Seguidor Solar de Dos Ejes para un Horno Solar

Abstract

The design and manufacture of a two-axis sun tracking system (rotation-elevation), which controls a heliostat of a solar furnace for clay brick firing is presented. The system works with motors controlled through a personal computer. The algorithm for the sun tracking system was developed in a visual programming language, calculates the primary and secondary tracking angles of the heliostat and shows them in a screen. The microcontroller is programmed to control the step driver engines, which move the heliostat of the solar furnace. The primary and secondary tracking is the same for the equinoxes, whereas for the solstices are different because the solar altitude is greater in summer than in winter in the northern hemisphere. The sun tracking system permits a more efficient capture of the solar radiation since it continuously follows the apparent movement of the Sun.