Heliostat dual-axis sun tracking system: A case study in KSA

Abstract

This paper demonstrates a case study for solar power tower (SPT) Heliostat, concentrated solar power topology in Dhahran, KSA. A MATLAB code is implemented for the solar position algorithm to calculate the incident angles in order to track the sunbeams during the whole year. A drive system composed of two linear actuators; DC motor-based drive is developed. The model has been validated experimentally using a rooftop Heliostat prototype. The experimental platform has been tested for several days in different seasons to confirm the prototype capabilities for sun tracking during the whole year. The experimental and simulation results are well agreed.