JETI Admin
Abstract
Solar energy is a prominent renewable energy source, but the efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) cells can be significantly affected by their orientation relative to the sun. Fixed solar panels do not harness the full potential of solar energy throughout the day, leading to suboptimal energy production, resulted in less energy absorption. Solar tracking systems are designed to enhance the efficiency of PV cells by ensuring they consistently face the sun. This paper presents the design, implementation, and performance evaluation of an automated solar tracking system. The main control circuit is based upon Arduino UNO microcontroller. Programming of this device is done in the manner that the Light Dependent Resistor sensor (LDR), in accordance with the detection of the sun rays, will provide direction to the servo Motor that in which way the solar panel is going to revolve. The shaft is the mechanical component that connects the servo motor to the solar panel to track the sun's movement, thereby optimizing energy capture efficiency in the solar tracking system. Through this, the solar panel is positioned in such a manner that the maximum amount of sun rays could be received. With the low-cost components such as LDRs, a microcontroller, and servo motors, this system increases the efficiency of solar panel by up to 30-40% more energy compare to a fixed solar panel. An LDR generated around 75% more power in the morning and 100% more power in the afternoon/evening than a fixed panel. The design demonstrated a significant improvement in energy absorption and overall efficiency achieved through solar tracking.
References
[1] Rakia, K., Boumeddane, B., & Arabi, S. (2016). Solar tracker system with a photovoltaic solar panel for Algerian conditions. Energy Reports, 2, 110-116. DOI:10.1016/j.egyr.2016.03.002.
[2] Appleyard, D. (2009) Solar Trackers: Facing the Sun. Renewable Energy World, 12. http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/06/solar-trackers-facing-the-sun
[3] El-Moghany, M.S. and Hamed, B.M. (2012) Two Axis Tracker Using Fuzzy Controller via PIC16F887a. The 4th International Engineering Conference—Towards Engineering of 21st Century, Gaza, 15-16 .
[4] Salem, F.A. (2013) Mechatronics Design of Solar Tracking System. International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, 3, 417-429.
[5] Pandya, J. A., & Rana, K. K. (2015). Performance improvement of LDR-based dual-axis solar tracker system. International Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Research, 5(3), 59-68. https://www.academia.edu/15734544/Performance_Improvement_of_LDR_based_Dual_Axis_Solar_Tracker_System
[6] Tanvir, A., & Rakib, R. (2017). Comparative study on solar tracking systems using LDR, photodiode, and phototransistor as light sensors. Journal of Renewable Energy, 8(2), 112-120. https://doi.org/10.1080/15567036.2017.1280701
[7] Naeem, A., Amin, N., & Iqbal, M. (2016). Development of an Arduino-based low-cost dual-axis solar tracker. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 7(9), 345-350. https://doi.org/10.14569/IJACSA.2016.070949
[8] Kiran, M. V., & Rao, P. V. (2018). A hybrid predictive and real-time LDR-based solar tracking system. International Journal of Power Electronics and Drive Systems, 9(3), 1267-1276. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijpeds.v9.i3
[9] Baig, A. M., Mahmud, S., & Salam, Z. (2020). Economic viability of dual-axis solar trackers: A cost-benefit analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 251, 119636. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119636
[10] Hussain, S., Yang, H., & Riffat, S. B. (2019). The impact of environmental conditions on the efficiency of LDR-based solar tracking systems in arid regions. Renewable Energy, 131, 244-255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2018.07.033
[11] Ahmed, H., & Kassem, A. (2017). Real-time data acquisition for solar energy monitoring systems using Arduino-based solar trackers. Procedia Computer Science, 109, 637-642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2017.05.383
[12] Sharma, V., & Chandel, S. S. (2013). Performance analysis of a smart LDR-based solar tracker using microcontrollers. Energy Reports, 1(1), 105-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2013.02.003
[13] Naeem, A., Amin, N., & Iqbal, M. (2016). Development of a low-cost dual-axis solar tracker using Arduino. International Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 6(1), 30-35. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijece.v6i1.6558
[14] Kiran, M. V., & Rao, P. V. (2018). Dual-axis solar tracking system using LDR and stepper motor. International Journal of Power Electronics and Drive Systems, 9(4), 1872-1879. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijpeds.v9.i4.1872-1879.
[15] Sharma, N., & Chandel, S. S. (2013). A review on the solar tracking systems. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 5(4), 042701. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4816660
[16] Pandya, J. A., & Rana, K. K. (2015). Design of mechanical structures for LDR-based dual-axis solar tracking system. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 6(6), 132-142.
[17] Pandya, J. A., & Rana, K. K. (2015). Performance improvement of LDR-based dual-axis solar tracker system. International Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Research, 5(3), 59-68.
[18] Paliyal P. S., Mondal S., Layek S., Kuchhal P., & Pandey J. K. (2024). Automatic solar tracking system: a review pertaining to advancements and challenges in the current scenario, Clean Energy, Volume 8, Issue 6, Pages 237–262, https://doi.org/10.1093/ce/zkae085.
[19] Akhtaruzzaman M., Islam M. S., & Shahryer F. (2024). Designing optimal parameters for single-axis solar-tracker through analysis of sun-path and tracking vector dynamics. In: 2024 6th International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Information & Communication Technology (ICEEICT), Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2–4 May 2024. Piscataway, NJ: IEEE, 2024, 1054–9. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICEEICT62016.2024.10534410
[20] Azam MS, Bhattacharjee A, & Hassan M. (2023). Performance enhancement of solar PV system introducing semi-continuous tracking algorithm based solar tracker. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2023.129989
[21] Prathyusha K., Himabindu T., & Priya P. P. (2023). Arduino based dual axis solar tracker. J Nonlinear Anal Opt. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2023.129989