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Implementation of a Control System in a Dual Axis Cylindrical-Parabolic Solar Tracking System

Abstract:

When considering effects such as population growth, global warming, reduction of oil reservoirs, and the proposal of policies committed with zero carbon, it is indicated that the worldwide renewable and non-renewable energy supplies should be prepared to fulfill the upcoming energy demand. Thus one of the renewable energy sources that exhibit more technological growth is the photovoltaic solar energy. However, other alternatives such as solar tracking plants (STP) consist of various stages, one of which is the solar tracking system that is constituted by electronic control systems to guarantee its correct operation and stability to the solar trajectory. Thus, this study develops two control systems to verify features of oscillation and settling time when there are uncertain environmental conditions such as clear and cloudy sky global horizontal irradiation (GHI). Those control systems were implemented in a prototype developed in the laboratory, which meets the following features: solar trajectory tracking in an elevation and azimuth angle, cylindrical-parabolic solar capturing by means of reflective material and reflected rays receiver tube where the internal and external temperature data are measured and collected through a SD memory. Results show that the PI control system exhibits steady-state stability at 24 [ms] with an overshoot of 1,17%, which is an excellent condition in the trajectory with GHI (clear sky), and besides, it shows no oscillations in the presence of disturbances.