Literature Review
Energy is prime key resource in driving forward the economy of a country. Most nations utilize energy obtained from fossil fuels as their primary source (Babrekar, Kurhekar, Mulmule, & Mohade,2016). Energy of this type is unfriendly to the environment and limited in nature, a fact that has resulted to an energy cataclysm worldwide (Tharamuttam & Ng, 2017). To combat the impacts of the crisis, most nations have shifted their attention to alternative sources such as solar, wind and hydro. However, regardless of whatever the alternative is adopted, meeting the maximum demand requirements is still a challenge and thus getting peak outputs from the installed generating capacities has been of key consideration (Racharla & Rajan, 2017). In the case of solar energy, the most commonly applied method to harness optimum energy is the use of tracking devices. This paper, therefore, identifies how to harness maximum power output from solar panels and presents an automatic, low cost microcontroller and sensor based tracking system that improves the tracking efficiency while at the same time maximizing the output of the installed capacity.
Solar tracking devices are technologically advanced systems used to mount solar panels or parabolic troughs and orient them toward the direction with the highest intensity of the sun. Unlike fixed mounting devices whose efficiency is lowered when the sun passes less optimal angle, tracking devices are designed using photo sensitive devices connected with rotating devices such as stepper motors, servo motors or gas pistons which constantly move the panels along the sun’s path (Vyas, 2017). This movement reduces the angle of incidence between the incoming rays of the sun and the photovoltaic cells ensuring that they are always exposed to the sun’s rays. The constant exposure of the panels to sunlight increases the output energy harnessed from the installed generating capacity by 10 to 25% depending on the geographical features and topography of where the generating unit is installed (Racharla & Rajan, 2017). Besides increasing the output, the trackers also booster the efficiency of the solar cells and hence maximize power per unit area.
Trackers exist in different types, the common ones being single axis, dual axis, active and passive trackers. Single axis trackers move either horizontally or vertically only, dual trackers move both horizontally and vertically (Pickerel, 2017). Passive trackers utilize the principle of compressed gas to accomplish their purpose. On the other hand, active trackers use sensors which detect the brightness of the sun and actuate the motor to move the panels in the direction of the sun.
Methodology
Moreover, trackers can be classified as open loop or altitude based. In open loop trackers the movement of the panels towards the sun direction is as a result of timers whereas in altitude based trackers sun position data obtained from astronomical stations’ data is used in determination of the sun’s actual location and the movement of the panels made by a microcontroller. Here, the controller through a predefined set of instructions determines sun’s location and actuates the motor drive system to move the cells in the desired direction at well-defined sets of intervals using the angle determined from the true north to the horizontal projection of the rays of the sun in the horizontal plane known as azimuth and the angular height of the sun measured from the horizon of the panels (Zipp, 2013).
All the above trackers have their limitations. The active (single and dual axis) and the passive trackers have a higher performance index during clear sunny days and their performance is greatly reduced during poor weather conditions such as cloudy seasons or when the sensors are blocked from the sun by barriers. On the hand, the elevation angle in azimuth or altitude based trackers varies by days of the year and geographic features of the location of the installation of the generating units and due to the complex nature of sun movement, the trackers are rendered ineffective and inefficient hence reduced accuracy (Tharamuttam & Ng, 2017).
This proposal builds on the above challenges to build a more efficient, effective and accurate tracking device that picks on the strong features of the single, dual, active tracker and the azimuth tracker. The device to be developed therefore incorporates the use of sensors, moving devices (motors) and microcontroller with a special set of instructions that ensures that the problems encountered with the latter trackers is solved. The components are connected together to work as a unit to ensure that optimum power is harnessed from the panels with the sole purpose of increasing the value of the installed panels.
The proposed solar tracking device will be comprising three major systems; the electrical system, control system and the mechanical system both of which will act as a unit to accomplish the desired purpose. Description of the components, making and purpose of three systems is as below:
This is the system responsible for the movement of the panels in the desired direction. The system will be composed of two types of motor responsible for moving the tracker in the desired direction and position anytime they are called to action by the sensors. The motor types will be the servo and the stepper; the stepper will move tracker about the south and north direction while servo motor will be responsible for east and south rotation (Tharamuttam & Ng, 2017). The schematic of the two motor is shown below:
The Mechanical System
Figure 1:Stepper and Servo Motor
The control system is composed of Arduino microcontroller and sensors as the main components. Description of the features and purpose of this components’ is listed below:
The Arduino is based on ATmega328 microcontroller. It is the heart of the project and hence serve as center of communication between the inputs and the outputs of the tracker. It will carry the algorithm whose purpose will be to perform logic and arithmetic operations to analyze the data from the sensors and actuate the motors to drive the tracker in the desired direction and position based on the intensity of the sun at a particular period. The schematic of the microcontroller.
Figure 2:Arduino Microcontroller
This is a photo resistor device that’s sensitive to light. It has variable resistance which works in such a way that when light falls on the sensor it reduces, and increases when the light intensity reduces (Aqib, 2017). It is this behavior that makes it well suited for the project. They are placed on the sides of the panels such that they actuate the motors to move the tracker towards the side in which the sensor has low resistance. If the resistance on the two sensors is the same, the motors will stop rotating. The schematic of the sensor is as below:
Figure 3:LDR Sensor
The electrical system is comprised of the solar panels and the power supply to the motors and the sensors. The solar panels are the normal photovoltaic cells that converts solar energy to electrical energy in DC form by providing a potential difference equivalent to the light intensity. It can letter be converted to AC form using an inverter if there is necessity or there are equipment’s that require power in AC form (Parasnis & Tadamalle, 2016). The power supply to the motors and the sensors is provided by panels so as to minimize the need for external power.
To facilitate the completion of the project effectively, the project will be broken down into simple tasks. Each task will take one week to complete. The different tasks will be; review of literature, planning and collection of materials, design of prototype, testing of prototype, adjustment of the prototype, and finalizing and documentation. The Gantt chart below shows the individual tasks and the dates they are expected to be complete.
References
Aqib, M. (2017). Arduino based sun tracking solar panel project using LDR and servo motor. Retrieved from https://circuitdigest.com/microcontroller-projects/arduinosolar-panel tracker
Babrekar, V. J., Kurhekar, M. S., Mulmule, K. K., & Mohade, D. B. (2016). Review on automatic solar radiation tracking system. International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, 7(2). Retrieved from https://www.ijser.org/researchpaper/Review On-Automatic-Solar-Radiation-Tracking-System.pdf
Parasnis, N. V., & Tadamalle, A. P. (2016). Automatic solar tracking system. Journal of Innovations in Engineering Research and Technology, 3(1). Retrieved from https://www.ijiert.org/admin/papers/1452765913_Volume%203%20Issue%201.pdf
Pickerel, K. (2017). What is a dual-axis solar tracker? Retrieved from https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2017/09/dual-axis-solar-tracker/
Racharla, S., & Rajan, K. (2017). Solar tracking system: A review. International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, 10(2), 72-81. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19397038.2016.1267816
Tharamuttam, J. K., & Ng, A. K. (2017). Design and development of an automatic solar tracker. Energy Procedia, 143, 629-634. doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2017.12.738
Vyas, K. (2017). Automatic solar tracking system development and simulation. IOSR Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 10(1). Retrieved from https://mnre.gov.in/file-manager/akshay-urja/june-2017/Images/18-21.pdf.
Zipp, K. (2013). How does a solar tracker work? Retrieved from https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2013/04/how-does-a-solar-tracker-work/
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
