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NOURYAS TECH JUNIOR �Solar tracker

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Preface

  • Solar energy is rapidly becoming an important and viable means of renewable energy resource. Despite being ubiquitously present, harvesting it presents a major challenge, owing to the limited efficiency of solar array cells. One of the ways to enhance the efficiency of solar panels, as well as mitigating cost is the use of solar tracker

https://prepp.in/news/e-492-solar-energy-environment-notes

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Challenge : Get More Energy From The Sun

  • Gaining energy is the most critical need to ensure the continuity of the expedition. Because without sustainable energy supply the expedition is threatened to be stopped.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mars-Exploration-Rover

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Challenge : Get More Energy From The Sun

  • The most used way to gain energy in space expedition spacecrafts is getting energy from the sun by using fixed tilt mounted solar cell array, which didn’t have that much efficiency.

https://www.skytrac.ca/resources/press/the-exploration-company-selects-skytrac-iridium-certus-onboard-space-capsule-nyx/

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Challenge : Get More Energy From The Sun

  • Also on earth non-renewable energy sources(Coal , Oil) cause emissions of greenhouse gases which damage the environment like (Co2 , Methane, Nitrous Oxide).
  • Solar energy on the other hand is a better way to get energy without harming the environment.
  • Solar energy can be installed in most places that sunlight reaches .s

https://global.kyocera.com/sustainability/eco/index.html

https://www.dreamstime.com/concept-planet-earth-pollution-oil-industry-which-flows-pollutes-environment-pipes-smoke-drop-ecological-image177162287

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Scientific background

  • Solar panels directly convert sun’s radiation into electrical energy. The optimum efficiency of the majority of commercially available solar cells is in the range between 10 and 20%. This indicates that there lies a scope for improvement. There are mainly three ways of increasing the efficiency of the solar panels.

https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2020

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Scientific background�Ways to improve solar panels :�

  • (i) Use of a tracking system.

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  • (ii) Increase of cell efficiency .

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  • (iii) increasing the number solar panels.

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  • In our project we will focus on the tracking system improvement.

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https://m.itcc-consortium.org/nl/newsletter/check-link-opening/campaign/5/email/redirect/http:/happyvalentinesday2020.online/Solar-System-Axis-327b.htm

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Idea of the Solar Tracker

  • An input stage: It consists of light dependent resistors (LDRs) which are responsible for the conversion of sunlight into voltage. When the light source moves, the intensity of light falling on the four LDRs changes. This change is calibrated into voltage, using voltage dividers.

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c450/b8a49197ad04411d94c713ab218058314812.pdf

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Idea of the Solar Tracker

  • A control stage: It consists of a microcontroller( Arduino ). It receives the voltages from the LDRs, compares with the other LDR readings . The microcontroller is programmed to ensure that it sends a required signal to the servomotor .

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https://learn.adafruit.com/arduino-to-circuitpython/computer-python

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Idea of the Solar Tracker

  • Driver stage: It involves a servo motor. The servo motor has high enough torque to drive the panel. They are noise free and affordable . The servo motor uses the signal generated by the microcontroller(Arduino) and rotates through specific angles, so that the position of the solar panel is adjusted in such a way that the LDRs are at equal inclination.

http://singledualaxis.blogspot.com/

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Applications of the Solar Tracker

  • Spacecraft sustainable enhanced electricity supply .
  • Enhanced power source of energy on mars rovers.
  • Getting more energy than fixed tilt panels in roughly the same space.

https://www.trabantsolar.com/utility

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Project components.

  • Arduino board
  • Solar panel
  • 4 LDR
  • Chassis
  • 2 Servos
  • 4 Potentiometers
  • Breadboard
  • Fc-75(li ion battery charger)

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Project components.

  • Arduino board

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  • Solar panel

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  • 4 LDR

Fritizing software

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Project components.

  • 2 Servos

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  • 4 Potentiometers

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  • Breadboard

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Fritizing software

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Project components.

  • Fc-75

Fritizing software

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Connections

Fritizing software

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Programing concept �

  • 4 sensors are arranged as follows :
  • The LDR that senses more light (lets more voltage)
  • The Arduino will send to the servos to move towards it’s direction until the sun rays are distributed equally on the LDRs.

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c450/b8a49197ad04411d94c713ab218058314812.pdf

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Reference

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Reference

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