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
| DWPI Title: Solar tracking system for performing solar tracking and controlling angular position of single-axis tracking photovoltaic power system e.g. solar energy system for performing sky imaging for predictive sun tracking, has processor for generating multi-planar irradiance signal |
| Abstract: 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. |
| Use: Solar tracking system for performing solar tracking and controlling an angular position of a single-axis tracking photovoltaic power system i.e. solar energy system for performing sky imaging for predictive sun tracking. |
| Advantage: The system performs optimal tracking of angle of maximum irradiance to solar position, increases power production of single-axis tracking photovoltaic systems without modification of the tracking mechanism, uses the inexpensive sky camera to predict optimal tracker position after training the neural network with multi-angle irradiance measurements, reduces energy usage or mechanical wear of the single axis trackers in comparison to standard tracking routines and informs angular irradiance in real time by local and observable weather conditions. |
| Novelty: The system has an imaging device for capturing images of a sky. A control system is provided with a neural network with a set of convolutional layers to generate a first output associated with the image. A dense layer module receives solar position data and generates a second output. A processor generates multi-planar irradiance signal (MPIS) in response to a concatenated data sequence and determines an angular position of a photovoltaic power system and adjusts the angular position based on an angle (20) of maximum irradiance. The processor generates a matrix with entries. |
| Filed: 12/14/2021 |
| Application Number: US17550048A |
| Tech ID: SD 15548.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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