The paper deals with the modeling and simulation in virtual prototyping environment of a mechatronic solar tracker used for photovoltaic systems, with the aim to increase the energetic efficiency, by maximizing the rate of incoming incident solar radiation. The solar tracker in study is an equatorial dual-axis mechanism, which allows the adjustment of the diurnal and seasonal angles of the PV module in accordance with a predefined tracking program, the actuating sources being linear actuators. The modeling and simulation of the tracking system is carried out by using the MBS (Multi-Body System) commercial software solution ADAMS (Automatic Dynamic Analysis of the Mechanical Systems).

This paper deals with the dynamic optimization of the dual-axis tracking mechanism, which is used for increasing the energetic efficiency of a photovoltaic module, by maximizing the rate of incident solar radiation. The study is based on the optimal design algorithm included in the commercial MBS (Multi-Body Systems) software solution ADAMS, through the parameterization of the virtual model, which offers the possibility to perform a series of studies aiming at identifying the design parameters that decisively influence the dynamic behavior of the tracking systems. The global coordinates of the design points (i.e. the mounting points of the actuating sources) are defined as design variables for the optimization process, while the design objectives refer to the power consumptions of the actuating sources.

This paper proposes an analysis of spectral monitoring processes of the crop vegetation status. In terms of the extensive implementation of precision agriculture, the performant agricultural management must ensure the monitoring of crop vegetation. In this context, determination and interpretation of vegetation indices, based on spectral data, plays a very important role. The performed research revealed the characteristics of monitoring the status of vegetation in order to obtain the necessary information, ie structure, actions and performances required to achieve an efficient system of monitoring the state of vegetation resources and to obtain the application maps for a precision crop management.precision crop management. This complex system ensures data acquisition and processing, thematic and application maps realization and decision generating on obtaining large productions and quality, on optimizing the economic profits, achieving of an integrated environmental protection and increasing of the sustainability of agricultural systems.

This paper presents a mechatronic solution for monitoring the crops vegetation status. A data acquisition system containing different types of sensors (multispectral, temperature, plant height, GPS) is placed on a terrestrial mechatronic platform that is carried by a tractor or on an UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). The multispectral sensor offers information about the reflectance, for discrete wavelengths, necessary to compute the so called vegetation indices. They are correlated with the degree of development and plant health, thermal and water stress, pests, fertilizer need and so on. Knowing these information, a timely intervention is possible, allowing to supply water, pesticide and fertilizer in the proper quantity, at the proper time and in the precise place, leading to major economic impact and significant environmental protection. Geographical information are used for geo-referencing the acquired data, so that the thematic maps to be generated.