Abstract
A strategy for precise solar tracking has been developed using feedback signals from seven photosensors in conjunction with the operation of an active daylighting system. The tracking system was composed of a microcontroller, two stepper motors, photosensors, a grooves-in Fresnel lens concentrator, and a glass optical fiber cable. A robust control was implemented using cadmium sulfide (CdS) sensors to track the sun’s path precisely from sunrise to sunset. To avoid the cloud effect, two separate sensors were installed apart from the main tracking sensors. The control system was allowed to track the sun’s position if clouds covered the sky continuously for less than approximately 70 min. To analyze the performance of the solar tracker for daylighting applications, a series of experiments were performed in different weather conditions where the accuracy and effectiveness of the present solar tracking control were confirmed.
Issue Section:
Research Papers
References
1.
Dreyfus
, G.
, and Gallinat
, C.
, 2015
, Rise and Shine: Lighting the World With 10. Billion LED Bulbs
, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC
.2.
Bethesda
, M.
, 1995
, Green Building Rating System-Draft Recommendations for a U.S. Rating System
, U.S. Green Building Council, Washington, DC
.3.
Zhu
, J.
, and Huang
, H.
, 2014
, “Design and Thermal Performances of Semi-Parabolic Linear Fresnel Reflector Solar Concentration Collector
,” Energy Convers. Manage.
, 77
, pp. 733
–737
. 10.1016/j.enconman.2013.10.0154.
Huang
, F.
, Li
, L.
, and Huang
, W.
, 2014
, “Optical Performance of an Azimuth Tracking Linear Fresnel Solar Concentrator
,” Sol. Energy
, 108
, pp. 1
–12
. 10.1016/j.solener.2014.06.0285.
Rungasamy
, A. E.
, Craig
, K. J.
, and Meyer
, J. P.
, 2015
, “3-D CFD Modeling of a Slanted Receiver in a Compact Linear Fresnel Plant With Etendue-Matched Mirror Field
,” Energy Procedia
, 69
, pp. 188
–197
. 10.1016/j.egypro.2015.03.0226.
Boito
, P.
, and Grena
, R.
, 2016
, “Optimization of the Geometry of Fresnel Linear Collectors
,” Sol. Energy
, 135
, pp. 479
–486
. 10.1016/j.solener.2016.05.0607.
Valmiki
, M. M.
, Li
, P.
, Heyer
, J.
, Morgan
, M.
, Albinali
, A.
, Alhamidi
, K.
, and Wagoner
, J.
, 2011
, “A Novel Application of a Fresnel Lens for a Solar Stove and Solar Heating
,” Renewable Energy
, 36
(5
), pp. 1614
–1620
. 10.1016/j.renene.2010.10.0178.
Zheng
, H.
, Wu
, G.
, Tao
, T.
, Su
, Y.
, and Dai
, J.
, 2014
, “Combination of a Light Funnel Concentrator With a Deflector for Orientated Sunlight Transmission
,” Energy Convers. Manage.
, 88
, pp. 785
–793
. 10.1016/j.enconman.2014.09.0049.
Song
, J.
, Zhu
, Y.
, Jin
, Z.
, and Yang
, Y.
, 2014
, “Daylighting System via Fibers Based on Two-Stage Sun-Tracking Model
,” Sol. Energy
, 108
, pp. 331
–339
. 10.1016/j.solener.2014.07.02110.
Shen
, X.
, Sun
, Y.
, Wei
, Y.
, Zhong
, S.
, Li
, F.
, Lin
, S.
, Li
, J.
, Meng
, X.
, and Wang
, Y.
, 2009
, “Analysis of a Hybrid Cost-Effective Solar Lighting System
,” SPIE
, 7423
, pp. 74230U
–1
.11.
Vu
, N. H.
, Pham
, T. T.
, and Shin
, S.
, 2016
, “Modified Optical Fiber Daylighting System With Sunlight Transportation in Free Space
,” Opt. Express
, 24
(26
), pp. A1528
–A1545
. 10.1364/OE.24.0A152812.
Gorthala
, R.
, Tidd
, M.
, and Lawless
, S.
, 2017
, “Design and Development of a Faceted Secondary Concentrator for a Fiber-Optic Hybrid Solar Lighting System
,” Sol. Energy
, 157
, pp. 629
–640
. 10.1016/j.solener.2017.08.07013.
Kumar
, V.
, Shrivastava
, R. L.
, and Untawale
, S. P.
, 2015
, “Fresnel Lens: A Promising Alternative of Reflectors in Concentrated Solar Power
,” Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev.
, 44
, pp. 376
–390
. 10.1016/j.rser.2014.12.00614.
Sapia
, C.
, 2013
, “Daylighting in Buildings: Developments of Sunlight Addressing by Optical Fiber
,” Sol. Energy
, 89
, pp. 113
–121
. 10.1016/j.solener.2012.12.00315.
Hraska
, J.
, 2015
, “Chronobiological Aspects of Green Buildings Daylighting
,” Renewable Energy
, 73
, pp. 109
–114
. 10.1016/j.renene.2014.06.00816.
Perez-Enciso
, R.
, Gallo
, A.
, Riveros-Rosas
, D.
, Fuentealba-Vidal
, E.
, and Perez-Rábago
, C.
, 2016
, “A Simple Method to Achieve a Uniform Flux Distribution in a Multi-Faceted Point Focus Concentrator
,” Renewable Energy
, 93
, pp. 115
–124
. 10.1016/j.renene.2016.02.06917.
Wang
, W.
, Aichmayer
, L.
, Garrido
, J.
, and Laumert
, B.
, 2017
, “Development of a Fresnel Lens Based High-Flux Solar Simulator
,” Sol. Energy
, 144
, pp. 436
–444
. 10.1016/j.solener.2017.01.05018.
Song
, J.
, Luo
, G.
, Tong
, K.
, Li
, L.
, and Yang
, Y.
, 2018
, “A Note on Dispersion Phenomenon in the Fiber Daylighting System With the Fresnel Lens
,” Sol. Energy
, 161
, pp. 6
–8
. 10.1016/j.solener.2017.11.06919.
Lv
, Y.
, Xia
, L.
, Yan
, J.
, and Bi
, J.
, 2018
, “Design of a Hybrid Fiber Optic Daylighting and PV Solar Lighting System
,” Energy Procedia
, 145
, pp. 586
–591
. 10.1016/j.egypro.2018.04.08720.
Sansoni
, P.
, Francini
, F.
, Fontani
, D.
, Mercatelli
, L.
, and Jafrancesco
, D.
, 2008
, “Indoor Illumination by Solar Light Collectors
,” Light. Res. Technol.
, 40
(4
), pp. 323
–332
. 10.1177/147715350809512821.
Lingfors
, D.
, and Volotinen
, T.
, 2013
, “Illumination Performance and Energy Saving of a Solar Fiber Optic Lighting System
,” Optics Express
, 21
(S4
), pp. A642
–A655
. 10.1364/OE.21.00A64222.
Chen
, C. F.
, Lin
, C. H.
, and Jan
, H. T.
, 2010
, “A Solar Concentrator With Two Reflection Mirrors Designed by Using a Ray Tracking Method
,” Optik
, 121
, pp. 1402
–1051
. 10.1016/j.ijleo.2008.12.01023.
Whang
, A. J.
, Chen
, Y. Y.
, and Wu
, B. Y.
, 2009
, “Innovative Design of Cassegrain Solar Concentrator System for Indoor Illumination Utilizing Chromatic Aberration to Filter Out Ultraviolet and Infrared in Sunlight
,” Sol. Energy
, 83
(8
), pp. 1115
–1122
. 10.1016/j.solener.2008.12.01324.
Alami
, A. H.
, 2014
, “Experimental Investigation on Paraboloid Solar Concentrator With a Conical Secondary Concentrator
,” Int. J. Energy Res.
, 38
(14
), pp. 1896
–1902
. 10.1002/er.319625.
Wang
, C.
, Abdul-Rahman
, H.
, and Rao
, S. P.
, 2010
, “Daylighting Can be Fluorescent: Development of a Fiber Solar Concentrator and Test for Its Indoor Illumination
,” Energy Build.
, 42
(5
), pp. 717
–727
. 10.1016/j.enbuild.2009.11.01126.
Chow
, S. K. H.
, Li
, D. H. W.
, Lee
, E. W. M.
, and Lam
, J. C.
, 2013
, “Analysis and Prediction of Daylighting and Energy Performance in Atrium Spaces Using Daylight-Linked Lighting Controls
,” Appl. Energy
, 112
, pp. 1016
–1024
. 10.1016/j.apenergy.2012.12.03327.
Wang
, G.
, Wang
, L.
, Li
, F.
, and Kong
, D.
, 2012
, “Design of Optical Element Combining Fresnel Lens With Microlens Array for Uniform Light-Emitting Diode Lighting
,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A
, 29
(9
), pp. 1877
–1884
. 10.1364/JOSAA.29.00187728.
Ullah
, I.
, 2014
, “Development of Fresnel-Based Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) System With Uniform Irradiance
,” J. Daylighting
, 1
(1
), pp. 2
–7
. 10.15627/jd.2014.129.
Han
, H. J.
, Riffat
, S. B.
, Lim
, S. H.
, and Oh
, S. J.
, 2013
, “Fiber Optic Solar Lighting: Functional Competitiveness and Potential
,” Sol. Energy
, 94
, pp. 86
–101
. 10.1016/j.solener.2013.04.01030.
Kim
, Y.
, Jeong
, H. J.
, Kim
, W.
, Chun
, W.
, Han
, H. J.
, and Lim
, S. H.
, 2017
, “A Comparative Performance Analysis on Daylighting for Two Different Types of Solar Concentrators: Dish vs. Fresnel Lens
,” Energy
, 137
, pp. 449
–456
. 10.1016/j.energy.2017.02.16831.
Han
, H. J.
, Mehmood
, M. U.
, Ahmed
, R.
, Kim
, Y.
, Dutton
, S.
, Lim
, S. H.
, and Chun
, W.
, 2019
, “An Advanced Daylighting System Combining Solar and an Artificial Light Source for Constant Illumination and Energy Saving in Buildings
,” Energy Build.
, 203
, p. 109404
. 10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.10940432.
Oh
, S. J.
, Lee
, Y. J.
, Chen
, K.
, Kim
, Y. K.
, Lim
, S. H.
, and Chun
, W.
, 2011
, “Development of an Embedded Solar Tracker for the Enhancement of Solar Energy Utilization
,” Int. J. Energy Res.
, 36
(2
), pp. 249
–258
. 10.1002/er.181333.
Oh
, S. J.
, Burhan
, M.
, Ng
, K. C.
, Kim
, Y.
, and Chun
, W.
, 2015
, “Development and Performance Analysis of a Two-Axis Solar Tracker for Concentrated Photovoltaics
,” Int. J. Energy Res.
, 39
(7
), pp. 965
–976
. 10.1002/er.330634.
Yao
, Y.
, Hu
, Y.
, Gao
, S.
, Yang
, G.
, and Du
, J.
, 2014
, “A Multipurpose Dual-Axis Solar Tracker With Two Tracking Strategies
,” Renewable Energy
, 72
, pp. 88
–98
. 10.1016/j.renene.2014.07.00235.
Burhan
, M.
, Oh
, S. J.
, Chua
, K. J. E.
, and Ng
, K. C.
, 2016
, “Double Lens Collimator Solar Feedback Sensor and Master-Slave Configuration: Development of Compact and Low Cost Two Axis Solar Tracking System for CPV Applications
,” Sol. Energy
, 137
, pp. 352
–363
. 10.1016/j.solener.2016.08.03536.
Allil
, R. C.
, Manchego
, A.
, Allil
, A.
, Rofrigues
, I.
, Werneck
, A.
, Diaz
, G. C.
, Dino
, T. F.
, Reyes
, Y.
, and Werneck
, M.
, 2018
, “Solar Tracker Development Based on a POF Bundle and Fresnel Lens Applied to Environment Illumination and Microalgae Cultivation
,” Sol. Energy
, 174
, pp. 648
–659
. 10.1016/j.solener.2018.09.061Copyright © 2020 by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.
