Control algorithms applied to active solar tracking systems: A review

Abstract It is well known that concentrating solar power and concentrating photovoltaic technologies require high accuracy and high precision solar tracking systems in order to achieve greater energy conversion efficiency. The required tracking precision depends primarily on the acceptance angle of the system, which is generally tenths of a degree. Control algorithms applied to active solar tracking systems command and manipulate the electrical signals to the actuators, usually electric motors, with the goal of achieving accurate and precise solar tracking. In addition, a solar tracking algorithms system must provide robustness against disturbances, and it should operate with minimum energy consumption. In this work, a systematic review of the control algorithms implemented in active solar tracking systems is presented. These algorithms are classified according to three solar tracking control strategies: open-loop, closed-loop and combined open- and closed-loop schemes herein called hybrid-loop. Their working principles as well as the main advantages and disadvantages of each strategy are analyzed. It is concluded that the most widely used solar tracking control strategy is closed-loop, representing 54.39% of all the publications consulted. On–off, fuzzy logic, proportional-integral-derivative and proportional-integral are the control algorithms most applied in active solar tracking systems, representing 57.02%, 10.53%, 6.14% and 4.39%, respectively.