Self-calibrating solar position sensor

Title: Self-calibrating solar position sensor

A sun positioning sensor and method of accurately tracking the sun are disclosed. The sensor includes a position sensing diode and a disk having a body defining an aperture for accepting solar light. An extension tube having a body that defines a duct spaces the position sensing diode from the disk such that the solar light enters the aperture in the disk, travels through the duct in the extension tube and strikes the position sensing diode. The extension tube has a known length that is fixed. Voltage signals indicative of the location and intensity of the sun are generated by the position sensing diode. If it is determined that the intensity values are unreliable, then historical position values are used from a table. If the intensity values are deemed reliable, then actual position values are used from the position sensing diode.

Inventors:: Maxey, Lonnie Curt

Issue Date:: 2018-01-30

OSTI Identifier:: 1418978

Assignee:: UT-Battelle, LLC (Oak Ridge, TN) ORNL

Patent Number(s):: 9,879,884

Application Number:: 14/808,265

Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

Resource Relation:: Patent File Date: 2015 Jul 24

Research Org:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org:: USDOE

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 42 ENGINEERING; 47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION; 14 SOLAR ENERGY

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Works referenced in this record:

Apparatus and methods to locate and track the sun
patent-application, January 2008

Hoot, John E.; Baun, Kenneth W.
US Patent Application 11/490786; 20080017784
URL: http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220080017784%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20080017784&RS=DN/20080017784

Camera-Based Heliostat Tracking Controller
patent-application, January 2011

Reznik, Dan
US Patent Application 12/497385; 20110000478
URL: http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220110000478%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20110000478&RS=DN/20110000478

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