https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/244042/1/1694103390.pdf

Review on sun tracking technology in solar PV system

This paper presents a comprehensive review on solar tracking systems and their potentials in solar energy applications. The paper overviews the design parameters, construction, types and drive system techniques covering different usage application. There are two main solar tracking systems types that depending on their movement degrees of freedoms are single axis solar tracking system and dual axis solar tracking system, which are addressed in the recent studies. The solar tracker drive systems encompassed five categories based on the tracking technologies, namely, active tracking, passive tracking, semi-passive tracking, manual tracking, and chronological tracking. The paper described the various designs and components of the tracking systems. There are 42.57% of the studies discussed and presented single axis tracking systems while 41.58% of these studies to the dual axes tracking systems. In the recent research studies, the most common solar tracker drive type was active tracker by 76.42% usage in applications while in the second most impact type is the chronological solar tracker by 7.55%. Furthermore, in the solar tracking techniques, Azimuth and altitude tracking achieved 16.67% in usage, Horizontal tracking by 16.67%, Azimuth tracking by 10%, and polar tracking by 4.44%.

Solar tracking systems: Technologies and trackers drive types – A review

The conversion of solar energy into electricity is a viable response to address most of world's energy problems. Among the parameters affecting the performance of both photovoltaic (PV) cells and concentrating solar power (CSP) systems include their orientation and tilt angle with respect to the sun. Solar trackers (ST) are ideal devises for efficiency improvement. This paper aims to review the most commonly used ST and identify the systems that offer benefits such as greater efficiency, greater tracking accuracy, easy installation and cost effectiveness. There are mainly two types of ST viz. single and double axis ST. The optimization of these devices requires cumbersome specifications to avoid potential tracking errors that often lead to their poor performance. These specifications cannot be fulfilled by simple tracking methods due to different sources of tracking errors such as the misalignment of the tracking fixture, the level of pollution of the area, the shading of the sensors, the types of control schemes involved, the auxiliary units of the system, the lack of maintenance as well as the imperfection and power mismatch of connecting grids. The study reveals that double axis ST in form of polar-axis and azimuth/elevation featuring the solar movement models and the dynamic closed loop feedback control are the most effective and generally give more than a 40% improvement in energy return compared to fixed PV panels. Moreover, large systems significantly reduce the costs and save on materials. The energy consumed by the moving fixtures is mostly low (2–5% of the collected energy) but this could be higher if no optimization is performed. Lastly, all the hardware and software energy saving parameters must be optimized right from the early stages of the development of the system to prevent materials wastage and the energy over-consumption by the tracking units.

Recent advancements and challenges in Solar Tracking Systems (STS): A review

Energy and exergy analysis of a closed Brayton cycle-based combined cycle for solar power tower plants

Improving the performance of solar collectors has been recently a subject of intense research because of its advantages such as a decrease in the size and cost of systems and an increase in the thermal performance. Among solar collectors, parabolic trough collectors (PTCs) are of great importance because of their applicability. PTCs are widely used in Concentrated Solar Power Plants (CSP), and Industrial Process Heat (IPH), which demand high and low-temperature heat, respectively. Thermal oils have been extensively utilized as the working fluids in solar thermal electric plants (STE) with PTCs. However, their operating temperature limitation and environmental pollution have caused employing alternative working fluids. The present study is conducted to evaluate the thermal efficiency enhancement methods in PTCs. The effect of parameters such as absorber tube coating and design parameters on the performance of PTCs is also discussed. Moreover, passive methods for heat transfer enhancement in PTCs are investigated and the effect of using nanofluids as a working fluid is reviewed. This review can open new horizons for further investigations in this field.

Yingxue Yao

Papers

A multipurpose dual-axis solar tracker with two tracking strategies

Heliostat field layout methodology in central receiver systems based on efficiency-related distribution

A novel sun-tracking and target-aiming method to improve the concentration efficiency of solar central receiver systems

Design and performance analysis of a multi-reflection heliostat field in solar power tower system