A Combined Digital-Analog Tracker for Terrestrial Applications

Abstract

A combined Digital-Analog Tracker is suggested to allow maximum efficiency in a solar-electrical energy converter, utilizing a twelve-foot parabolic collector. The analog tracker compares solar beam radiation to ambient (diffuse) light to obtain optimum placement of the collector when the sun is visible. The digital portion of the tracker utilizes a wired program which derives information on solar position from a non-volatile random-access semiconductor memory. This arrangement allows accurate mapping of the sun even when the sun is obscured by atmospheric phenomena which would make mapping impossible

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