Patent ID: 8466399
Filing Date: 2013-06-18
Classification: F24S,G01S,H02S,Y02E

Abstract:
1. An automated method of causing a photovoltaic solar cell array of a terrestrial solar cell system to track the sun, the system comprising two motor drives each of which is operable to adjust a position of the array along a different respective axis with respect to the sun, the method comprising: (a) using a sun position predictor to predict a position of the sun in the sky at a time after sunrise based, at least in part, on the latitude, longitude and elevation of the array; (b) using a computer kinematic model to determine respective actuations for the motor drives corresponding to the solar cell array being substantially aligned with the sun during the course of the day, the kinematic model including encoding parameters; (c) using the sun position predictor and the kinematic model to position the array so that the array is aligned to follow a predetermined track corresponding to the predicted position of the sun during the course of the day; (d) periodically sampling the output of the array during the course of the day at sun position p (e) storing the sequence of new sun positions p (f) adjusting the parameters of the kinematic model to form a list of test kinematic models over the range of sun positions; (g) evaluating each of the test kinematic models against a predetermined evaluation criteria as they simulate a progression through the range of sun positions during the course of the day; (h) selecting one of the test kinematic models that best meets the evaluation criteria; and (i) modifying the operational kinematic model of the array to conform to the parameters of the selected test kinematic model, so that subsequently the motion of the array at predetermined times during the course of the day tracks the set of reset positions with maximum output.