scholarly journals A Prototype solar tracking system design and implementation

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (01) ◽  
pp. 32-37
Author(s):  
Abbas F. Nori ◽  
◽  
Faisel G. Mohammed

In this work comparison between the results of the first systems is a fixed solar and the second is the sun tracking in an attempt to increase the proportion of electricity production. Here a microcontroller (Arduino) and the light-dependent resistor (LDR) photo detector is used in this tracker. And then compare the results in different weather conditions and on different days to test the efficiency of the two systems. The efficiency of the tracking system is better than the fixed system by 12.3% on a sunny day and 4.9% on a partly cloudy day. However, it failed by 3.3% on a cloudy day. With a sunny day preference in the tracking system at 6.9% of partially cloudy days, and 12.1% with partially cloudy to a cloudy day. And verified from The efficiency of the work of the microcontroller (Arduino) system and the optical detector (LDR).

Author(s):  
Allan Soon Chan Roong ◽  
Shin-Horng Chong

This paper presents the design and development of a laboratory-scale single axis solar tracking system. The chronological method was implemented into the system because it has high accuracy and can save more energy as compared to other types of solar tracking system. The laboratory-scale single axis solar tracking system can be used to identify the suitable and safe workspace for the installation of the actual solar tracking system plant. Besides, the validity of the laboratory-scale single axis solar tracking system was examined experimentally. The angle of rotation, per hour is preferable to be implemented into the designed laboratory-scale single axis sun tracking system due to the high performance ratio which is 0.83 and can save the energy up  to 25% during sunny days.


Author(s):  
H. Henry Zhang ◽  
Li-Zhe Tan ◽  
Wangling Yu ◽  
Simo Meskouri

The performance and cost-effectiveness of photovoltaic cells depends greatly on the intensity of solar radiation to which they are exposed. Integrating a solar tracking system to the photovoltaic cell panel provides a way to improve the efficiencies of the solar energy system. Designing such an interdisciplinary system requires the mechatronic approach, through which the subsystems and their interfacings relating to the electrical, electronic, mechanical, structural, and control are integrated with multiple functionality and intelligent engineering realized in the microprocessor/controller operations and the controlled mechanisms. This chapter presents a case study of mechatronic system design and prototyping of a two-axis solar tracking system ST100 utilizing microcontroller OOPic. Two stepper motors adjusting the solar panel's rotation and tilt about the horizontal axis and the vertical axis give it the ability to track the movement of the sun and align the solar panel to face the sun at all times.


Author(s):  
H. Henry Zhang ◽  
Li-Zhe Tan ◽  
Wangling Yu ◽  
Simo Meskouri

The performance and cost-effectiveness of photovoltaic cells depends greatly on the intensity of solar radiation to which they are exposed. Integrating a solar tracking system to the photovoltaic cell panel provides a way to improve the efficiencies of the solar energy system. Designing such an interdisciplinary system requires the mechatronic approach, through which the subsystems and their interfacings relating to the electrical, electronic, mechanical, structural, and control are integrated with multiple functionality and intelligent engineering realized in the microprocessor/controller operations and the controlled mechanisms. This chapter presents a case study of mechatronic system design and prototyping of a two-axis solar tracking system ST100 utilizing microcontroller OOPic. Two stepper motors adjusting the solar panel's rotation and tilt about the horizontal axis and the vertical axis give it the ability to track the movement of the sun and align the solar panel to face the sun at all times.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel J. Ontiveros ◽  
Carlos D. Ávalos ◽  
Faustino Loza ◽  
Néstor D. Galán ◽  
Guillermo J. Rubio

Solar trackers represent an essential tool to increase the energy production of photovoltaic modules compared to fixed systems. Unlike previous technologies where the aim is to keep the solar rays perpendicular to the surface of the module and obtain a constant output power, this paper proposes the design and evaluation of two controllers for a two-axis solar tracker, which maintains the power that is produced by photovoltaic modules at their nominal value. To achieve this, mathematical models of the dynamics of the sun, the solar energy obtained on the Earth’s surface, the two-axis tracking system in its electrical and mechanical parts, and the solar cell are developed and simulated. Two controllers are designed to be evaluated in the solar tracking system, one Proportional-Integral-Derivative and the other by Fuzzy Logic. The evaluation of the simulations shows a better performance of the controller by Fuzzy Logic; this is because it presents a shorter stabilization time, a transient of smaller amplitude, and a lower percentage of error in steady-state. The principle of operation of the solar tracking system is to promote the orientation conditions of the photovoltaic module to generate the maximum available power until reaching the nominal one. This is possible because it has a gyroscope on the surface of the module that determines its position with respect to the hour angle and altitude of the sun; a data acquisition card is developed to implement voltage and current sensors, which measure the output power it produces from the photovoltaic module throughout the day and under any weather conditions. The results of the implementation demonstrate that a Fuzzy Logic control for a two-axis solar tracker maintains the output power of the photovoltaic module at its nominal parameters during peak sun hours.


2014 ◽  
Vol 704 ◽  
pp. 350-354
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ikram Mohd Rashid ◽  
Nik Fadhil bin Nik Mohammed ◽  
Suliana binti Ab Ghani ◽  
Noor Asiah Mohamad

The energy extracted from photovoltaic (PV) or solar thermal depends on solar insolation. For the extraction of maximum energy from the sun, the plane of the solar collector should always be normal to the incident radiation. Sun trackers move the solar collector to follow the sun trajectories and keep the orientation of the solar collector at an optimal tilt angle. Energy efficiency of solar PV or solar thermal can be substantially improved using solar tracking system. In this paper, an automatic solar tracking system has been designed and developed using DC motor on a mechanical structure with gear arrangement. The movements of two-axis solar trackers for the elevation and azimuth angles are programmed according to the mathematical calculation by using the Borland C++ Builder. Performance of the proposed system over the important parameter like solar radiation received on the collector, maximum hourly electrical power has been evaluated and compared with those for fixed tilt angle solar collector.


Author(s):  
Samuel Davies ◽  
Sivagunalan Sivanathan ◽  
Ewen Constant ◽  
Kary Thanapalan

AbstractThis paper describes the design of an advanced solar tracking system development that can be deployed for a range of applications. The work focused on the design and implementation of an advanced solar tracking system that follow the trajectory of the sun’s path to maximise the power capacity generated by the solar panel. The design concept focussed on reliability, cost effectiveness, and scalability. System performance is of course a key issue and is at the heart of influencing the hardware, software and mechanical design. The result ensured a better system performance achieved. Stability issues were also addressed, in relation to optimisation and reliability. The paper details the physical tracker device developed as a prototype, as well as the proposed advanced control system for optimising the tracking.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2S11) ◽  
pp. 3308-3311

This paper presents the outline and execution of simple, easy and cheaper automatic dual axis solar tracking system using Arduino UNO as the control element and light detecting sensors (LDRS) as the sensing element. This project involves advanced level of technology to capture maximum amount of energy using sun’s radiations. The main purpose is to increase the efficiency of tracking system which can rotate in all four directions continuously according to intensity of radiations and for energy conversion. In this, the voltage from panel is calculated from time to time in an interval of 1hr and this voltage is used to sense the weather conditions and display the climatic temperatures


Author(s):  
Balaji K ◽  
Dharshan T R ◽  
Mahendran P ◽  
Priyadharsini R

The renewable energies, solar energy is the only energy gained its popularity and importance quickly. Through the solar tracking system, we can produce an abundant amount of energy which makes the solar panel’s workability much more efficient. Perpendicular proportionality of the solar panel with the sun rays is the reason lying behind its efficiency. Pecuniary, its installation charge is high provided cheaper options are also available. The main control circuit is based upon NodeMcu microcontroller. Programming of this device is done in the manner that the LDR sensor, in accordance with the detection of the sun rays, will provide direction to the DC Motor that in which way the solar panel is going to revolve. Through this, the solar panel is positioned in such a manner that the maximum amount of sun rays could be received. Though a hike in the efficiency of the solar panel had a handsome increase still perfection was a far-fetched goal for it. Below 40%, most of the panels still hover to operate. Consequently, peoples are compelled to purchase a number of panels in order to meet their energy demands or purchase single systems with large outputs. Availability of the solar cells types with higher efficiencies is on provided they are too costly to purchase. Ways to be accessed for increasing solar panel efficiencies are a plethora in number still one of the ways to be availed for accomplishing the said purpose while reducing costs, is tracking. Tracking helps in the wider projection of the panel to the Sun with increased power output. It could be dual or single axis tracker


Author(s):  
Fawzi M. Al-Naima ◽  
Ramzy S. Ali ◽  
Ahmed J. Abid

This article presents the design of a reliable, accurate, and easy to install solar dual axis tracking system. The system utilizes the GPS for fixing the time, date and location in terms of longitude and latitude. Approximations having high accuracy of the astronomical equations to represent the declination angle and the equation of time are selected to determine the sun locations needed by the designed tracking system in any chosen location on earth. The proposed system is standalone, accurate, durable, reliable, and cost efficient. Annual energy assessments of the system are also given.


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