Motor Control Circuits Used in Automatic Sun Tracking Systems: A Review

Abstract

Sun tracking systems provide excellent values of energy gain when compared to fixed photovoltaic (PV) systems. One of the prominent blocks of an active sun tracking system (ASTS) is the motor drive control circuit. This circuit controls motor movement and aligns the PV panel to remain normal to incident solar radiation during all times of the day. The motor drive mechanism includes an electronic circuit that accurately controls the movement of a tracking motor using closed loop or open loop control systems. Precise alignment of the PV panel for correctly tracking the sun throughout the day depends on the performance of the motor control circuit. This review paper focuses on the different types of sun tracking systems used by researchers all over the world and the various types of motor control circuits used in them. It also compares their performance, relative merits and demerits based on their operating principle.

Keywords: Automatic sun tracking system (ASTS), motor control circuits, fixed PV panels, closed loop system, open loop system

 Cite this Article

Singh SP, Srikant K, Jairaj KS. Motor Control Circuits Used in Automatic Sun Tracking Systems: A Review. Journal of Instrumentation Technology and Innovations. 2016; 6(1): 43–60p.