Passive Solar Panel Trackers
How do passive trackers work (for solar panels)?
I’m a student trying to design a mounting structure for solar panels. I’m reading about passive trackers so as to track the sun for optimal energy production; but I am not fully “seeing” how it works.
Can someone please help explain it to me, or at least send me a link(s) that could help explain it well?
THANKS IN ADVANCED!!
[and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!]
Technically, you can use any system that is energy independent. In other words, if you used a slit aperture on photoresistors on either side of the main solar panel, with a reset to the east once the sun has set, if that stepper motor system is powered by its own solar panel, it is still active, but because it is energy independent of the main system it is also passive as it is not drawing energy from the main system.
A true passive system is one Zomeworks sells, http://zomeworks.com/products/pv-trackers/how-trackers-work It appears to be relying upon a phase change of liquid to gas to liquid to balance the system and return it to the east in the morning.
Passive Solar Panel Tracking