sun tracker

Seminar Presentation

DEVELOPMENT OF A SUN TRACKER

AJNAS KC

DOI: 10.1109/ISGT-LA.2013.6554440

IEEE Published in:Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Latin America (ISGT LA), 2013 IEEE PES Conference, Sao Paulo

Date of Conference:15-17 April 2013

Author:Ribeiro, G.A.G. Univ. Fed. de Vicosa, Vicosa, Brazil da S Antonio, A. ; Moreira, T.M.S. ; Martins, G. ; Pereira, H.A.

SUN TRACKERAbstract

The power generated by a solar panel is directly related to the level of solar irradiance on the panel. Thus a system capable of tracking the solar movement improves the efficiency in the generated power. This work presents a study of solar radiation levels and the construction of a sun tracking prototype in order to follow the movement of the sun during the day and increase the power generated by the panel.

SUN TRACKERINTRODUCTION

The performance of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system is mostly dependent on climatic conditions.

❖ Angle of incident solar irradiance ❖ Temperature

SUN TRACKERWhy a solar tracker?

❖ To align the solar panel to the maximum power point for changes in the environment .

❖ Improves efficiency of the total system and increase power production.

SUN TRACKER

HOW?❖ Track the location of sun

• altitude angle β• azimuth angle φs

SUN TRACKER

Will this make a difference?

YES !

SUN TRACKER

How to track the sun ?

What we know : ❖ Sun rises in the East and sets in the West❖ Time of Sunrise and Sunset varies everyday

We have EQUATIONS , and we can predict all these precisely .

❖ EQUATIONS

SUN TRACKER

SUN TRACKER❖ Equations for Theoretical Solar

Irradiance :Stationary Panel

SUN TRACKER❖ Equations for Theoretical Solar Irradiance : One and

Two Axis

SUN TRACKER

❖ MATLAB SOFTWARE

❖ MATLAB Software was used to predict characteristics of solar irradiation using the above equations

❖ Results in numerical and graphical form were obtained

SUN TRACKER

SUN TRACKER❖ BUILDING OF PROTOTYPE : Aim : To construct a simple prototype :One axis sun tracker

Physical Design Consists of : Wooden Base

A freely rotating shaft

Solar Panel

Motor

Gear and tooth pulley system

SUN TRACKER

SUN TRACKER❖ DRIVE AND CONTROL STRATEGY

It Consist of : Micro controller : PIC 16F877

Motor Driver : ULN 2004

Display : 16x2 LCD

Stepper Motor : 15 Degree’s Step Angle

Battery : 12V

SUN TRACKER

Side Showing Display and switches for adjusting Time

SPYDER 8 : Communication channel port and power supply

SUN TRACKER❖ How it works?

Set the TIME and DATE in the control circuit and the algorithm would take over the control of the whole system

It would align the panel correspondingly , by calculating the sun rise, sun set and geometrical position of the sun.

SUN TRACKER❖ SYSTEM DATA ACQUISITION AND BUILT

SYSTEM❖ DAS : SPYDER 8 : An electronic measuring

system for PC’s

8 channels for Input and Output

Printer port

PC/Master port

Current Measurement : Honeywell CSLA1CF current sensor

SUN TRACKER❖ Build System

SUN TRACKER❖ EXPERIMENTAL STUDY Solar Panel used :

Stationary Panel set at inclination of 25° towards the geographical north.

Moving Panel was inserted to the Prototype .

SUN TRACKER❖ DATA COLLECTIONThe collected data for comparison between the fixed panel and tracking system were made on days 20, 21 and 22 August 2012, in the Viçosa (Minas Gerais). In this period of the year it is winter in Brazil.

SUN TRACKER❖ RESULTS ❖ Solar Irradiance Graph Using MATLAB for August 20

SUN TRACKER❖ RESULTS❖ Current generated on August 20

SUN TRACKER❖ RESULTS❖ Power generated

on August 20


on August 21


on August 22

SUN TRACKER❖ SUMMARY OF RESULTS

Average power produced during the Day

SUN TRACKER❖ CONCLUSION❖ A Solar tracker improves the Power generated.

❖ Even effective on cloudy days.

❖ Increase in power generated was more than 18%.

❖ Efficiency can be further improved using a stepper motor with smaller step angles

sun tracker

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