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To make solar energy more viable, the efficiency of solar array systems must be
maximized. A feasible approach for maximizing the efficiency of solar array systems is sun
tracking. This is a system that controls the movement of a solar array so that it is constantly
aligned towards the direction of the sun. Solar modules are devices that cleanly convert sunlight
into electricity and offer a practical solution to the problem of power generation in remote areas.
The solar tracker designed and constructed in this project offers a reliable and affordable method
of aligning a solar module with the sun in order to maximize its energy output.
Certificate……………………………………………………………………...…02
Acknowledgement………………………………………………….………….…03
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………..05
1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………...08
1.1 Background..................................................................................................09
1.2 Need Of Sun Tracking..................................................................................09
1.3 Objective Of The Work...............................................................................10
1.4 Solar Energy……………………………………………………….……....10
1.5 Tracking Techniques………………..………………………..……….…...11
1.6 Relevance Of Solar Trackers……………………………………………..12
1.7 Equivalent Circuit Of Solar Cell………………………………………… 12
1.8 Active Solar Tracker………………………………………………………13
1.9 Major Components :……………………………………………………….13
2.9.1 Single Axis Solar Tracker………………….……………………..….13
2.9.2 Dual Axis Solar Tracker…………………………………………….. 14
3. Project Description…………………………………………………………....15
4. Advantages…………………………………………………………………….26
5. Application…………………………………………………………………… 27
References………………………………..……………………………32
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Energy is the primary and most universal measure of all kinds of work by human beings and
nature. Primarily, it is the gift of the nature to the mankind in various forms. The consumption of
the energy is directly proportional to the progress of the mankind. With ever growing population,
improvement in the living standard of the humanity, industrialization of the developing
countries, the global demand for energy increases day by day.
The primary source of energy is fossil fuel, however the finiteness of fossil fuel resources and
large scale environmental degradation caused by their widespread use, particularly global
warming, urban air pollution and acid rain, strongly suggests that harnessing of non-
conventional, renewal and environmental friendly
As the sources of conventional energy deplete day by day, resorting to alternative sources of
energy like solar and wind energy has become need of the hour.
Solar powered lighting systems are already available in rural as well as urban areas. These
include solar lanterns, solar home lightning system, solar street lights, solar garden lights and
solar power packs. All of them consist of four components; solar photovoltaic module,
rechargeable battery, solar charge controller and load.
In the solar powered lightning systems, the solar charge controller plays an important role as the
system’s overall success depends mainly on it. It is considered as an indispensible link between
the solar panel, battery and load.
2.1 BACKGROUND:
As the range of applications for solar energy increases, so does the need for improved
materials and methods used to harness this power source. There are several factors that affect the
efficiency of the collection process. Major influences on overall efficiency include solar cell
efficiency, intensity of source radiation and storage techniques. The materials used in solar cell
manufacturing limit the efficiency of a solar cell. This makes it particularly difficult to make
considerable improvements in the performance of the cell, and hence restricts the efficiency of
the overall collection process. Therefore, the most attainable method of improving the
performance of solar power collection is to increase the mean intensity of radiation received
from the source.
Each day, the sun rises in the east, moves across the sky, and sets in the west. Whenever
the sun is shining on us, it is sending energy in our direction. If there is a solar cell to turn and
look at the sun all day, then it would be receiving the maximum amount of sunlight possible and
converting it into the more useful energy form electricity. It is seen that the sun appears to follow
a path that is nearly directly overhead. However, for locations north or south of the tropics (e.g.,
latitudes greater than 23.5 degrees), the sun never reaches a position that is directly overhead.
Instead, it follows a path across the southern or the northern part of the sky.
If a solar cell is configured so that it faces the sun continually as it moves across the sky
from east to west, the most electrical energy possible can be obtained. One way to do this, of
course, is by hand. However, keeping a solar cell facing the sun throughout the day is not a very
efficient use of a person’s time. Going outside to a solar cell every hour to turn it toward the sun
might be possible, but this would still not be an efficient method. A photo sensor is employed to
control the solar cell tracking system.
For example, if the photo sensor is not aligned with sun rays, then it could turn on the motor until
it is once again aligned. If the motor is attached to the frame holding the solar cell, then the solar
cell could be moved to face the sun. As long as the photo sensor is in alignment with the sun,
nothing happens. However, when the sun moves across the sky and is not in proper alignment
with the photo sensor, then a motor moves the frame until the photo sensor is in the sun once
more. This could have the effect of keeping the solar cell facing the sun as it moves across the
required human attention. The solar tracker system includes a frame on which a solar cell could
be mounted. The frame is to move so that it faces the sun as it travels across the sky during the
day. The frame could be driven by an electric motor that turns on and off in response to the
movement of the sky.
One of the most important problems facing the world today is the energy problem. This
problem is resulted from the increase of demand for electrical energy and high cost of fuel. The
solution was in finding another renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy,
potential energy...etc. Nowadays, solar energy has been widely used in our life, and it's expected
to grow up in the next years.
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1. Need no fuel
5. Easy maintenance
Tracking systems try to collect the largest amount of solar radiation and convert it into usable
form of electrical energy (DC voltage) and store this energy into batteries for different types of
applications. The sun tracking systems can collect more energy than what a fixed panel system
collects.
There are several forms of tracking currently available; these vary mainly in the method
of implementing the designs. The two general forms of tracking used are fixed control
algorithms and dynamic tracking. The inherent difference between the two methods is the
manner in which the path of the sun is determined. In the fixed control algorithm systems, the
path of the sun is determined by referencing an algorithm that calculates the position of the sun
for each time period. That is, the control system does not actively find the sun's position but
works it out given the current time, day, month, and year. The dynamic tracking system, on the
other hand, actively searches for the sun's position at any time of day (or night). Common to both
For people living in remote communities, often in third world countries, access to grid-connected
electricity is not always possible. Often the nearest utility is a long distance from homes and the
cost of developing the infrastructure that would allow for access to the grid is prohibitive.
Remote communities in third world countries are of course not the only ones that suffer this
dilemma. Australia is a large country with many farmers and communities that are remote from
the local grid and in these cases alternative sources of electrical power must be obtained.
To understand the electronic behaviour of a solar cell, it is useful to create a model which is
electrically equivalent, and is based on discrete electrical components whose behavior is well
known. An ideal solar cell may be modelled by a current source in parallel with a diode. In
practice no solar cell is ideal, so a shunt resistance and a series resistance component are added
to the model. The result is the "equivalent circuit of a solar cell" as shown above.
Active trackers measure the light intensity from the sun to determine where the solar modules
should be pointing. Light sensors are positioned on the tracker at various locations or in specially
shaped holders. If the sun is not facing the tracker directly there will be a difference in light
intensity on one light sensor compared to another and this difference can be used to determine in
which direction the tracker has to tilt in order to be facing the sun.
There are many different types of solar tracker which can be grouped into single axis and double
axis models.
Single axis solar trackers can either have a horizontal or a vertical axle. The horizontal type is
used in tropical regions where the sun gets very high at noon, but the days are short. The vertical
type is used in high latitudes (such as in UK) where the sun does not get very high, but summer
days can be very long. These have a manually adjustable tilt angle of 0 - 45 °and automatic
tracking of the sun from East to West. They use the PV modules themselves as light sensor to
avoid unnecessary tracking movement and for reliability. At night the trackers take up a
horizontal position.
Double axis solar trackers have both a horizontal and a vertical axle and so can track the Sun's
apparent motion exactly anywhere in the world. This type of system is used to control
astronomical telescopes, and so there is plenty of software available to automatically predict and
track the motion of the sun across the sky. Dual axis trackers track the sun both East to West and
North to South for added power output (approx 40% gain) and convenience.
The light sensors, comparator and microcontroller are the major components for the electronic
design.
The figure shows the general block diagram of the device. The first component in the diagram is
the transducer. Transducer detects the varying intensity of Sun light. The outputs of the
transducer are fed to comparator which gives certain logic to the microcontroller.
The main objective of the microcontroller based Solar Charge Controller (SCC) is to manage the
power wisely to ensure longer life of battery and eliminating the need of turning on /off the load
during the day/night conditions. The microcontroller serves the purpose of measuring accurate
battery voltage as well as sunlight level and therefore does very accurate control of the various
components.
When the SCC is powered, the microcontroller measures the battery voltage as well as solar
panel voltage. If the solar panel voltage is less than 5 volts, the microcontroller assumes this as
dawn (night condition). It then checks for the battery voltage. If the battery voltage is greater
than 11 volts, it turns on the load and the above process is again repeated until dusk (morning) is
detected or the battery is discharged below 11 volts. If the battery voltage at the startup is already
below 11 volts, the microcontroller turns off the load and waits till dusk. This automatic
shutdown is incorporated to ensure the deep discharge of the battery during low charging
conditions such as rainy season or winter season.
If the solar panel voltage is above 5 volts, the microcontroller assumes this as dusk or daylight
condition and connects the solar panel to the battery through a P-Channel MOSFETs and thereby
charging the battery. The microcontroller also continuously monitors the battery voltage during
this period and as soon as the battery voltage reaches 14 volts, the charging is cut off.
The switching devices used in this project are MOSFETs and are chosen due to their very low
turn on resistance. This in turn dissipates less heat during conduction and thereby increasing the
overall efficiency of the circuit. The MOSFETs used are sufficient to switch a maximum 2 Amp.
Of current without any substantial heating and up to 10 amperes if suitable heat sinks is
provided.
The SCC also has a LCD display which constantly shows the current system status as well as the
current battery voltage.
This contains a 5 volt Regulator IC LM78L05 and two 10uF electrolytic capacitors connected at
output/input of the IC for smoothening of the DC voltages as well as to minimize the external
noise and interference. The value of the capacitors is chosen arbitrarily and is not of much
importance. Therefore any value can be taken. The LM78L05 takes 12v DC as input directly
from the battery and converts it to 5V DC suitable for operating the microcontroller/LCD and
other circuitry.
This includes one microcontroller ATMEGA 8 from Atmel, one crystal oscillator of 4 MHz, and
two ceramic non polar capacitors of 22pF. The crystal connected provides the clock pulses to the
microcontroller. The microcontroller executes the code burned in its flash memory and manages
the various inputs and outputs of the circuit. In this circuit, Port PD.0 to PD.2 are configured as
output port for giving the status of the systems and to control the MOSFET’s. There may be
other choice also for selecting the output ports as required. The PORT c is a 6 channel 10 bit
ADC input which takes analog signals from the battery and solar panel and converts them into
digital values. The 10K multi turn presets at the input of these ports forms the voltage divider
circuit and adjusts the input level of the ADC channels. The microcontroller is reset when the pin
1 of it is pulled low. Therefore the 10K resistor connected at this pin pulls it to high level for
normal operation and the switch resets the microcontroller when pressed. The crystal used to
supply/generate the clock pulses for the microcontroller while the capacitors (22pF) connected
stabilizes the frequency of the crystal.
The output port D.2 is configured as low battery indicator and a LED is connected to it through a
current limiting resistor of 1K. This resistor controls the current to about 2mA. Similarly other
outputs are also fed to a LED circuit to indicate the charging status as well as load status. The
outputs D.0 is also fed to a N Channel MOSFET which turns on or off the load according the
day/night condition or battery charge condition. The output from the port D.1 is connected to a
NPN transistor which in turn controls the P Channel MOSFET. This MOSFET turns on or off
the charging of the battery as per the light conditions. The reason for selecting the P Channel
MOSFET for charging is to simplify the design of the circuit. A normal N channel MOSFET
could also be employed in this case.
As clear from the circuit, the LED’s are driven directly from the battery and are controlled by the
microcontroller as per the battery condition as well as light conditions.
Further, the total consumption of the LED is around 3.6 Watts and delivering about 3 watts of
light output.
Therefore only 16.6 % of supplied energy is dissipated in form of heat. As compared to other
common light sources, like CFL, Tube of incandescent bulbs the efficiency of the same lies
between 50-70%.. Therefore the LED’s are nowadays becoming more and more efficient sources
of light.
The circuit is configured as two parallel strings of three LED’s each in series. The working
voltage of a white LED is around 3.3V to 3.6V. In this project, all the LED’s used are of 0.5W
each rating. The average consumption of each LED string is around 150 mA. Thus the total
consumption of the circuit is about 300mA @ 12v equals 3.6 watts. The rest 0.6 watt is
dissipated as heat.
The basic functional blocks of this system are sensors and their operation depends upon the
intensity of light falling on solar panel. All sensors (each with different functionality) send their
output to microcontroller. Then the microcontroller executes predefined task in its software
•.Heat Sensors(HS)
This circuit is an independent unit which monitors the direction of the sun and constantly aligns
the complete assembly towards the sun so that the efficiency of the panel is at maximum. The
solar panel has the property of changing the current which depends on the angle of incident light.
Therefore in course of time, when the sun moves away from the set direction, the maximum
current of the panel reduces which thereby decreases the charging current.
The circuit compromises of two Light Dependent Resistors (LDR’s), which are separated by a
partition. These LDR’s are mounted perpendicular to the solar panel surface such that when the
panel faces the sun, the sunlight falls on both LDR’s. Now when the sun moves past the panel,
the partition between the LDR’s casts a shadow on the opposite LDR, which in turn increases the
resistance of that LDR. This triggers the comparator circuit (LM339) and sends a logical signal
to the microcontroller. The microcontroller then enables its certain outputs to turn on the
appropriate relay. These relays then drive the motor in suitable direction. The process is repeated
until both the LDR’s sees the sun back.
The motor is operated in a particular direction from the two relays driven from the
microcontroller. The microcontroller also checks the night conditions, when the both LDR’s
have greater resistance. In such situation, the microcontroller turns off both the relay otherwise if
both relays are turned on, the supply will get shorted.
The motor used in the project is a geared type and of 3.5 RPM to maintain a close tolerance in
panel alignment. The panel is pivoted from the center with the help of two sheet metal screws
and two hinges. Such that, the panel is free to move on its center axis. One end of the panel is
spring loaded while the other end is tied to the motor shaft using a stainless steel wire of 0.25mm
diameter. When the motor rotates, the wire gets wound or unwound on the shaft and thereby
pulling or pushing the panel from the axis of rotation
This contains a 5 volt Regulator IC LM78L05 and two 10uF & 1000uF electrolytic capacitors
connected at output/input of the IC for smoothening of the DC voltages as well as to minimize
the external noise and interference. The value of the capacitors is chosen arbitrarily and is not of
much importance. Therefore any value can be taken. The LM78L05 takes 12v DC as input
directly from the battery and converts it to 5V DC suitable for operating the
microcontroller/LCD and other circuitry. The bridge rectifier circuit is optionally added for
powering the circuit externally with an AC transformer in case where the battery management is
of more importance.
This is an auxiliary circuit which is compromised of two LDR’s separated by a wooden strip.
The main purpose of the wooden strip is to cast a shadow on one of the LRD when the direction
of the sun changes. This causes the resistance of one LRD to increase due to the shadow. The
difference between the resistances of the LRS is compared by the comparator IC LM339 and
accordingly logic HIGH or LOW signal is generated at its output. These logic signals are sensed
by the microcontroller and then relevant signals are given to the base of the transistors BC547
through the 4K7 resistors. When the base of the transistors is pulled high, the transistor conducts
and in turn switches on the corresponding relay. This relay decides the direction of the motor and
hence turns the motor either clockwise or anticlockwise. The microcontroller ensures that both
the relays are never turned on. In such case the power supply is shorted. The 100K feedback
resistors connected from the output of the comparator and the non-inverting input is for allowing
slight hysteresis during the tripping point of the comparators. The variable resistor of 10K sets
the tripping point of the comparator. These may be required to adjust as per the available light
conditions. The two LED’s connected at the output of the comparator IC are for setting the
tripping point of the comparators. The relay section is powered directly from the 12 V battery
supply, whereas the rest section is driven from the 5 V regulator IC.
This section is much similar to the solar charge controller circuit except there are only two inputs
and two outputs are configured. The outputs are also connected to the two LED’s in series of a
resistor for visually indication of the switching of the relays.
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The benefits of commercial-scale solar energy extend far beyond fiscal savings. Solar benefits
the world economically, environmentally and socially.
Can be permitted and installed faster than other traditional or renewable power plants.
Has a predictable energy curve and is most efficient when utility rates are at their highest.
Produces local, on-site energy, which reduces the need for extensive high-voltage
transmission lines or a complex infrastructure.
Reliable over the long term. With no moving parts, fixed photovoltaic systems last longer
than other energy sources.
Predictable pricing that is equal to or below retail energy rates.
Creates clean, renewable energy that will sustain and support the health of future
generations.
Is a distributed generation ("DG") energy source that can mitigate national security
concerns about energy disruption.
Supports national energy independence because solar electricity is used where it is
generated.
Creates good, local jobs for the new energy economy. In fact, solar energy creates more
jobs per megawatt hour than any other energy type.
Features:
Configuration:
A typical stand alone Solar Photo Voltaic Home system comprises PV module for charging the
battery, solar deep cycle battery for storage, a charge controller for the proper charging and
Solar Street Lighting System CFL Based CFL 11W is an ideal lighting system for illumination of
streets, squares and cross roads located in areas that are not connected to the power grid. The fully
integrated system combines the latest and most innovative technologies available, providing years of
convenient and trouble free lighting. Fully assembled and factory tested kits are available. Easy Solar
has a wide range of Solar Street lights, for different lighting. Fully assembled and factory tested kits
are available. Easy Solar has a wide range of solar streetlights, for different lighting requirements.
Features:
Easy Solar Charge controller uses PWM charging Technology, so that as the battery reaches full
charge, the PWM pulses slower, gradually tapering off the charge. Pulsing is good for the
batteries since it gently mixes the electrolyte, preventing stratification. Low voltage disconnect
protects the batteries from severe discharge by shutting off loads before the battery voltage drops
to damaging levels Temperature compensation adjusts the set point voltages according to the
ambient temperature.
CONCLUSION:
In this thesis, the sun tracking system was implemented which is based on PIC microcontroller.
After examining the information obtained in the data analysis section, it can be said that the
proposed sun tracking solar array system is a feasible method of maximizing the energy received
from solar radiation. The controller circuit used to implement this system has been designed with
a minimal number of components and has been integrated onto a single PCB for simple
assembly. The use of stepper motors enables accurate tracking of the sun while keeping track of
the array's current position in relation to its initial position. The automatic solar radiation tracker
is an efficient system for solar energy collection. It has been shown that the sun tracking systems
can collect about 8% more energy than what a fixed panel system collects and thus high
efficiency is achieved through this tracker. 8% increase in efficiency is not the most significant
figure; it can be more prominent in concentrating type reflectors.
REFERENCES
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