Solar Tracking

A simple sun sensor detects changes in the sun’s position and signals the drive motors to move with the sun. Tracking is necessary to achieve high concentrations of solar energy and high reactor temperatures.
Solar concentrators on-sun with high accuracy tracking. ![]() | Overall sensitivity of tracker was improved through low cost modifcations. ![]() |
- High temperature requires high concentration (C) and accurate tracking (φ) which can be estimated using:
C≤1/(〖sin〗^2 φ)
φ≤1.3° for C=2000
- The tracker updates every 10-40 seconds, depending on location, time of day, and time of year, to achieve an accuracy within 0.05