Design and Characterization of a single-axis solar tracker system for Small Scale Parabolic trough collectors

ABSTRACTThis paper introduces a detailed design and development of a solar tracker (ST) prototype for small-sized parabolic trough collectors (PTCs) with one degree of freedom. The PTCs are intended to produce industrial heat at a moderate temperature. The contribution of this work lies in its introduction of a new and optimized solar tracker, which prioritizes both accuracy and cost-efficiency in its design. This aspect was emphasized throughout the experimental investigation, along with a comparison of findings from existing literature. Therefore, the open-loop strategy based on the solar position algorithm (SPA) is adopted here to determine the tracking-elevation angle. A software algorithm is proposed and implemented in a control unit managed by low-cost board. Then, the tracking angle is updated by controlling the electro-mechanical system using an on-off hysteresis approach. An experimental characterization of the tracker is carried out regarding the tracking precision by directly measuring the errors in positioning angle and their impact on the optical losses. The obtained results show good performance of the tracker with a standard deviation of tracking errors of 0.55°, which is adequate for such collectors with tolerance angles of more than 2°. This makes the 96th percentile of the optical loss efficiency almost zero for our PTC.KEYWORDS: IAMopen-loop strategyparabolic trough collectorsingle-axis solar trackertracking accuracy Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationNotes on contributorsAbdelatif TakilalteDr. Abdelatif Takilalte was born in Algeria in 1987. He is currently a researcher at the Renewable Energy Development Center (CDER) in Algiers, a position he has held since 2013. He received his PhD in Electronic Instrumentation from USTHB (Houari Boumediene University of Science and Technology), Algiers, in 2021. Prior to that, he earned a Magister's degree in advanced techniques in signal processing in 2012 and an engineer's degree in electronic system control in 2010. His main research interests include solar energy systems, solar resource modeling and forecasting, signal processing, and machine learning.Ali DaliAli Dali was born in Hussein Dey, Algeria in 1986. He received his engineer's degree in automatic and electrical engineering from the Department of Automation, Ecole Nationale Polytechnique of Algiers, Algeria, in 2009. He received his Magister degrees 2012m then his PhD in electrical engineering in 2021. He has been an associate researcher at Renewable Energy Development Center (CDER), Algeria since 2013. His current research interests include nonlinear control, optimization techniques and Identification, as well as Hybrid renewable energy systems.Mohammed LaissaouiDr. Mohammed Laissaoui is the Head of the Thermodynamic System Power Team at the Renewable Energy Center in Algeria. He holds a Doctor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of ABDELHAMID IBN BADIS in MOSTAGANEM, Algeria, and he earned his M.Sc. Magister degree in Energetic and Sustainable Development with a focus on Advanced Energetic Systems in March 2012 from the University of BOUMERDES. Additionally, he obtained his Graduation Diploma as a Professor in Secondary School with a specialization in Mechanical Engineering Technical Education from ENPO ORAN (formerly ENSET) in 2008. His research primarily focuses on Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) and its applications for electricity and heat production in the industrial sector. He also works on desalination of seawater and brackish water, as well as the technical, economic, and optimization aspects of solar CSP plants.Amar BouhallassaAmar Bouhallassa, a permanent researcher at the Renewable Energy Development Center and a member of the Thermodynamic Solar Power Systems team, is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Constantine within the Physics department. His academic journey includes the achievement of a Master's degree in Energy Physics in 2012, along with an Engineering degree in Physics with a specialization in Energy and Fluid Mechanics in 2008. Bouhallassa's research primarily revolves around the fields of energy mechanics, fluid dynamics, heat and mass transfer, and their application to solar collectors. His overarching objective has been to optimize both the structure and performance of these systems in the field of renewable energies.