3D Backtracking®

3D Backtracking® increases capture surface up to 5.93%

As flat project sites began to run out, some changes were needed to keep shading at a minimum. Introducing constant slopes for tracker groups was the common approach of the industry, while manually adjusting parameters to get that extra production.

Nevertheless, another step forward needs to be taken, to maximize production even in the most challenging terrains. Suntrack by P4Q, as the largest independent vendor of tracker control systems, has developed a revolutionary backtracking algorithm that boosts production even in the most irregular topographies, 3D Backtracking®.

3D Backtracking® embedded in each TCU

One of the key aspects of the 3D Backtracking®, apart from boosting production gain in irregular terrains, is that it runs locally, embedded in each TCU. Other approaches to avoid shading are based on external systems which broadcast the optimal position for each tracker every few minutes. This approach faces several risks of implementation:

• Communication losses
• Additional hardware / software
• Safety and data integrity Suntrack´s new algorithm only requires data processing before the project is delivered. Once the processing is completed, each TCU will function independently, with no need to be commanded by an external entity.

The TCUs will function with only a few dozen registers, so memory requirements are kept to a minimum. Those registers are used by the TCU to continuously calculate the optimum angle thanks to a transfer function designed to execute fast and efficiently.