Abstract: Sensor arrangement for tracking a solar collector assembly, the sensor arrangement comprising a housing; said housing comprising an inclination sensor and a camera; said sensor arrangement comprising a shadow receiver; said shadow receiver being arranged and adapted to receive the full shadow of a solar system's receiver tube; wherein the camera and the shadow receiver are arranged such that the camera may sense the full width of the receiver tube's shadow on the shadow receiver.

Abstract: A concentrated solar power (CSP) system includes a reflector, a receiver tube, a shadow receiver arranged and adapted to receive the, shadow of the receiver tube; a first digital camera attached to the CSP system to acquire a first image of the reflector and of the shadow receiver, and a controller. The controller identifies a first portion of the first image that comprises the reflector and a second portion of the first image that comprises the shadow receiver, determines a degree of soiling of the reflector based on the first portion of the first image and, ignores all information contained in the second portion of the first image for determining said degree of soiling, and determines an adjustment of the orientation of the reflector based on the second portion of the first image and, ignores all information contained in the first portion of the first image for determining said adjustment.

Abstract: Sensor arrangement for tracking a solar collector assembly, the sensor arrangement comprising a housing; said housing comprising an inclination sensor and a camera; said sensor arrangement comprising a shadow receiver; said shadow receiver being arranged and adapted to receive the full shadow of a solar system's receiver tube; wherein the camera and the shadow receiver are arranged such that the camera may sense the full width of the receiver tube's shadow on the shadow receiver.

Abstract: A CSP system including a reflector and a receiver for concentrating the solar radiation incident on the reflector onto the receiver, comprising a shadow blind and a shadow receiver as well as a colour and/or brightness digitizing sensor arranged to detect the shadow of the shadow blind on the shadow receiver in order to determine a deviation of the actual shadow position from a target shadow position, a tracking means configured to adapt the position of the reflector and the receiver according to the deviation.

Abstract: A CSP system including a reflector and a receiver for concentrating the solar radiation incident on the reflector onto the receiver, comprising a shadow blind and a shadow receiver as well as a colour and/or brightness digitizing sensor arranged to detect the shadow of the shadow blind on the shadow receiver in order to determine a deviation of the actual shadow position from a target shadow position, a tracking means configured to adapt the position of the reflector and the receiver according to the deviation.