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Title: Systems and methods for single-axis tracking via sky imaging and machine leanring comprising a neural network to determine an angular position of a photovoltaic power system

Patent ·
OSTI ID:2293899

A system and method is disclosed for solar tracking and controlling an angular position of a photovoltaic power system. The solar tracking system includes an imaging device for capturing images of the sky; a solar position data generating module; and a control system comprising a neural network. The neural network has multiple convolutional layers to generate a first output associated with the images, and a solar position data module. A first dense layer module receives the solar position data and generates a second output. A second dense layer module receives the first output and the second output and generates a concatenated data sequence. A processor is programmed to generate a multi-planar irradiance signal (MPIS) in response to the concatenated data sequence, and determine an angular position of the PV power system and adjust the angular position in response to an angle of maximum irradiance.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
NA0003525
Assignee:
National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Number(s):
11,823,409
Application Number:
17/550,048
OSTI ID:
2293899
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 12/14/2021
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (10)

Multi-Input Convolutional Neural Network for Flower Grading journal January 2017
Solar radiation transposition models applied to a plane tracking the sun journal January 1988
Solar position algorithm for solar radiation applications journal January 2004
Geo-referencing and stereo calibration of ground-based Whole Sky Imagers using the sun trajectory conference July 2016
A new airmass independent formulation for the Linke turbidity coefficient journal September 2002
Retrieving Cloud Characteristics from Ground-Based Daytime Color All-Sky Images journal May 2006
Short and medium-term cloudiness forecasting using remote sensing techniques and sky camera imagery journal August 2014
pvlib python: a python package for modeling solar energy systems journal September 2018
Solar power forecasting patent October 2022
Method, system, and apparatus for rapidly measuring incident solar irradiance on multiple planes of differing angular orientations patent May 2019

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