Solar Desalination Apparatus

A sun-tracking system for maneuvering a platform to track the motion of the sun across the sky, the system comprising:

• a sensor matrix coupled to the platform, the sensor matrix comprising a plurality of photo-sensitive sensors arranged substantially around a perimeter and at least one sensor positioned substantially in the middle, the sensors provided with visors for selectively limiting incoming light to a predetermined sector;
• a control unit for receiving signals from the sensors, for analyzing the position of the sun based on the signals form the sensors and for activating a turning and tilting mechanism for redirecting the platform.

A method for facilitating tracking of the motion of the sun across the sky by a platform, the method comprising:

• Providing a sensor matrix coupled to the platform, the sensor matrix comprising a plurality of photo-sensitive sensors arranged substantially around a perimeter and at least one sensor positioned substantially in the middle, the sensors provided with visors for selectively limiting incoming light to a predetermined sector;
• and a control unit for receiving signals from the sensors, for analyzing the position of the sun based on the signals form the sensors and for activating a turning and tilting mechanism for redirecting the platform;
• sensing signals from the sensor matrix, and when no signal is received from the sensor in the middle of the perimeter, reorienting the sensor matrix in a direction corresponding to the position of a sensor on the perimeter that first senses sunlight, and stopping redirection of the sensor matrix when the sensor in the middle senses sunlight.