International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 11, Issue 6, June-2020

ISSN 2229-5518 561

Multi Axis Solar Tracking system

Vijayakumar1, Vinay Shiraganvi1, Varun Raghuraj1, Prashanth S.M1, Shreyas P S1
1
School of Mechanical Engineering, REVA University, Bangalore
ABSTRACT:- The goal of this work is to develop a prototype model of solar tracking system, which is used to enhance the performance of the photovoltaic modules in
a solar energy system. The operating principle of the device is to keep the photovoltaic modules constantly aligned with the sunbeams, which maximizes the exposure
of solar panel from the solar radiation. As it result to more power output that can be produced by the panels. This project included design of hardware and
implementation with software programming for microcontroller unit to solar tracker. The system utilized an ATMEGA328P microcontroller to control motion with
servo motors, which rotate solar panel in different axes. The amount of rotation was determined by the microcontroller, based on inputs retrieved from photo voltaic
sensors located next to solar panel. At the end of the project can able to function the solar tracking system, it was designed and implemented and it can able to keep the
solar panel aligned with the sun rays.
Key words:- Reduced Instruction Set Computer, Azimuth elevation (AE), dual-axis solar tracker, microcontroller

INTRODUCTION

General background solar energy is clean and available solution than the purchase of solar panels. There are various types
in abundance. Solar technologies use the sun for provision of of trackers that can be used for increase in the amount of energy
heat, light and electricity. These are for industrial and domestic that can be obtained by solar panels. Dual axis trackers are among
applications. With the alarming rate of depletion of depletion of the most efficient, though this comes with increased complexity.
major conventional energy sources like petroleum, coal and Dual trackers track sunlight from box axes. They are the best
natural gas, coupled with environmental caused by the process of option for places where the position of the sun keeps changing

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harnessing these energy sources, it has become an urgent during the year at different seasons. Single axis trackers are a
necessity to invest in renewable energy sources that can power better option for places around the equator where there is no
the future sufficiently. The energy potential of the sun is significant change in the apparent position of the sun. The level to
immense. Despite the unlimited resource however, harvesting it which the efficiency is improved will depend on the efficiency of
presents a challenge because of the limited efficiency of the array the tracking system and the weather. Very efficient trackers will
cells. The best efficiency of the majority of commercially offer more efficiency because they are able to track the sun with
available solar cells ranges between 10 and 20 percent. This more precision. There will be bigger increase in efficiency in
shows that there is still room for improvement. This project seeks cases where the weather is sunny and thus favorable for the
to identify a way of improving efficiency of solar panels. Solar tracking system.
tracking is used. The tracking mechanism moves and positions
the solar array such that it is positioned for maximum power With the unavoidable shortage of fossil fuel sources in
output. Other ways include identifying sources of losses and the future, renewable types of energy have become a topic of
finding ways to mitigate them. When it comes to the development interest for researchers, technicians, investors and decision
of any nation, energy is the main driving factor. There is an makers all around the world. New types of energy that are getting
enormous quantity of energy that gets extracted, distributed, attention include hydroelectricity, bioenergy, solar, wind and
converted and consumed every single day in the global society. geothermal energy, tidal power and wave power. Because of their
Fossil fuels account for around 85 percent of energy that is renewability, they are considered as favorable replacements for
produced. Fossil fuel resources are limited and using them is fossil fuel sources. Among those types of energy, solar
known to cause global warming because of emission of photovoltaic (PV) energy is one of the most available resources.
greenhouse gases. There is a growing need for energy from such This technology has been adopted more widely for residential use
sources as solar, wind, ocean tidal waves and geothermal for the nowadays, thanks to research and development activities to
provision of sustainable and power. Solar panels directly convert improve solar cells’ performance and lower the cost. According
radiation from the sun into electrical energy. The panels are to International Energy Agency (IEA), worldwide PV capacity
mainly manufactured from semiconductor materials, notably has grown at 49% per year on average since early 2000s. Solar
silicon. Their efficiency is 24.5% on the higher side. Three ways PV energy is highly expected to become a major source of power
of increasing the efficiency of the solar panels are through in the future
increase of cell efficiency, maximizing the power output and the
use of a tracking system. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) However, despite the advantages, solar PV energy is
is the process of maximizing the power output from the solar still far from replacing traditional sources on the market. It is still
panel by keeping its operation on the knee point of P-V a challenge to maximize power output of PV systems in areas that
characteristics. MPPT technology will only offer maximum don’t receive a large amount of solar radiation. We still need
power which can be received from stationary arrays of solar more advanced technologies from manufacturers to improve the
panels at 2 any given time. The technology cannot however capability of PV materials, but improvement of system design and
increase generation of power when the sun is not aligned with the module construction is a feasible approach to make solar PV
system. Solar tracking is a system that is mechanized to track the power more efficient, thus being a reliable choice for customers.
position of the sun to increase power output by between 30% and Aiming for that purpose, this project had been carried out to
60% than systems that are stationary. It is a more cost effective support the development of such promising technology.

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International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 11, Issue 6, June-2020
ISSN 2229-5518 562

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International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 11, Issue 6, June-2020
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1.1 Problem statement coordinates of 1.2833⁰S, 36.8167⁰E and therefore the position of
A solar tracker is used in various systems for the the sun will not vary in a significant way during the year. In the
improvement of harnessing of solar radiation. The problem tropics, the sun position varies considerably during certain
that is posed is the implementation of a system which is seasons. There is the design of an input stage that facilitates
capable of enhancing production of power by 30-40%. The conversion of light into a voltage by the light dependent resistors,
control circuit is implemented by the microcontroller. The LDRs. There is comparison of the two voltages, then the
control circuit then positions the motor that is used to orient microcontroller uses the difference as the error. The servo motor
the solar panel optimally. uses this error to rotate through a corresponding angle for the
1.2 Project justification adjustment of the position of the solar panel until such a time that
The project was undertaken to ensure the rays of the sun are the voltage outputs in the LDRs are equal. The difference
falling perpendicularly on the solar panel to give it between the voltages of the LDRs is gotten as analog readings.
maximum solar energy. This is harnessed into electrical The difference is transmitted to the servo motor and it thus moves
power. Maximum energy is obtained between 1200hrs and to ensure the two LDRs are an equal inclination. This means they
1400hrs, with the peak being around midday. At this time, will be receiving the same amount of light. The procedure is
the sun is directly overhead. At the same time, the least repeated throughout the day
energy will be required to move the panel, something that
will further increase efficiency of the system. The project CHAPTER-2
was designed to address the challenge of low power, LITERATURE SURVEY
accurate and economical microcontroller based tracking
Hossein Mousazadeh et Al.,[ (2011), Journal of Solar Energy
system which is implemented within the allocated time and
Engineering,Vol.133 ] studied and investigated maximization of
with the available resources. It is 3 supposed to track the
collected energy from an on-board PV array, on a solar assist
sun’s movement in the sky. In order to save power, it is
plug-in hybrid electric tractor (SAPHT). Using four light
supposed to sleep during the night by getting back into an
dependent resistive sensors a sun tracking system on a mobile
horizontal position. There is implementation of an algorithm
structure was constructed and evaluated. The experimental tests

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that solves the motor control that is then written into C-
using the sun-tracking system showed that 30% more energy was
program on Adriano IDE.
collected in comparison to that of the horizontally fixed mode.
1.3 OBJECTIVES: Four LDR sensors were used to sense the direct beams of sun.
The Project Was Carried Out To Satisfy Two Main Each pair of LDRs was separated by an obstruction as a shading
Objectives device. A microcontroller based electronic drive board was used
1. Design a system that traces the sunlight for solar panels. as an interface between the hardware and the software. For
2. Increasing efficiency and accuracy than other solar driving of each motor, a power MOSFET was used to control the
tracking system actuators. The experimental results indicated that the designed
3. The range of increase in efficiency is expected to be system was very robust and effective.
between 30 and 40 percent K.S. Madhu et Al., (2012) International Journal of Scientific &
1.3 Methodology Engineering Research vol. 3, 2229–5518, states that a single axis
Methodology The circuit of the solar tracker system is tracker tracks the sun east to west, and a two-axis tracker tracks
divided into three sections. There is the input stage that is the daily east to west movement of the sun and the seasonal
composed of sensors and potentiometers, a program in declination movement of the sun. Concentrates solar power
embedded software in the microcontroller and lastly the systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a
driving circuit that has the servo motor. The input stage has large area of sunlight into a small beam. PV converts light into
two LDRs that are so arranged to form a voltage divider electric current using the photoelectric effect. Solar power is the
circuit. A C program loaded into the Atmega 328P forms conversion of sunlight into electricity. Test results indicate that
the embedded software. There is a metallic frame that the increase in power efficiency of tracking solar plate in normal
houses the components. The three stages are designed days is 26 to 38% compared to fixed plate. And during cloudy or
independently before being joined into one system. This rainy days it’s varies at any level.
approach, similar to stepwise refinement in modular
programming, has been employed as it ensures an accurate Dr. Sandeep Gupta received the B.Tech. And M.E. degrees in
and logical approach which is straight forward and easy to Electrical Engineering in 2006 and 2009, respectively. His areas
understand. This also ensures that if there are any errors, of interest in research are Application of artificial intelligence to
they are independently considered and corrected power system control design, FACTS device, power electronics
and stability of power system. He has Editorial Membership of
1.5 Scope of the project Many Reputed International Journals. He is reviewer of different
IEEE, IET, Elsevier, Compel and Taylor & Francis journals. He
The solar project was implemented using a servo motor. has been author and co-author of more than 40 papers published
The choice was informed by the fact that the motor is fast, can in international journals and presented at the different national
sustain high torque, has precise rotation within limited angle and and international conferences.
does not produce any noise. There is the embedded software
section where the at mega 328P is programmed using the C V Sundara Siva Kumar In general, the single-axis tracker with
language before the chip removed from the Adriano board. The one degree of freedom follows the Sun’s movement from the east
Adriano IDE was used for the coding. It is then used as a to west during a day while a dual-axis tracker also follows the
standalone unit on a PCB during fabrication and display. The elevation angle of the Sun.
design is limited to Single Axis tracking because the use of a dual 2.1 Introduction
axis tracking system would not add much value. Nairobi has
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International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 11, Issue 6, June-2020
ISSN 2229-5518 564
A solar tracker is a device used for orienting a about millions of tons of matter are converted to energy each
photovoltaic array solar panel or for concentrating solar reflector second. The solar energy that is irradiated to the earth is 5.1024
or lens toward the sun. The position of the sun in the sky is varied Joules per year. This is 10000 times the present worldwide energy
both with seasons and time of day as the sun moves across the consumption per year. Solar radiation from the sun is received in
sky. Solar powered equipment work best when they are pointed at three ways: direct, diffuse and reflected. 8 Direct radiation: is also
the sun. Therefore, a solar tracker increases how efficient such referred to as beam radiation and is the solar radiation which
equipment are over any fixed position at the cost of additional travels on a straight line from the sun to the surface of the earth.
complexity to the system. There are different types of trackers. Diffuse radiation: is the description of the sunlight which has
Extraction of usable electricity from the sun became possible with been scattered by particles and molecules in the atmosphere but
the discovery of the photoelectric mechanism and subsequent still manage to reach the earth’s surface. Diffuse radiation has no
development of the solar cell. The solar cell is a semiconductor definite direction, unlike direct versions. Reflected radiation:
material which converts visible light into direct current. Through describes sunlight which has been reflected off from non-
the use of solar arrays, a series of solar cells electrically atmospheric surfaces like the ground.
connected, there is generation of a DC voltage that can be used on
a load. There is an increased use of solar arrays as their 2.4 Sunlight
efficiencies become higher. They are especially popular in remote
Photometry enables us to determine the amount of light given off
areas where there is no connection to the grid. Photovoltaic
by the Sun in terms of brightness perceived by the human eye. In
energy is that which is obtained from the sun. A photovoltaic cell,
photometry, a luminosity function is used for the radiant power at
commonly known as a solar cell, is the technology used for
each wavelength to give a different weight to a particular
conversion of solar directly into electrical power. The
wavelength that models human brightness sensitivity.
photovoltaic cell is a non-mechanical device made of silicon
Photometric measurements began as early as the end of the 18th
alloy. Solar Cell 6 The photovoltaic cell is the basic building
century resulting in many different units of measurement, some of
block of a photovoltaic system. The individual cells can vary
which cannot even be converted owing to the relative meaning of
from 0.5 inches to 4 inches across. One cell can however produce
brightness. However, the luminous flux (or lux) is commonly

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only 1 or 2 watts that is not enough for most appliances.
used and is the measure of the perceived power of light. Its unit,
Performance of a photovoltaic array depends on sunlight.
the lumen, is concisely defined as the luminous flux of light
Climatic conditions like clouds and fog significantly affect the
produced by a light source that emits one candela of luminous
amount of solar energy that is received by the array and therefore
intensity over a solid angle of one steradian. The candela is the SI
its performance. Most of the PV modules are between 10 and 20
unit of luminous intensity and it is the power emitted by a light
percent efficient
source in a particular direction, weighted by a luminosity function
2.2 The Earth whereas a steradian is the SI unit for a solid angle; the two-
dimensional angle in three-dimensional space that an object
Rotation and Revolution The earth is a planet of the sun subtends at a point. One lux is equivalent to one lumen per square
and revolves around it. Besides that, it also rotates around its own meter; 1 lx = 1lm ∙ mm = 1 cd ∙ sr ∙ mm (1) i.e. a flux of 10
axis. There are thus two motions of the earth, rotation and lumen, concentrated over an area of 1 square meter, lights up that
revolution. The earth rotates on its axis from west to east. The area with illuninance of 10 lux [1]. Sunlight ranges between 400
axis of the earth is an imaginary line that passes through the lux and approximately 130000 lux, as summarized in the table
northern and southern poles of the earth. The earth completes its below. 9 Table 2.1: Range of the brightness of sunlight (lux)
rotation in 24 hours. This motion is responsible for occurrence of Time of day Luminous flux (lux) Sunrise or sunset on a clear day
day and night. The solar day is a 7 the movement of the earth 400 Overcast day 1000 Full day (not direct sun) 10000 – 25000
round the sun is known as revolution. It also happens from west Direct sunlight 32000 – 130000
to east and takes a period of 365 days. The orbit of the earth is
elliptical. Because of this the distance between the earth and the 2.4.1 Elevation angle
sun keeps changing. The apparent annual track of the sun via the
The elevation angle is used interchangeably with
fixed stars in the celestial sphere is known as the ecliptic. The
altitude angle and is the angular height of the sun in the sky
earth’s axis makes an angle of 66.5 degrees to the ecliptic plane.
measured from the horizontal. Both altitude and elevation are
Because of this, the earth attains four critical positions with
used for description of the height in meters above the sea level.
reference to the sun
The elevation is 0 degrees at sunrise and 90 degrees when the sun
2.3 Revolution and rotation Solar Irradiation is directly overhead. The angle of elevation varies throughout the
day and also depends on latitude of the particular location and the
Sunlight and the Solar Constant The sun delivers energy day of the year.
by means of electromagnetic radiation. There is solar fusion that
results from the intense temperature and pressure at the core of 2.4.2 Zenith angle
the sun. Protons get converted into helium atoms at 600 million
tons per second. Because the output of the process has lower This is the angle between the sun and the vertical. It is similar to
energy than the protons which began, fusion gives rise to lots of the angle of elevation but is measured from the vertical rather
energy in form of gamma rays that are absorbed by particles in than from the horizon 10
the sun and re-emitted. The total power of the sun can be 2.4.3 Azimuth angle
estimated by the law of Stefan and Boltzmann. P=4πr2 σϵT 4 W
T is the temperature that is about 5800K, r is the radius of the sun This is the compass direction from which the sunlight is coming.
which is 695800 km and σ is the Boltzmann constant which is At solar noon, the sun is directly south in the northern hemisphere
1.3806488 × 10-23 m 2 kg s-2 K -1 . The emissivity of the and directly north in the southern hemisphere. The azimuth angle
surface is denoted by ϵ. Because of Einstein’s famous law E=mc2
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International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 11, Issue 6, June-2020
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varies throughout the day. At the equinoxes, the sun rises directly Their classification is based on orientation of their primary axes
east and sets directly west regardless of the latitude. Therefore, with respect to the ground.
the azimuth angles are 90 degrees at sunrise and 270 degrees at
sunset 2.6 Fixed and tracking collectors
Solar energy can be harnessed using either fixed or
movable collectors.
2.5 Types of solar trackers and tracking technologies
2.6.1 Fixed collectors
There are various categories of modern solar tracking
technologies. Fixed collectors are mounted on places that have
maximum sunlight and are at relatively good angle in relation to
2.5.1 Active tracker the sun. These include rooftops. The main aim is to expose the
panel for maximum hours in a day without the need for tracking
Active trackers make use of motors and gear trains for technologies. There is therefore a considerable reduction in the
direction of the tracker as commanded by the controller cost of maintenance and installation. Most collectors are of the
responding to the solar direction. The position of the sun is fixed type. When using these collectors, it is important to know
monitored throughout the day. When the tracker is subjected to the position of the sun at various seasons and times of the year so
darkness, it either sleeps or stops depending on the design. This is that there is optimum orientation of the collector when it is being
done using sensors that are sensitive to light such as LDRs. Their installed. This gives maximum solar energy through the year. The
voltage output is put into a microcontroller that then drives sun chart for Nairobi is shown below. Sun path diagram for
actuators to adjust the position of the solar panel Nairobi Key: 13 Through the use of the chart, it is possible to
ascertain the position of the sun at different times and seasons so
2.5.2 Passive solar tracking
that the panel can be fixed for maximum output. Fixed trackers
Passive trackers use a low boiling point compressed gas are cheaper in tropical countries like Kenya. For countries beyond

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fluid driven to one side or the other to cause the tracker to move +10 degrees North and -10 degrees south of the equator, there is
in response to an imbalance. Because it is a non-precision need for serious tracking. This is because the position of the
orientation it is not suitable for some types of concentrating midday sun varies significantly. The chart shows that the position
photovoltaic collectors but works just fine for common PV panel of the sun is highest between 1200h and 1400h. For the periods
types. These have viscous dampers that prevent excessive motion outside this range, the collectors are obliquely oriented to the sun
in response to gusts of wind. and therefore only a fraction reaches the surface of absorption.

2.5.3 Chronological solar tracking

A chronological tracker counteracts the rotation of the 2.6.2 CASE I

earth by turning at the same speed as the earth relative to the sun
The Fixed Collector For collectors that are fixed, the
around an axis that is parallel to the earth’s. To achieve this, a
projection area on the area that is perpendicularly oriented to the
simple rotation mechanism is devised which enables the system to
d direction of radiation is given by S = So cos θ, where θ changes
rotate throughout the day in a predefined manner without −π +π
considering whether the sun is there or not. The system turns at a in the interval ′ during the day. The angular velocity of the
2 2
2π
constant speed of one revolution per day or 15 degrees per hour. sun as it moves across the sky is given by ω = = 7.27×10-5
𝑇
Chronological trackers are very simple but potentially very rad/s with the differential of the falling energy given by dW =
accurate. ISdt.
2.5.4 Single axis trackers Single axis trackers 2.6.3 Tracking collectors
Have one degree of freedom that act as the axis of Improvement of efficiency for tracking collectors,
rotation. The axis of rotation of single axis trackers is aligned theoretical extracted energy is calculated assuming that maximum
along the meridian of the true North. With advanced tracking radiation intensity I=1100W/m2 is falling on the area that is
algorithms, it is possible to align them in any cardinal direction. perpendicularly oriented to the direction of radiation. There is
Common implementations of single axis trackers include comparison of intensity on the tracking collector and the fixed
horizontal single axis trackers (HSAT), horizontal single axis one. More energy is gotten from the tracking collector than the
tracker with tilted modules (HTSAT), vertical single axis trackers fixed one.
(VSAT), tilted single axis trackers (TSAT) and polar aligned
single axis trackers (PSAT). 2.6.4 CASE II
The Tracking Collector For tracking collectors, if
atmospheric influence is neglected, the energy per unit of area for
2.5.5 Dual axis trackers an entire day is given by W = ISt = 4.75 × 10Ws, (4) 14 =
Dual axis trackers have two degrees of freedom that act 13.2kWh/m2 day. Comparing the theoretical results for the two
as axes of rotation. These axes are typically normal to each other. cases, more energy is obtained from the second case, for the
The primary axis is the one that is fixed with respect to the tracking collector. However, as the rays of the sun travel towards
ground. The secondary axis is the one referenced to the primary the earth, they go through the thick layers of the atmosphere in
axis. There are various common implementations of dual trackers. both of the cases. That notwithstanding, the tracking collector has
more exposure to the sun’s energy at any given time.

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➢ The batteries used can be large and heavy, taking up
plenty of space and needing frequent replacement. 16
2.7 Effect of light intensity Because merits are more than the demerits, the use of
solar power is considered as a clean and viable source of
Change of the light intensity incident on a solar cell
energy. The various limitations can be reduced through
changes all the parameters, including the open circuit voltage,
various ways
short circuit current, the fill factor, efficiency and impact of series
and shunt resistances. Therefore, the increase or decrease has a
CHAPTER-3
proportional effect on the amount of power output from the panel.
2.8 Efficiency of solar panels DESIGN & WORKING PRINCPLE
Resistance of LDR depends on intensity of the light and
The efficiency is the parameter most commonly used to compare it varies according to it. The higher is the intensity of
performance of one solar cells to another. It is the ratio of energy light, lower will be the LDR resistance and due to this
output from the solar panel to input energy from the sun. In the output voltage lowers and when the light intensity is
addition to reflecting on the performance of solar cells, it will low, higher will be the LDR resistance and thus higher
depend on the spectrum and intensity of the incident sunlight and output voltage is obtained.
the temperature of the solar cell. As a result, conditions under A potential divider circuit is used to get the output
which efficiency is to be measured must be controlled carefully to voltage from the sensors (LDRs).The circuit is shown
compare performance of the various devices. The efficiency of here
solar cells is determined as the fraction of incident power that is
converted to electricity. It is defined as: where Voc is the open-
circuit voltage; Isc is the short-circuit current FF is the fill factor
η is the efficiency. 15 The input power for efficiency calculations
is 1 kW/m2 or 100 mW/cm2 . Thus the input power for a 100 ×

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100 mm2 cell is 10 W.
2.9 Benefits and demerits of solar energy

There are several benefits that solar energy has and which make it
favorable for many uses.
2.9.1 Benefits
➢ Solar energy is a clean and renewable energy source.
➢ Once a solar panel is installed, the energy is produced at
reduced costs. Fig 3. Potential divider circuit
➢ Whereas the reserves of oil of the world are estimated to The LDR senses the analog input in voltages between 0
be depleted in future, solar energy will last forever. to 5 volts and provides a digital number at the output
➢ It is pollution free. which generally ranges from 0 to 1023
➢ Solar cells are free of any noise. On the other hand, Now this will give feedback to the microcontroller
various machines used for pumping oil or for power using the arguing software (IDE) The servo motor
generation are noisy. position can be controlled by this mechanism which is
➢ Once solar cells have been installed and running, discussed later in the hardware model
minimal maintenance is required. Some solar panels
have no moving parts, making them to last even longer
with no maintenance.
➢ On average, it is possible to have a high return on
investment because of the free energy solar panels
produce.
➢ Solar energy can be used in very remote areas where
extension of the electricity power grid is costly.
Fig 4. Servo motor
2.9.2 Disadvantages of solar power The tracker finally adjusts its position sensing the
maximum intensity of light falling perpendicular to it
➢ Solar panels can be costly to install resulting in a time
and stays there till it notices any further change
lag of many years for savings on energy bills to match
The sensitivity of the LDR depends on point source of
initial investments.
light. It hardly shows any effect on diffuse lighting
➢ Generation of electricity from solar is dependent on the
condition.
country’s exposure to sunlight. This means some
countries are slightly disadvantaged.
3.1 BASIC CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
➢ Solar power stations do not match the power output of
conventional power stations of similar size.
➢ An overview of the required circuit for the Dual-axes
Furthermore, they may be expensive to build.
solar tracker is shown here.
➢ Solar power is used for charging large batteries so that
solar powered devices can be used in the night.
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International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 11, Issue 6, June-2020
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➢ The 5V supply is fed from an USB 5V dc voltage source Thus illumination in lamberts/m2 on a normal plane= Candle
through Adriano Board power/ (Distance in meters) 2
➢ Servo X :Rotates solar panel along X direction
➢ Servo Y :Rotates solar panel along Y direction

Fig7.

LAMBERT’S COSINE LAW

The illumination received on a surface is proportional to the
cosine of the angle between the direction of the incident light rays
and normal to the surface at the point of incidence.
Fig 5. Basic Circuit Diagram This is mainly due to the reduction of the projected area as the
angle of incidence increases. Thus, the equations are:
Light Sensor Theory and Circuit of Sensor Used Light

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detecting sensor that maybe used to build solar tracker
include; phototransistors, photodiodes, LDR and LLS05.
A suitable, inexpensive, simple and easy to interface
photo sensor is analog LDR which is the most common
in electronics. It is usually in form of a photo resistor
made of cadmium sulfide (CdS) or gallium arsenide
(GaAs). Next in complexity is the photodiode followed
by the phototransistor

3.2 DESIGN

Fig 8
Eθ = Ecosθ = 𝐈𝐜𝐨𝐬𝛉𝑫𝟐
Where,
Eθ= illumination on horizontal plane
E= illumination due to light normally incident
θ= the angle of incidence
D= distance

CHAPTER-5
HARDWARE MODEL

Fig 6 3D model

CHAPTER-4

MATHEMATICAL MODEL
MATHEMATICAL EQUATIONS REQUIRED
INVERSE SQUARE LAW
The illumination upon a surface varies inversely as the
square of the distance of the surface form the source. Thus, if the
illumination at a surface 1 meter from the source is I units, then
the illumination at 2 meters will be I/4, at 3 meters will be I/9 and
so on.
In fact inverse square law operates only when the light
rays are from a point source and are incident normally upon the
surface.
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➢ The fuzzy controller has been used to control the position of
Fig 9 Block Diagram of the Solar Tracker DC motors.
EXPLANATION OF THE BLOCK DIAGRAM:
As we see in the block diagram, there are three Light Dependent CONCLUSIONS
Resistors (LDRs) which are placed on a common plate with solar
panel. Light from a source strikes on them by different amounts.
Due to their inherent property of decreasing resistance with
increasing incident light intensity, i.e. photoconductivity, the
value of resistances of all the LDRs is not always same.
Each LDR sends equivalent signal of their respective resistance
value to the Microcontroller which is configured by required
programming logic. The values are compared with each other by
considering a particular LDR value as reference.
One of the two dc servo motors is mechanically attached with the
driving axle of the other one so that the former will move with REFERENCES
rotation of the axle of latter one. The axle of the former servo
motor is used to drive a solar panel. These two-servo motors are 1. Journal of Solar Energy Engineering,Vol.133 ] studied and
arranged in such a way that the solar panel can move along X- investigated maximization of collected energy from an on-
axis as well as Y-axis. board PV array, Hossein Mousazadeh et Al.,[ (2011),
The microcontroller sends appropriate signals to the servo motors 2. International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research
based on the input signals received from the LDRs. One servo vol. 3, 2229–5518, states that a single axis tracker tracks the
motor is used for tracking along x-axis and the other is for y-axis sun east to west, K.S. Madhu et al., (2012)
tracking. In this way the solar tracking system is designed.
3. Solar Tracking Hardware and Software by Gerro J Prinsloo
4.

IJSER
CHAPTER:-6 Design and Implementation of a Sun Tracker with a Dual-
Axis Single Motor “Jing-Min Wang and Chia-Liang Lu’’
OUTCOMES AND CONCLUSION 5. Sensors and Transducers...Second Edition...’’D.Patranabis”
➢ The project is to keep the solar photovoltaic panel 6. https://www.rcciit.org/students_projects/projects/ee/2018/GR
perpendicular to the sun throughout the year in order to make 1.pdf
it more efficient.
➢ The dual axis solar photovoltaic panel takes astronomical
7. https://www.slideshare.net/sweetswetansh/solar-tracker-
report-swetansh
data as reference and the tracking system has the capability
to always point the solar array toward the sun and can be
installed in various regions with minor modifications.
➢ The vertical and horizontal motion of the panel is obtained
by taking altitude angle the azimuth angle as reference.

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