Seminar On

AUTOMATIC SUN TRACKING

SYSTEM

Submitted To: Submitted By:

CONTENTS
• Introduction
• What is a Solar Tracker ?
• Need for a Sun Tracking System
• Condition for Maximum Output
• Basic Components
• The Working
• Applications
• Advantages & Disadvantages
• Conclusion
• References
INTRODUCTION
 EXTRACTING usable electricity from the sun was made
possible by the discovery of the photoelectric effect.

 Subsequent development of the solar cell, which is a

semi-conductive material that converts visible light into
a direct current.

 Solar arrays, a series of solar cells electrically

connected, generates a DC voltage which can be used
on a load.
What is a solar Tracker ?
 A solar tracker is a generic term used to describe
devices that orient or align various payloads toward
the sun.

 Example for payloads are photovoltaic panels,

reflectors, Collectors, lenses or other optical devices.

 The system focuses on the optimization of the electric

energy produced by photovoltaic cells through the
development of a sun-tracking system.
Need For A Sun Tracking System
 From dawn to dusk the sun keeps changing the angle
from 0-90 rising and 90-180 declining.
 In a year of 365 days the sun moves approximately
22.5 degrees north to 22.5 degrees south of the
equator.
 We get maximum energy from the sun when
- The angle of the sun is degrees
- The sun’s position is 0 +/- 5 degrees of the
equator
Conditions For Maximum Output
 The difference between the incident ray and the
reflected ray should be equal to zero, i.e. the rays
should be perpendicular to the panel.
 The altitude is directly proportional to the efficiency
of the system up to a certain limit.
 Very clear sky and clean atmosphere contributes a bit
more to the efficiency of the system.
Basic Components

 Stepper Motor
 Actuator
 Microcontroller
 A Display Unit (Optional)
 Interfacing Cables
The Working

 Interfacing between hardware and microcontroller

 Inputs to microcontroller
 Controlling constraints
Circuit Diagram
The Inputs
 The various positions of the sun over a year for a
particular geographical location is given as the
primary input to the microcontroller.
 The irradiance of the sun for a particular
geographical location over a year is the secondary
input for the microcontroller.
 The real time clocking is enabled in the
microcontroller.
Controlling Constraints

 The microcontroller is programmed to orient the

panel at optimum position against the sun, via
comparing to the inputs given.
 The microcontroller is set with a lower tolerance for
the voltage produced.
 If the voltage produced is above the tolerance then
it holds the position of the panel.
 If the voltage falls below the tolerance, then the
panel changes the position in the forward direction.
Applications
 Can be used for small & medium scale power
generations.
 For power generation at remote places where
power lines are not accessible.
 For domestic backup power systems.
 Advantages
• Solar tracking systems continually orient photovoltaic
panels towards the sun and can help maximize your
investment in your PV system.
• One time investment, which provides higher efficiency &
flexibility on dependency over other sources.
• Tracking systems can help reducing emissions and can
contribute against global warming.
• Bulk implementations of tracking systems help reduced
consumption of power by other sources.
• It enhances the clean and emission free power
production.
Disadvantages
 Initial investment is high on solar panels.
 It’s a bit of difficult for servicing, as the tracking
systems are not quite popular regionally.
 Moving parts and gears which will require regular
maintenance.
 May require repair or replacement of broken parts
over a long run.
 Conclusion
 On one hand we can see the worlds energy resources
depletion to be a major problem.
 On the other hand global warming, 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 in the near future .
References

www.wikipedia.com
www.google.com
Thanks