Design and implementation of a sun tracking system

Abstract

The thesis represents the study, model, and controlling of a small-sun tracker which saves energy. This machine has a direct wireless controlling. It is designed to provide electricity via solar energy collection. The main design elements of the Sun Tracker are solar concentration and sun tracking. The main purpose reported in this project is to understand the essentials of producing electricity for free, developing a three-dimensional (3D) sun tracker, uses computer automated tools, showing the dynamics of this device. A step by step description and discover of the disparate portions of the undertaking is given in an easy manner upheld by figures, schematics and diagrams from the extremely conceptual period to the final requested result. First after the device was programmed using Arduino microcontroller, data are sent wirelessly to Matlab in order to make interface between the sun trucker and the pc. A graphical user interface is provided that allows the user to interact with the machine in three different modes: manually, automatically and scan mode. This gives the user an added feature, besides automatic tracking of sun, to be able to control the machine manually as well and finding the best light position by the scan mode. A sun tracking mechanism was designed in order to increase the amount of solar energy collected. It needs to move on a two axis system. The resulting energy concentration was expected to be a maximum of five times the energy that the sun yields under normal conditions, depending on the size of the panel. Sun tracking can improve efficiency by about 30% with a two-axis system. An array of light sensors can be used to determine the position of the sun in active tracking. As an alternative, a microcontroller can determine the suns location. The output of the microcontroller can be fed to a motor to move the position of the solar panels.