captest.capdata.CapData.filter_backtracking

CapData.filter_backtracking(axis_tilt=None, axis_azimuth=None, gcr=None, cross_axis_tilt=None, keep_backtracking=False, custom_name=None)

Remove intervals where single-axis-tracker backtracking is active.

Backtracking activity is decided per interval from solar geometry using a transcription of pvlib’s tracking.singleaxis test. Solar position is computed from the site location; tracker geometry defaults to the site system definition (site['sys']) and may be overridden per argument. Degrades to a warn-and-no-op when site/geometry/pvlib are unavailable, the resolved geometry is invalid, or solar position cannot be computed (e.g. malformed site['loc']).

This filter needs the site information (location and tracker geometry) that load_data() stores when you pass its site argument. If that information is missing, or the site is fixed-tilt rather than a tracker, the filter makes no change and prints a warning rather than stopping your analysis. You can also supply the geometry directly with the axis_tilt, axis_azimuth, and gcr arguments if it is not on the site record.

Parameters:

  • axis_tilt (float, default None) – Tracker axis tilt (deg). Uses site[‘sys’][‘axis_tilt’] when None.

  • axis_azimuth (float, default None) – Tracker axis azimuth (deg). Uses site[‘sys’][‘axis_azimuth’] when None.

  • gcr (float, default None) – Ground coverage ratio. Uses site[‘sys’][‘gcr’] when None.

  • cross_axis_tilt (float, default None) – Cross-axis tilt (deg) for sloped terrain. Uses site[‘sys’].get(‘cross_axis_tilt’, 0) when None. Must be in (-90, 90).

  • keep_backtracking (bool, default False) – If True, keep only backtracking intervals and remove true-tracking ones.

  • custom_name (str, default None) – Optional display label for the recorded filter step.