PROJECT NAME : SOLAR TRACKING SYSTEM

GUIDE NAME : PROF. R.S AMBEKAR

1
 GROUP MEMBERS
NAME ROLL NUMBER

SAKSHAM YADAV 39

NAMAN RAKESH 25

ANKIT KUMAR YADAV 09

2
 CONTENTS
Abstract

Introduction
Objectives of project
Components
Block Diagram
Circuit Diagram
Circuit Design
Working
Parameter Measurement
Advantage

Disadvantage
3
Application

Literature review
Conclusion
Reference
 ABSTRACT

This topic is now-a-days a priority on international level, because it

provides alternatives to major problems resulting from the use of fossil
resources: the limitative character and the pollution. The researches are
going on in this field to increase the efficiency of the solar energy
conversion by using tracking systems whose aim is to change the position
of the solar panel correlated to the sun position for maximizing the
radiation degree of use. Two main aspects are taken into consideration:
optimizing the interaction between the mechatronic system components
by integrating the control system, and reducing the cost & time for the
design process by replacing the traditional tests on physical models with
4
the testing in virtual environment, using complex digital (software)
models.
 INTRODUCTION
A Solar Tracker is basically a device onto which solar panels
are fitted which tracks the motion of the sun across the sky
ensuring that the maximum amount of sunlight strikes the
panels throughout the day. After finding the sunlight, the
tracker will try to navigate through the path ensuring the best
sunlight is detected. The Solar Tracking System is made as a
prototype to solve the problem. It is completely automatic and
keeps the panel in front of sun until that is visible. The unique
feature of this system is that instead of taking the earth as its
reference, it takes the sun as a guiding source. Its active

5
sensors constantly monitor the sunlight and rotate the panel
towards the direction where the intensity of sunlight is
maximum. .
 OBJECTIVES TO MEET THE PROJECTS
ARE

1.To design an effective sensor array to provide

directional information to guide a major drive system
to track the movement of the sun across the sky.

2.The drive will have to position a solar panel to the

best angle of exposure to sunlight for collection of
solar energy.

3.To present and run the Solar Tracker during the

end-of-the course presentation.
6
 COMPONENTS

Sensors

MCP3008 ADC 1

Light Dependant Resistor 4

5K6 Resistor 1% Metal 1/2 W 1

2K Resistor 1% Metal 1/2 W 1

1K Resistor 1% Metal 1/2 W 1

200R Resistor 1% Metal 1/2 W 1

Hookup wire 1

28 Pin IC Socket 1
7
Arduino UNO 1

Stepper Motor 1

Motor Driver IC
 BLOCK DIAGRAM

8
 CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

9
 CIRCUIT DESIGN

MICROCONTROLAR
ATmega8 is AVR family micro controller. It is based on advanced RISC
architecture. It is an 8 bit controller. It has 4KB Flash memory, 512 bytes
of EEPROM and 1Kb of SRAM. It has 23 programmable pins. It
supports peripheral features like two 8-bit timers, one 16 bit timer, 6
channel ADC with 10-bit resolution, programmable USART, Serial
peripheral interface, 2 wire serial interface, etc.

10
 SOLAR PANEL
Solar panel is connected to Stepper motor. Solar panel consists of
photovoltaic cells arranged in an order. Photovoltaic cell is nothing but a
solar cell. Photo resembles light and voltaic is electricity. Solar cell is made
up of semiconductor material silicon. When a light ray from Sun is incident
on the solar cell, some amount of energy is absorbed by this material. The
absorbed energy is enough for the electrons to jump from one orbit to other
inside the atom. Cells have one or more electric field that directs the
electrons which creates current. By placing metal contact energy can be
obtained from these cells.

11
 STEPPER MOTOR

Stepper motor rotates the panel in a stepwise angle. To drive this motor a

driver IC is used. Driver IC amplifies the input voltage and protects the

microcontroller from back EMF. Generally, motors generate back EMF.

This may damage the controller. The driver IC used is L293D. It has H

bridge internally made up of transistors. This IC has 16 pins. Output pins

are connected to the stepper motor pins. Input pins are connected to the

controller pins as shown in circuit diagram.

12
 LIGHT DEPENDENT RESISTER

Light Dependent Resistors are the resistors whose resistance values

depend on intensity of the light. As the intensity of light falling on the
LDR increases, resistance value decreases. In dark, LDR will have
maximum resistance. LDR will output an analog value which should be
converted to digital. This can be done using analog to digital converter.
ATmega8 has analog to digital converter internally. It has six ADC
channels from ADC0 to ADC5.The two LDRs are connected to ADC pins
i.e. PC0 and PC1. ADC conversion is done using successive approximation
method.
13
 WORKING
Initially power the circuit.

Place the set up in dark

When the two LDRs are in dark, there is no movement in the panel.

Now place a torch in front of the left LDR. Panels slowly move towards

its left.

Now move light from left to right. You can observe the panel moving

slowly with the torch towards right.

14
In the middle, when intensity on both LDRs is equal, panel will not move

until there is difference between the light intensity falling on the LDRs.
 PARAMETER MEASUREMENT

15
 ADVANTAGES
It is Maximum utilization of solar energy.

It is totally automatic system.

In Sun tracking solar panel generate more

electricity compare to static solar system.

It exposed to direct solar rays.

Easy to construct and install.

It is free of pollution.
16
increase efficiency of solar power plant.
17
 DISADVANTAGE

Sun tracker are slightly more expensive than its stationary

counterparts.

More complex technology than static system

They are heavy and occupy more space and required to

change time to time.

18
 APPLICATION
These panels can be used to power the traffic lights and streetlight.

These can be used in industries as more energy can be saved by rotating the
panel.

These can be used in home to power the appliances using solar power.

It can be used for electrification in remote areas.

19
 LITERATURE REVIEW
Paper 1

" Solar Tracker Robot using Microcontroller" by A.B. Afarulrazi, W. M. Utomo, K.L.
Liew and M. Zarafi published in 2011 International Conference on Business, Engineering
and Industrial Applications.

Summary

In the paper entitled," Solar Tracker Robot using Microcontroller" by A.B. Afarulrazi,
W. M. Utomo, K.L. Liew and M. Zarafi published in 2011 International Conference on
Business, Engineering and Industrial Applications describes to design and develop an
automatic Solar Tracker Robot (STR) which is capable to track maximum light intensity.
The efficiency of the solar energy conversion can be optimized by receiving maximum
light on the solar panel. STR is microcontroller based and built to move the solar panel in
one axis, which is from east to west and vice versa. Stepper motor is the actuator used to

20 move the solar panel due to the high torque and small in size. The STR will automatically
adjust the position of the robot so that it always faces the same direction. This will ensure
the solar panel receiving optimum sunlight if external force is applied to move the STR .
Paper 2
" Microcontroller Based Solar Tracking System" by Aleksandar Stjepanovic, Sladjana
Stjepanovic, Ferid Softic, Zlatko Bundalo published in Serbia,Nis,October 7-9, 2009.

Summary
In the paper entiled," Microcontroller Based Solar Tracking System" by Aleksandar
Stjepanovic, Sladjana Stjepanovic, Ferid Softic, Zlatko Bundalo published in Serbia,Nis,October
7-9, 2009 describes the design and construction of a microcontroller based solar panel tracking
system. Solar tracking allows more energy to be produce because the solar array is able to remain
aligned to the sun. The paper begins with presenting background theory in light sensors and
stepper motors as they apply to the project.In the conclusions are given discussions of design
results. The paper begins with presenting background theory, light sensors and stepper motors as
they apply to the project. The paper continues with specific design methodologies pertaining to
photocells, stepper motors and drivers, microcontroller selection, voltage regulation, physical
construction, and a software/system operation explanation. The paper concludes with a
21
discussion of design results and future work.
 CONCLUSION

On one hand we can see the worlds energy resources depletion

to be a major problem

On the other hand global worming, which is a major concern.

Switching to Solar power, which is clean and green and

enhancing its efficiency by using sun trackers is a great option is
the near future.
22
 REFERANCE
" Solar Tracker Robot using Microcontroller" by A.B. Afarulrazi, W. M.

Utomo, K.L. Liew and M. Zarafi published in 2011 International

Conference on Business, Engineering and Industrial Applications.

" Microcontroller Based Solar Tracking System" by

Aleksandar Stjepanovic, Sladjana Stjepanovic, Ferid Softic,
published in Serbia,Nis,October 7-9, 2009.

Gay, CF; WilsonZlatko Bundalo , JH & Yerkes, JW (1982).

"Performance advantages of two-axis tracking for large flat-
23 plate photovoltaic energy systems". Conf. Rec. IEEE
Photovoltaic Spec. Conf. 16:
1368. Bibcode:1982pvsp.conf.1368G
24