DEPT.

E&TC ARDUINO UNO BASED DUAL AXIS SOLAR TRACKING SYSTEM

ABSTRACT
In the field of renewable energy, use of solar energy is the major concern and
utilization of solar photovoltaic energy is increasing day by day. It offers the greatest
energy potential compared with other currently known renewable resources.
Harnessing the use of solar energy requires more research and development to
improve the efficiency of solar applications but the efficiency of present systems
already make solar harvesting a viable commercial option. For the proper utilization
of obtaining solar energy from the sun technology upgradation is the vital concern. In
this project the design and construction of a microcontroller-based solar panel
tracking system is included that allows more energy to be produced because the solar
panel will able to remain aligned to the sun so that it can generate more energy than a
fixed positioned Solar panel. To conduct the project work we have used Arduino
board and Arduino IDE software. Arduino connects the hardware components for our
desired works through command codes installed in its microcontroller. LDR has been
used as photo sensor devices and Servo motors to rotate the solar panel depending on
the position of the sun daily and seasonally. To make the system fully automatic a
driving program has been developed using Arduino IDE and burnt into the
microcontroller of the Arduino board. The whole system has been implemented and
tested in our laboratory and found it working satisfactorily with desired accuracy.

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 DEPT. E&TC ARDUINO UNO BASED DUAL AXIS SOLAR TRACKING SYSTEM

LITERATURE REVIEW
This section includes the literature review of a few papers among which we
have studied about dual axis solar tracking in brief.
Design and Implementation of a Laboratory-Scale Single Axis Solar Tracking
System
The project demonstrates the design and implementation a laboratory-scale
single axis solar tracking system. By using the laboratory-scale system, the system
becomes portable and convenient to be allocated at the suitable workplace for solar
tracking process. In this project, microcontroller was used as an integrated control unit
and the plant was actuated by the DC geared motor. The background was studied in
Malaysia in UTM Campus.
Design and Development of Tilted Single Axis and Azimuth-Altitude Dual
Axis Solar Tracking System This paper describes in detail about the design,
development and fabrication of two Prototype Solar Tracking Systems mounted with
a single-axis and dual-axis solar tracking controllers. The solar tracking system-Tilted
Single Axis Tracker and Azimuth-Altitude Dual Axis Tracker are designed in this
project. LDR had been used as sensing unit for the projects. The control circuit for the
systems was based on Atmega8 Microcontroller which was programmed to detect the
sunlight through the LDR sensors and then actuate the DC geared motor using L293D
motor driver to position the solar panel where it can receive the maximum sunlight.
A Review of Principle and Sun-Tracking Methods for Maximizing Solar
Systems Output. This paper proposes a novel design of a dual-axis solar tracking PV
system which utilizes the feedback control theory along with light dependent resistor
(LDR) sensor and simple electronic circuits to provide robust system performance.
The proposed system uses a unique dual-axis AC motor and a stand-alone PV inverter
to accomplish solar tracking.
After studying and analyzing a number of research papers, it is found that
most of the tracking systems done are single axis tracking. Many of them are costly
according to their framing design and use of components. Their tracking system can
track daily change of sun position but not seasonally. Commercially tracking system
can be made more efficient discarding the economic issue. But this concept always
will not be effective in each case. In small level application cost effectiveness and
space limitation is a concern and we have completed the project considering the fact.

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 DEPT. E&TC ARDUINO UNO BASED DUAL AXIS SOLAR TRACKING SYSTEM

As sensing unit four LDR has been used in our project; two of which sense and
accordingly rotate the solar panel daily. The rests two LDR sense the change of
position of the sun seasonally and work accordingly rotating the solar panel. A cost
effective frame is designed by us made of Aluminum. Therefore, our designed model
is different from other projects in terms of hardware design and also software
simulation.

BLOCK DIAGRAM

COMPONENTES
1. Arduino Uno R3
2. LDR Sensor - 4
3. Servo Motor - 2
4. Power Supply 12v/5v
5. Solar Plate

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DEPT. E&TC ARDUINO UNO BASED DUAL AXIS SOLAR TRACKING SYSTEM

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

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 DEPT. E&TC ARDUINO UNO BASED DUAL AXIS SOLAR TRACKING SYSTEM

Working Of Dual Axis Solar Tracking Panels

Trackers direct solar panels or modules toward the sun. These devices change their
orientation throughout the day to follow the sun’s path to maximize energy capture.

In photovoltaic systems, trackers help minimize the angle of incidence (the angle that
a ray of light makes with a line perpendicular to the surface) between the incoming
light and the panel, which increases the amount of energy the installation produces.
Concentrated solar photovoltaics and concentrated solar thermal have optics that
directly accept sunlight, so solar trackers must be angled correctly to collect energy.
All concentrated solar systems have trackers because the systems do not produce
energy unless directed correctly toward the sun.

Single-axis solar trackers rotate on one axis moving back and forth in a single
direction. Different types of single-axis trackers include horizontal, vertical, tilted,
and polar aligned, which rotate as the names imply. Dual-axis trackers continually
face the sun because they can move in two different directions. Types include tip-tilt
and azimuth-altitude. Dual-axis tracking is typically used to orient a mirror and
redirect sunlight along a fixed axis towards a stationary receiver. Because these
trackers follow the sun vertically and horizontally they help obtain maximum solar
energy generation.

In the tracking operation, the LDR sensor measures the sunlight intensity as a

reference input signal. ... If the comparator output goes high state, the motor driver
and a relay are activated so as to rotate the dual-axis (azimuth and
elevation) tracking motor and bring the PV panel to face the Sun.

Advantages

 Trackers generate more electricity than their stationary counterparts due to

increased direct exposure to solar rays. This increase can be as much as 10 to
25% depending on the geographic location of the tracking system.
 There are many different kinds of solar trackers, such as single-axis and dual-
axis trackers, all of which can be the perfect fit for a unique jobsite. Installation
size, local weather, degree of latitude and electrical requirements are all

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important considerations that can influence the type of solar tracker best suited
for a specific solar installation.
 Solar trackers generate more electricity in roughly the same amount of space
needed for fixed-tilt systems, making them ideal for optimizing land usage.
 In certain states, some utilities offer Time of Use (TOU) rate plans for solar
power, which means the utility will purchase the power generated during the
peak time of the day at a higher rate. In this case, it is beneficial to generate a
greater amount of electricity during these peak times of the day. Using a
tracking system helps maximize the energy gains during these peak time
periods.
 Advancements in technology and reliability in electronics and mechanics have
drastically reduced long-term maintenance concerns for tracking systems.

Disadvantages

 Solar trackers are slightly more expensive than their stationary counterparts,
due to the more complex technology and moving parts necessary for their
operation. This is usually around a $0.08 – $0.10/W increase depending on the
size and location of the project.
 Even with the advancements in reliability, there is generally more
maintenance required than a traditional fixed rack, though the quality of the
solar tracker can play a role in how much and how often this maintenance is
needed.
 Trackers are a more complex system than fixed racking. This means that
typically more site preparation is needed, including additional trenching for
wiring and some additional grading.

Note:- Overall, solar trackers are highly efficient installations and are a great fit
for both large and small project sites given the proper location and site
conditions.

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