scholarly journals Experimental Investigation on the Feasibility of Using a Fresnel Lens as a Solar-Energy Collection System for Enhancing On-Orbit Power Generation Performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Tae-Yong Park ◽  
Joo-Yong Jung ◽  
Hyun-Ung Oh

Cube satellites have a limitation for generating power because of their cubic structure and extremely small size. In addition, the incidence angle between the sun and the solar panels continuously varies owing to the revolution and rotation of the satellite according to the attitude control strategy. This angle is an important parameter for determining the power generation performance of the cube satellite. In this study, we performed an experimental feasibility study that uses a Fresnel lens as a solar-energy collection system for cube satellite applications, so that the power generation efficiency can be enhanced under the worst incidence angle condition between the sun and solar panels by concentrating and redirecting solar energy onto the solar panels with a commercial Fresnel lens. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed system, we conducted a power-measurement test using a solar simulator and Fresnel lenses at various angles to the light source. In addition, we predicted the on-orbit power-generation enhancement achieved by employing the solar-energy collection system with various attitude control strategies.

Author(s):  
Anand M. Sharan ◽  
Mohammad Zamanlou ◽  
Md. Habibur Rahman ◽  
Mohammad A. A. Al-Mehdi

In this paper, solar energy based power plant is operated from a centralized location. From this location, signal is sent to various tracking machines having solar panels mounted on them to track the Sun from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M. This tracking is based on spin rate of the earth, which is not based on local atmospheric conditions; in our case, the tracking is based on global conditions (earth motions around the Sun). This process is different from normally used photo-sensor based tracking. The tracking machine is designed such that the torque of the motor is minimum due to mass balancing effect. This process is different from other tracking processes where each machine operates independent of each other. In this case likelihood of the occurrence of fault becomes many fold. The maintenance of such plants is very laborious and inefficient.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-35
Author(s):  
M Barkah Salim ◽  
Nurlaila Rajabiah

The sun is a source of energy that cannot be used up. Therefore, the utilization of solar energy must be a priority. With the many types of solar panels that have been developed, researchers conducted an analysis of 150 watt monocrystalline solar panels. The purpose of this study is to know the amount of current and voltage produced by solar panels in some conditions of the sky, namely cloudy, bright cloudy, and bright. The research method used was the experiment. From the data that has been obtained, it can be found that the energy produced by solar panels during cloudy ranges from 0.6-0.8 amperes, when it is cloudy, 0.9-1.9 amperes, and when bright 2.0-3.2 amperes. The amount of electrical energy that can be produced is 8%. However, if the sunny state can produce twice that Suggestions for readers are if you want to take data to make sure the solar panels are completely exposed to the sun during data collection and in the open area. Much better if the angle is adjusted in the direction of sunlight.


F1000Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 1381
Author(s):  
Jacek Harazin ◽  
Andrzej Wróbel

Roof mounted solar panels come in form of fixed panels, unable to adjust to sun’s position during day and throughout the year. As an effect, the efficiency of such solution is usually dependent on the roof slope and position of the building in relation to sun’s day arc during seasons. These problems can be bypassed in free standing solar installations by equipping solar panels with solar tracker installations. Thanks to solar tracking, solar panels can be dynamically positioned perpendicular to the sun position and gather energy more efficiently throughout the day. This article presents a possibility of creating a roof mounted solar tracking panel to increase its efficiency. A prototype of solar tracking panel with two axes of movement was designed with an intention of an easy adaptation to being mounted on sloped surfaces of building roofs. A reference stationary panel was used to compare the efficiency of both solutions. A 5-day study was carried out to determine if the proposed solution could provide any benefits. Based on the study, the authors made an attempt to draw a conclusion whether the design could considerably increase the solar energy output to be worth the extra spending associated with solar tracker installation.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yew-Chung Chak ◽  
Renuganth Varatharajoo ◽  
Nima Assadian

Purpose The paper aims to address the combined attitude control and Sun tracking problem in a flexible spacecraft in the presence of external and internal disturbances. The attitude stabilization of a flexible satellite is generally a challenging control problem, because of the facts that satellite kinematic and dynamic equations are inherently nonlinear, the rigid–flexible coupling dynamical effect, as well as the uncertainty that arises from the effect of actuator anomalies. Design/methodology/approach To deal with these issues in the combined attitude and Sun tracking system, a novel control scheme is proposed based on the adaptive fuzzy Jacobian approach. The augmented spacecraft model is then analyzed and the Lyapunov-based backstepping method is applied to develop a nonlinear three-axis attitude pointing control law and the adaptation law. Findings Numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive control scheme in simultaneously tracking the desired attitude and the Sun. Practical implications Reaction wheels are commonly used in many spacecraft systems for the three-axis attitude control by delivering precise torques. If a reaction wheel suffers from an irreversible mechanical breakdown, then it is likely going to interrupt the mission, or even leading to a catastrophic loss. The pitch-axis mounted solar array drive assemblies (SADAs) can be exploited to anticipate such situation to generate a differential torque. As the solar panels are rotated by the SADAs to be orientated relative to the Sun, the pitch-axis wheel control torque demand can be compensated by the differential torque. Originality/value The proposed Jacobian control scheme is inspired by the knowledge of Jacobian matrix in the trajectory tracking of robotic manipulators.


2013 ◽  
Vol 723 ◽  
pp. 594-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Wayne Lee ◽  
Andrew J. Correia ◽  
Brett D.J. Neilan ◽  
Ben Dahn

All day long the transportation infrastructure receives solar energy from the sun rays, storing much of them as heat that is left to dissipate by nightfall. The concept of harvesting solar energy from transportation infrastructure is enticing because it offers a way to collect solar energy by utilizing an extensive infrastructure that already exists. Thus, an attempt was made to investigate novel methods for solar energy harvesting and conversion with potential economic efficiency substantially beyond that of current technology. Particularly, a comparative study was conducted between rigid and flexible solar panels.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (23) ◽  
pp. 11564
Author(s):  
Harry D. Kambezidis ◽  
Ashraf Farahat ◽  
Mansour Almazroui ◽  
Emad Ramadan

The objective of the present work is to investigate the performance of flat-plate solar panels in Saudi Arabia that continuously follow the daily motion of the sun. To that end, the annual energy sums are estimated for such surfaces at 82 locations covering all Saudi Arabia. All calculations use a surface albedo of 0.2 and another one with a near-real value. The variation of the solar energy sums on annual, seasonal, and monthly basis is given for near-real ground albedos; the analysis provides regression equations for the energy sums as function of time. A map of the annual inclined solar energy for Saudi Arabia is derived and presented. The annual energy sums are found to vary between 2159 and 4078 kWhm−2year−1. Finally, a correction factor, introduced in a recent publication, is used; it is confirmed that the linear relationship between the correction factor and the ground-albedo ratio is general enough to be graphically representable as a nomogram. A discussion regarding the differences among solar systems on horizontal, fixed-tilt, 1-axis, and 2-axis systems is presented.


The paper is related to the solar energy power generation, more specifically the paper revolves around the topic of solar tree. This paper shows how efficient and important is the solar tree for this generation. This presents how solar trees converts the solar energy into electrical energy. Sunlight irradiates daily and blasts out an enormous amount of solar energy towards the earth, the total energy that is received from the sun is more than enough for humanity to run for many years, still the received solar energy is not harnessed properly and hence there is not sufficient energy production in the world. Since solar panels are the efficient method nowadays for generating electrical energy from the solar energy, but solar panels requires lot of space to install. Hence this paper solve this problem by using solar tree that is mounting of solar panels on artificial tree..


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ni Li ◽  
Arianna Fatahi ◽  
Dennis Lee ◽  
Jim Y. Kuo ◽  
He Shen

Abstract In comparison to fossil fuels, solar energy is a more sustainable option due to its high availability and less environmental impact. Improving the efficiency of solar farms has been a primary concern of solar energy research. Many studies focus on the control of the tilt angle of solar modules to maximize their solar radiation reception and energy generation. However, an increase in solar radiation is accompanied by an increase in module temperature, which is known to be a significant parameter that reduces the power generation efficiency. Wind is another influential factor that helps Photovoltaic systems maintain a low operating temperature by enhancing the rate of heat transfer. Therefore, solar radiation and wind behavior are both critical parameters that must be considered to optimize solar panel performance. In this paper, the effect of wind conditions on solar panel performance will be examined. The solar panel energy output model will be built by empirically considering the irradiation, ambient temperature, wind speed, and wind direction. The published weather data and energy output data for the year 2017–2018 have been collected from Antelope Valley Solar Ranch, located in Lancaster, California. Four models have been proposed and the results indicate that the model which incorporates the wind conditions has the highest accuracy in approximating the energy production of solar farms. Among the factors that affect the temperature of solar panels and further the efficiency of solar panels including solar irradiation, convection, conduction, wind plays a major role in convective heat transfer. Based on this model, the potential improvement of energy generation via introducing a horizontal installation angle and adjusting this angle monthly according to the wind conditions is further analyzed. These results will help designers improve the design of solar farms by taking into consideration the local weather conditions.


Jurnal METTEK ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
I Ketut Rizki Fibrina Firmandanu ◽  
I Gusti Bagus Wijaya Kusuma ◽  
I Wayan Bandem Adnyana

Pemanfaatan energi surya sangat berpotensi dimanfaatkan sebagai sumber energi alternatif. Energi surya merupakan energi terbarukan yang produktif sehingga melalui penelitian ini sangat erat kaitannya dengan program pemanfaatan sumber – sumber energi terbarukan untuk memasok kebutuhan energi. Penelitian telah dilaksanakan di PT Indonesia Power Unit Bisnis Pembangkitan Bali. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efisiensi dan energi optimum yang dihasilkan oleh panel surya. Pengujian dilakukan dengan pengukuran intensitas cahaya, tegangan dan arus pada panel surya dengan pemasangan kemiringan sesuai pada atap Gedung A PT Indonesia Power Unit Bisnis Pembangkitan Bali. Hasil pengujian menunjukkan bahwa efisiensi panel surya maksimum di PLTS PT Indonesia Power terjadi pada bulan November sebesar 9,56% dan daya keluaran optimum yang dihasilkan sebesar 240 watt. Daya tersebut dicapai pada bulan November dan Desember pada setiap hari pukul 13.00 sampai 14.00 WITA. Utilization of solar energy potential is exploited as a source of alternative energy. Solar energy is a renewable energy that are productive so that through this research is closely associated with the program source – utilization of renewable energy sources to supply energy needs. Research has been carried out at PT Indonesia Power Generation Business Unit. The test is done by measuring the intensity of light, voltage and current on solar panel installation with the slope of the fit on the roof of the building with PT Indonesia Power Generation Business Unit of Bali. The results of testing shows that maximum efficiency solar panels in PLTS PT Indonesia Power Generation Business Unit of Bali occur in november as much as 9,56 % and power output optimum position produced as much as 240 watts .Power being achieved in november and december at all the appointed 13.00 until 14.00 WITA.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsung-Chieh Cheng ◽  
Wei-Cheng Hung ◽  
Te-Hua Fang

An experimental study was performed to investigate the effect of using a continuous operation two-axes tracking on the solar heat energy collected. This heat-collection sun tracking which LDR (light dependent resistor) sensors installed on the Fersnel lens was used to control the tracking path of the sun with programming method of control with a closed loop system. The control hardware was connected to a computer through Zigbee wireless module and it also can monitor the whole tracking process information on a computer screen. An experimental study was performed to investigate the effect of using two-axes tracking on the solar heat energy collected. The results indicate that sun tracking systems are being increasingly employed to enhance the efficiency of heat collection by polar-axis tracking of the sun. Besides, the heating power was also measured by designed power measurement module at the different focal length of Fresnel lens, and the design of shadow mask of LDR sensors is an important factor for solar photothermal applications. Moreover, the results also indicated that the best time to obtain the largest solar irradiation power is during 11:00 –13:00  in Taiwan.


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