Self-calibrating solar position sensor
Abstract
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:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1418978
- Patent Number(s):
- 9,879,884
- Application Number:
- 14/808,265
- Assignee:
- UT-Battelle, LLC (Oak Ridge, TN)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 2015 Jul 24
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 42 ENGINEERING; 47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION; 14 SOLAR ENERGY
Citation Formats
Maxey, Lonnie Curt. Self-calibrating solar position sensor. United States: N. p., 2018.
Web.
Maxey, Lonnie Curt. Self-calibrating solar position sensor. United States.
Maxey, Lonnie Curt. Tue .
"Self-calibrating solar position sensor". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1418978.
@article{osti_1418978,
title = {Self-calibrating solar position sensor},
author = {Maxey, Lonnie Curt},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2018},
month = {1}
}
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