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Sun Tracking Solar Panel Project Using Microcontroller

The document describes a sun tracking solar panel system that uses light dependent resistors and a stepper motor controlled by a microcontroller to automatically rotate a solar panel toward the sun for maximum energy absorption. The system compares the light intensity on two LDRs to determine which way to rotate the panel and maintain it perpendicular to the sun's rays. This allows for increased solar energy collection compared to fixed panels. Applications include powering streetlights, homes, and industries, while limitations include reduced effectiveness in rainy conditions and higher cost compared to stationary panels.

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VeeraPavanVasireddi
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178 views

Sun Tracking Solar Panel Project Using Microcontroller

The document describes a sun tracking solar panel system that uses light dependent resistors and a stepper motor controlled by a microcontroller to automatically rotate a solar panel toward the sun for maximum energy absorption. The system compares the light intensity on two LDRs to determine which way to rotate the panel and maintain it perpendicular to the sun's rays. This allows for increased solar energy collection compared to fixed panels. Applications include powering streetlights, homes, and industries, while limitations include reduced effectiveness in rainy conditions and higher cost compared to stationary panels.

Uploaded by

VeeraPavanVasireddi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SunTrackingSolarPanel

JUNE12,2014BYEHMODERATORSTEAM3COMMENTS

Contents[hide]
0.1SunTrackingSolarPanelPrinciple:
1SunTrackingSolarPanelCircuitDiagram:
1.1AutomatedSunTrackingSolarPanelCircuitDesign:
1.2HowSunTrackingSolarPanelWorks?
1.3AdvantagesofSunTrackingSolarPanel:
1.4SunTrackingSolarPanelApplications:
1.5LimitationsofSunTrackingSolarPanelCircuit:

Asthenonrenewableenergyresourcesaredecreasing,useofrenewableresourcesforproducingelectricityisincreasing.Solarpanels
arebecomingmorepopulardaybyday.Wehavealreadyreadapostabouthowtoinstallsolarpanelforhome.Solarpanelabsorbs
theenergyfromtheSunandisstoredinthebattery.Thisenergycanbeutilizedwhenrequired.Utilizationoftheenergystoredin
batteriesismentionedinbelowgivenapplications.Solarpanelsshouldabsorbenergytoamaximumextent.Thiscanbedoneonlyifthe
panelsarecontinuouslyplacedtowardsSundirection.SosolarpanelshouldcontinuouslyrotateinthedirectionofSun.Thisarticle
describesaboutcircuitthatrotatessolarpanel.

SunTrackingSolarPanelPrinciple:
TheSuntrackingsolarpanelconsistsoftwoLDRs,solarpanelandsteppermotorandATMEGA8Microcontroller.
Twolightdependentresistorsarearrangedontheedgesofthesolarpanel.Lightdependentresistorsproducelowresistancewhenlight

fallsonthem.ThesteppermotorconnectedtothepanelrotatesthepanelinthedirectionofSun.Panelisarrangedinsuchawaythat
lightontwoLDRsiscomparedandpanelisrotatedtowardsLDRwhichhavehighintensityi.e.lowresistancecomparedtoother.
Steppermotorrotatesthepanelatcertainangle.
WhentheintensityofthelightfallingonrightLDRismore,panelslowlymovestowardsrightandifintensityontheleftLDRismore,
panelslowlymovestowardsleft.Inthenoontime,Sunisaheadandintensityoflightonboththepanelsissame.Insuchcases,panelis
constantandthereisnorotation.

SunTrackingSolarPanelCircuitDiagram:

CircuitDiagramofSunTrackingSolarPanelElectronicsHub

ComponentsintheCircuit:
Solarpanel

ATmega8microcontroller
LightDependentResistor.
MotordriverIC
StepperMotor.

AutomatedSunTrackingSolarPanelCircuitDesign:
TheproposedsystemconsistsofATmega8microcontroller,Solarpanel,LightDependentresistorsandmotordriverIC.
ATmega8isAVRfamilymicrocontroller.ItisbasedonadvancedRISCarchitecture.Itisan8bitcontroller.Ithas4KBFlashmemory,
512bytesofEEPROMand1KbofSRAM.Ithas23programmablepins.Itsupportsperipheralfeaturesliketwo8bittimers,one16bit
timer,6channelADCwith10bitresolution,programmableUSART,Serialperipheralinterface,2wireserialinterface,etc.
SolarpanelisconnectedtoSteppermotor.Solarpanelconsistsofphotovoltaiccellsarrangedinanorder.Photovoltaiccellisnothing
butasolarcell.Photoresembleslightandvoltaiciselectricity.Solarcellismadeupofsemiconductormaterialsilicon.Whenalightray
fromSunisincidentonthesolarcell,someamountofenergyisabsorbedbythismaterial.Theabsorbedenergyisenoughforthe
electronstojumpfromoneorbittootherinsidetheatom.Cellshaveoneormoreelectricfieldthatdirectstheelectronswhichcreates
current.Byplacingmetalcontactenergycanbeobtainedfromthesecells.
LightDependentResistorsaretheresistorswhoseresistancevaluesdependonintensityofthelight.Astheintensityoflightfallingon
theLDRincreases,resistancevaluedecreases.Indark,LDRwillhavemaximumresistance.LDRwilloutputananalogvaluewhich
shouldbeconvertedtodigital.Thiscanbedoneusinganalogtodigitalconverter.ATmega8hasanalogtodigitalconverterinternally.It
hassixADCchannelsfromADC0toADC5.ThetwoLDRsareconnectedtoADCpinsi.e.PC0andPC1.ADCconversionisdoneusing
successiveapproximationmethod.
Steppermotorrotatesthepanelinastepwiseangle.TodrivethismotoradriverICisused.DriverICamplifiestheinputvoltageand

protectsthemicrocontrollerfrombackEMF.Generally,motorsgeneratebackEMF.Thismaydamagethecontroller.ThedriverICused
isL293D.IthasHbridgeinternallymadeupoftransistors.ThisIChas16pins.Outputpinsareconnectedtothesteppermotorpins.
Inputpinsareconnectedtothecontrollerpinsasshownincircuitdiagram.
Byconnectingabatterytothesolarpanel,onecanstoretheenergygeneratedbythesolarcellsandthisenergycanbeusedwhen
required.

HowSunTrackingSolarPanelWorks?
Initiallypowerthecircuit.
Placethesetupindark
WhenthetwoLDRsareindark,thereisnomovementinthepanel.
NowplaceatorchinfrontoftheleftLDR.Panelsslowlymovetowardsitsleft.
Nowmovelightfromlefttoright.Youcanobservethepanelmovingslowlywiththetorchtowardsright.
Inthemiddle,whenintensityonbothLDRsisequal,panelwillnotmoveuntilthereisdifferencebetweenthelightintensityfalling
ontheLDRs.

AdvantagesofSunTrackingSolarPanel:
Thesolarenergycanbereusedasitisnonrenewableresource.
Thisalsosavesmoneyasthereisnoneedtopayforenergyused.

SunTrackingSolarPanelApplications:
1. Thesepanelscanbeusedtopowerthetrafficlightsandstreetlights
2. Thesecanbeusedinhometopowertheappliancesusingsolarpower.
3. Thesecanbeusedinindustriesasmoreenergycanbesavedbyrotatingthepanel.

LimitationsofSunTrackingSolarPanelCircuit:
1. Thoughsolarenergycanbeutilizedtomaximumextentthismaycreateproblemsinrainyseason.
2. Althoughsolarenergycanbesavedtobatteries,theyareheavyandoccupymorespaceandrequiredtochangetimetotime.
3. Theyareexpensive.

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