High fidelity model-based, simulation and control of solar thermal photovoltaic parabolic trough tracking system

摘要

Parabolic trough system efficiency and optimal capture of the heat and light conversion to thermal power and electricity depends significandy on tracking the position of the sun, East-West or North-South. In this context, various algorithms have been proposed in the past and implemented as embedded system with the mechanical and electrical systems as independent domains. This paper addresses the shortcoming of treating the mechanical and electrical subsystems as separate domain, by using a real 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) model of solar thermal Photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system as a single high fidelity model based system. The model is based on 3D native CAD converted into blocks of kinematics and mechanics control system-ready diagram. A Plataformer Solar de Almeria (PSA) algorithm was used to track the azimuth position of the sun. The modes of the trough system were implemented using state machine mode logic diagram. The implementation of the tracking system is known to significantly increase the efficiency of the heat and electrical power produced from the receiver and triple junction PV module.