of solar energy by allowing the camera and the solar heat collector plate to face the sun in an accurate manner. CONSTITUTION: An apparatus comprises a solar heat collector plate(30); a motor(27) mechanically connected to the solar heat collector via a retarder(28) and which rotates the solar heat collector in horizontal direction; a motor driving unit(26) for rotating the motor; an image input unit(29) having a camera installed at the solar collector plate and which receives an image signal through the camera; and a control unit for detecting the shape of the sun based on the input image signal, computing migration coordinates of the sun at the point of the camera screen where the shape of the sun changes, computing the displacement between the computed migration coordinates and the central coordinates of the camera screen, and controlling the motor driving unit in such a manner that the camera and solar heat collector plate change direction in accordance with the computed displacement. The control unit consists of a timer(22), a ROM(23), a main processing unit and a communication element(24).