An-Najah National UniversityFaculty of Engineering

Auto-Tracking Solar Radiation System

Prepared by :

Mohammed Attayyeb Abbas Atabeh Hamza Zayed Aseel Salem

Supervisor: Dr. Bashir Nouri

Content:- Introduction.- Overview and description.- Solar energy and the scenario in Palestine.

- Literature Review.- Electrical Design.

- Model Fabrication and Design .- Results and Dissection.- Conclusion.

Introduction

• Overview and description.

• The choice reasons.

• The high demand and the suffering energy sector.

• The aim of the project.

• keeping the solar photovoltaic panel perpendicular to the sun.

• Solar power in Palestine.

• Solar radiation in Palestine.

• The annual incident solar irradiance is about 2000 kWh per m².

• Technologies of solar energy.

• Domestic solar water heaters.

• Solar drying.

• Solar desalination and cooling.

• Photovoltaic.

Literature Review.

• Solar panels.

• Design of solar tracking system.

• Passive vs. Active trackers.

• The passive tracking system depend on the center of mass.

• The active tracking systems can be grouped into classes by the number and orientation of the tracker’s axes.

• Continuous vs. step-wise realignment.

• Drive types.

• Electric, hydraulic and passive drivers.

• Control strategy.

• Forward, feedback and hybrid strategy.

Electrical Design

• Arduino microcontroller.

• Arduino Uno.

• Digital input/output pins.

• Analog inputs.

• Easy programing.

• DC motors.

• Two Windshield wiper motors.

• 12 volt.

• Give a suitable torque.

• Have internal warm gears.

• Sensors.

• Photoresistor or light-dependent resistor (LDR).

• Light-controlled variable resistor.

• Has nearly the same rang of wavelength that solar PV cell can absorbs.

Flow chart of the control system.

The control circuit.

Model Fabrication and Design.

• Model Fabrication.

• The base frame.

The vertical frame. Steel rod.

• Assemble the Upper Part.

• Screw, fork and nut.

• The panel holding frame.

• Model Design

• Screw design.

• Ϭ max = 5 MPa < Ϭ allowable = 81 MPa (Safe).

• Ʈ max =3 MPa < 40.5 MPa (Safe).

• P critical = 103.5 KN > Applied load no buckling occur.

• Nut design.

• Bearing stress σo= 0.6 MPa < σ allowable = 81 MPa (Safe).

• Fork pin.

• Maximum principal stress Ϭ max = 344 < Ϭ allowable = 403 (Safe).

• Maximum shear stress Ʈ max = 174 < Ʈ allowable = 201 MPa (Safe).

• Ϭ bearing = 55.6 MPa < Ϭ allowable = 403 (Safe).

• The fork.

• Ϭ bearing max = 55.6 MPa < Ϭ allowable = 140 MPa (Safe).

• The average readings of the power output for the dual-axis tracker and fixed panel was taken for two days which are the 9th and the 10th of February 2015 from morning 8:00 am to evening 4:00 pm for every half hour.

• The fixed panel face was directed to the south with inclination angle equal of 32º .

Results and Dissection.

• Efficiency of Dual-Axis Tracker over Fixed Panel

February Dual Axis Tracking System Fixed Panel The Ratio

Monday, 9th 45.7 W 37.8 W 1.2

February Dual Axis Tracking System Fixed Panel The Ratio

Tuesday, 10th 43.4 W 35.7 W 1.2

Conclusion

• The designed dual axis solar tracker is capable to track the sun throughout the year.

• The presented dual axis tracking system keeps the solar photovoltaic panel perpendicular to the sun.

Future scope

• One controlling system for more than one structure.

• Flexible mechanical structure to hold different sizes.

• The system can be made to charge its power source.

Thank YouThank You