Modeling and Control of a Two-Axis Solar Tracking System

Abstract

The present work focuses on the analysis of a two-axis pedestal-type solar tracking system controlled by a Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control law plus feedforward applied to the motors that drive the tracking system. The implementation of a solar positioning algorithm is performed to calculate the trajectories of the solar tracking system to track the movement of the sun. These trajectories are applied as desired trajectories to the PID control loops controlling the motors. Results of real-time experiments are presented, and the energy consumption of the motors is analyzed.