The Solar automatic chasing light system (also known as a solar tracker) is a device that maximizes the absorption of light energy by adjusting the Angle of solar panels in real time to always keep them perpendicular to the sunlight. Compared with fixed solar energy systems, chasing light systems can significantly improve power generation efficiency (about 20%-40%). The following is a detailed explanation of its core components and working principle:
I. System Composition of Solar Automatic Chasing Light System
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1、Mechanical structure
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Rotating bracket: It is usually designed with a single axis (east-west or north-south) or a double axis (horizontal + pitch), and the double axis offers higher tracking accuracy.
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Drive motor: Stepper motor or servo motor, in combination with a reduction gearbox to achieve precise Angle adjustment.Double axis System application
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2、Sensor module
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Photosensitive sensor: Four-quadrant photodiode or spectroscopic sensor, which locates the position of the sun by comparing the differences in light intensity in each direction.
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Backup GPS/ astronomical algorithm module: Calculate the sun's trajectory based on geographical location and time on cloudy days.
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3、Control unit
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Microcontrollers (such as Arduino, STM32) : Process sensor data and control motor rotation.
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PLC or dedicated IC: Industrial-grade systems may adopt more complex controllers.
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4、Power Supply and Protection
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Battery: Supplies power to the control system to prevent power outages on cloudy days.
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Limit switch: Prevents excessive rotation of mechanical structures.
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Ii. Working Principle of Solar automatic chasing light system
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1、Optical tracing mode
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The sensor detects the difference in light intensity in real time. The controller calculates the deviation and drives the motor to adjust the Angle so that the panel faces the sun directly.
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Example: If the light intensity on the left side is greater than that on the right side, the motor rotates to the right until the signals on both sides are balanced.
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2、Astronomical algorithm model
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Calculate the solar altitude Angle and azimuth Angle based on the date, time and longitude and latitude (obtained through GPS), without continuously relying on sunlight.
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Suitable for cloudy weather or pre-adjustment at night.Photovoltaic Dual-Axis Tracking Bracket
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3、Hybrid mode
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Combining sensors with astronomical algorithms, prioritizing the use of light tracing, and switching to computing mode when anomalies occur.
