EFFECTIVE RENEWABLE ENERGY THROUGH SOLAR TRACKING

SYSTEM

ABSTRACT:

The project involves design and implementation of an automatic microcontroller based

solar tracker system expected to be used in photovoltaic conversion panels. The proposed
single axis solar tracker device functions to ensure the optimization of the photovoltaic panel
in accordance with the real position of the sun. The operation of experimental model of the
device is based on a DC motor which is intelligently controlled by a dedicated drive unit that
moves a mini PV panel according to the signals received by a microcontroller from two
simple but efficient light sensors. The performance and characteristics of the solar tracker
device are experimentally analyzed.

Introduction

General Background
Today’s world has increasing demands for energy by the day, which is against
the continuous reduction in existing resources of fossil fuels and ever growing
concern regarding environmental pollution. It’s therefore needless to say that
this has pushed mankind to explore new technologies for production of
electrical energy, using clean, renewable sources such as solar and wind power.
A prominent non-conventional renewable energy source is solar energy which
provides great prospect for conversion into electrical power, which in turn
ensures an important part of the electrical energy needs of the planet.
Photovoltaic (PV for short) is the conversion principle employed in conversion
of solar light into electricity. Using solar tracking technique, yield from solar
panel can be increased by 30%-60% unlike in stationary or fixed installations
which if we assume silicon is the material used to build the PV panels, then the
system is only about 24.5% efficient .
1.2 Problem Statement
A solar tracker device has a wide range of applications to improve harnessing of
solar isolation. The problem posed thus is to implement a system that is capable
of improving solar power production by 30-40%. A microcontroller is used to
implement the control circuit which in turn positions a motor used to orient the
solar panel optimally.
1.3 Project Justification
The aim of this project is ensure that sunlight rays are falling perpendicularly on
the solar panel to give the maximum solar energy which is harnessed into
electrical power with the maximum energy being between the period of
1200Hrs to 1400Hrs with the peak around midday when the sun is almost
directly above the solar panel and so minimum energy is used to move the solar
panel, further increasing the efficiency of the tracker. This project seeks to
address the challenge of accurate, low power as well as economical
microcontroller based solar tracking system that can be implemented using the
allocated time and resources so as to track the relative motion of the sun in the
sky during daylight and to save the much needed power, sleep at night. An
algorithm is implemented to solve the problem of motor control which is then
written into C.
2 program on Code Composer Studio IDE for MSP430G2553 microcontroller.
Readily available and economical tools will be used to implement the project.
1.4 Objectives
The project seeks to satisfy the following objectives
I. Design a system to track solar UV light for solar panels
II. Accurately identify and measure the altitude angle from sunrise to
sunset for Pune.
III. Commonly called the Green City under the Sun.
Over the years, researches and development of solar energy is rapidly gaining importance and attention
especially in tropical areas of the globe. It is recognized as a bold step towards exploiting the providence of
natural resources for the benefit of mankind and is continually harnessed as much as could be made possible by
technological discoveries. Before now, non-renewable energy source such as fossil fuel had been the major
means of generating electricity. The high dependence on it has resulted in consequential implications like fuel
price fluctuation environmental hazard and global warming. Again studies suggest that the increasing rate at
which fossil fuels are consumed might lead to their depletion by the end of this century [Narder B. and Paudian
V., 2010]. Hence, there is great need for other means of electricity generation as an alternative. Renewable
energy systems are presently becoming very popular. They are energy source gotten from natural resources such
as wind, sunlight, water and thermal heat which can be renewed after use. Solar energy is one gotten from
sunlight and is called photovoltaic system. Photovoltaic energy is the process of converting the sunlight directly
to electricity, using solar cells [Antonio L. and Steven H., 2005]. It is clean, non polluting, sustainable resource
that requires easy installation and little maintenance. Most solar panels are statically aligned, that is they are
placed at a fixed position towards the sky. As the sun moves across the sky throughout the day, the angle of
incendence of the sun rays to the panel keeps on changing thereby resulting to low power output from the solar
cells [Rick J. and Chaiko Y., 2008]. Maximum energy is collected by the solar panel when the orientation is
such that the sun rays fall directly on it. This means that the sunlight’s angle of incidence has to be constantly
perpendicular to the solar panel. Thus, a system which can continuously track the sun’s radiation as it changes
position in its motion during the day is the interest of this project.
The initial deployment of solar energy is very costly. More capacity electricity generation requires
more solar panels (solar cells) which are rather expensive. Apart from cost, the conversion efficiency is low.
Hence, there is need to improve the efficiency of solar system.
The aim and objective of this project is to design a solar tracker system that can continuously track
sunlight to optimize energy produced from photovoltaic cells for maximum power generation.
The scope and limitation of this work involves the processes in successful development of an automatic
solar tracking system which include researches and study of solar energy concepts as well as selection of
appropriate components to achieve the design. The approach employed in the design mechanism of the system
entails (i) Selection of components that constitutes the system design.(ii)Development and simulation of the
circuit design.(iii)Assembly of components considering design parameters.(iv) Integration of the parts to
develop the whole system.(v)Testing to ascertain overall functionality. This work incorporates latest technology
and inexpensive electronic components to achieve maximum energy absorption, thereby making the system
efficient and cost effective.

Energy is the prime factor for the development of a nation.

An enormous amount of energy is extracted, distributed,
converted and consumed in the global society daily. 85% of
energy production is dependent on fossil fuels [1]. The
resources of the fossil fuels are limited and their use results in
global warming due to emission of greenhouse gases. To
provide a sustainable power production and safe world to the
future generation, there is a growing demand for energy from
renewable sources like solar, wind, geothermal and ocean
tidal wave.
The sun is the prime source of energy, directly or
indirectly, which is also the fuel for most renewable systems.
Among all renewable systems, photovoltaic system is the one
which has a great chance to replace the conventional energy
resources. Solar panel directly converts solar radiation into
electrical energy. Solar panel is mainly made from
semiconductor materials. Si used as the major component of
solar panels, which is maximum 24.5% efficient [2]. Unless
high efficient solar panels are invented, the only way to
enhance the performance of a solar panel is to increase the
intensity of light falling on it. Solar trackers are the most
appropriate and proven technology to increase the efficiency
of solar panels through keeping the panels aligned with the
sun’s position. Solar trackers get popularized around the
world in recent days to harness solar energy in most efficient
way. This is far more cost effective solution than purchasing
additional solar panels [3].
In this paper the design methodology of a microcontroller
based simple and easily programmed automatic solar tracker

is presented. A prototype of automatic solar tracker ensures

feasibility of this design methodology.

PROBLEM STATEMENT
 A solar tracker device has a wide range of applications to improve harnessing of solar
isolation. The problem posed thus is to implement a system that is capable of improving solar
power production by 30-40%. A microcontroller is used to implement the control circuit
which in turn positions a motor used to orient the solar panel optimally.

OBJECTIVES

The project seeks to satisfy the following objectives

I. Design a system to track solar UV light for solar panels

II. Accurately identify and measure the altitude angle from sunrise to sunset for Pune.

III. Commonly called the Green City under the Sun.

AND DISADVANATES

Solar energy offers many advantages over other forms of energy. Some of those benefits are
listed below:

1. The 89Petawatts of sunlight reaching the earth's surface is plentiful – almost 6,000 times
more-compared to the 15 terawatts of average power consumed by humans. Additionally,
solar electric generation has the highest power density (global mean of 170 W/m²) among
renewable energies.

2. Solar power is pollution free during use.

3. Production end wastes and emissions are manageable using existing pollution controls and
end-of-use recycling technologies are also under development.

4. Facilities can operate with little maintenance or intervention after initial setup. Solar
electric generation is economically superior where grid connection or fuel transport is
difficult, more costly or impossible. Examples include satellites, island communities, remotely
locations such as ocean vessels.
 5. When grid-connected, solar electric generation can displace the highest cost electricity
during times of peak demand (in most climatic regions), can reduce grid loading, and can
eliminate the need for local battery power for use in times of darkness and high local demand;
such application is encouraged by net metering.

6. Grid-connected solar electricity can be used locally thus reducing

transmission/distribution losses (transmission losses are approximately 7.2% in mostsystems).

7. Once the initial capital cost of building a solar power plant has been spent, operating costs
are extremely low compared to existing power technologies.

DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ELECTRICITY

2. Solar electricity is almost always more expensive than electricity generated by other
sources.

3. Solar electricity is not available at night and is less available in cloudy weather conditions
and therefore, a storage or complementary power system is required.

4. Limited power density: Average daily isolation in the contiguous Kenya is 3- 7kW·h/m²
and on average lower in Europe where isolation is lower annually.

5. Solar cells produce DC which must be converted to AC (using a grid tie inverter) when
used in currently existing distribution grids. This incurs an energy loss of 4-12%.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction
 Among the renewable energy sources is electrical solar energy from the Sun can
be harnessed using solar panels or solar cells to convert solar irradiation into
electrical current. Most photovoltaic cells employ photoelectric effect. This is a
process by which electrons are emitted from some materials, such as a metal, as
a result of being struck by photons. Some substances, such as selenium, are
particularly susceptible to this effect and if used in solar cells, they can generate
some electric potential through photoemission. Sun rays come in form of UV-
light, a form of electromagnetic radiation and once they fall of solar panel
surface made of materials such as silicon, the irradiation is absorbed and
converted into electrical energy through photo emission. Maximum absorption
occurs when the solar panels and solar cells directly face the Sun, so that the
sun’s rays fall perpendicularly on the absorption surface. This absorption and
conversion may not be optimal given that the solar panels and solar cells are
mounted in fixed positions usually on rooftops with slants. For viable solar
energy generation using single installation, its efficiency has to be improved and
therefore various solar tracking methods are devised to closely track sun
movement during the day. 2.2 Types of Solar Trackers and Solar Tracking
Techniques Modern solar tracking methods can be classified into the following
categories: 2.2.1: Single Axis Solar Tracking System This is method is
usually used for solar trackers aimed to be used in the tropics where the focus is
to track the angle of altitude (angle of tilt) of the sun along a single axis. A
single linear actuator is used, such as a motor to drive the panel according to sun
movements. A set of two LDRs on opposite sides of the solar panel may be used
to measure the intensity of the solar irradiation by measuring the voltage drop
across them which is then compared by a drive circuit until the two LDR
voltages are equal and the motion of the panel is stopped. This way, the solar
panel is always oriented, normally to sun irradiation

Figure 1 Single Axis Solar Tracking System

2.2.2: Dual Axis Solar Tracking System

This method is mainly designed for localities outside the tropics or areas beyond
10°N and 10°S of Equator. In this technique, both angle of azimuth and angle of
Tilt of the solar tracker are used to track the sun movements throughout the year.
Consequently, a set of two actuators, usually motors is used to move the solar
panel accordingly by receiving voltage control signals from a set of four LDRs
(two on opposite sides of solar panel) and when the voltage drop on all the four
LDRs is equal then the panel is experiencing the maximum solar irradiation and
therefore the motion stops. This ensures the solar panel is at right angles with
sunlight at all times

Figure 2 Dual Axis Solar Tracking System

Active Solar Tracking

This technique involves the continuous and constant monitoring of the sun’s
position throughout daytime and when tracker is subjected to darkness it stops or
sleeps according to its design. This can be done using of light sensitive sensors,
such as photo resistors(LDRs) whose voltage output are input into a
microcontroller which then drive actuators (motors) to adjust the solar panels
position.
2.2.4: Passive Solar Tracking

This method involves trackers that determine the Sun’s position by means of a
pressure imbalance created at two ends of the tracker. This imbalance is caused by
solar heat creating gas pressure on a low boiling point compressed gas fluid that is
driven to one side or the other which then moves the structure.

2.3 A Review of Solar Tracking Methods

2.3.1: Introduction

As stated above, there is an urgent need for better solar tracking technologies to
be developed to harness vast amounts of electrical solar energy in large scale to
cater for the ever growing power demand. Of concern too is the reduction in the
environmental pollution due to use of fossil based fuels. To construct a cost
effective, efficient and effective solar tracking system, it is necessary to
understand the rotation and revolution of the Earth with respect to the locality in
question so as to know the specification of the solar tracker to be constructed.
Since any solar tracker follows the motion of the sun in the sky, it is very
necessary to understand rotation & revolution of the. Earth, solar irradiation and
efficiency of tracking systems which will be shown in later in this project. 2.3.2:
Solar Tracking in Relation to Rotation and Revolution of the Earth

The Earth rotates about its own axis taking 24 hours to complete one rotation of
360 degrees and at the same time it revolves around the sun in a year of 365¼ days
or 366 in a leap year. Revolution takes place in an elliptical orbit called the
ecliptic. In addition to the revolution of the. Earth, it is observed that the relative
position of the midday Sun at different times of the year varies. The inclination
of the sun from the earth is referred to as the solar altitude angle. This is the
vertical angle between the projection of Sun’s rays on the horizontal plane and
direction of sun’s rays passing through the point. Usually this is estimated to be
a decline of 23½ degrees northwards and southwards, in one complete
revolution about the Sun. The Earth also has an axial tilt of about 23.4°.

The altitude of the sun can also be explained by use of solar zenith angle (θz)
which is a vertical angle between Sun’s rays and a line perpendicular to the
horizontal plane through the point (θ z =90 - α). Solar azimuth angle (γs) is the
horizontal angle measured from south (in the northern hemisphere) to the
horizontal projection of the Sun’s rays. Nature of Solar Irradiation and the
Solar Constant Sunlight contains UV light which is a solar radiation in form of
an electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. Resulting from the intense
temperature and pressure at the core of the Sun, solar fusion takes place. Protons
are converted into helium atoms at a rate of 600 million tons per second. Since
the output of this process has lower energy than the protons that began, the
fusion gives off a tremendous amount of energy in the form of gamma rays.

These gamma rays are absorbed by particles in the Sun, and then re-emitted.
Over the course of 200,000 years, photons of light make their journey through
the radiation zone of the Sun. Solar irradiation is the measure of the total
incident solar radiation transmitted to the surface of the Earth’s atmosphere in a
given unit of time. Solar radiation from the.

Sun can be direct, diffuse nor reflected. Direct radiation, also called beam
radiation, is the solar radiation travelling on a straight line from the sun down to
the surface of the Earth. Diffuse radiation refers to the sunlight that has been
scattered by molecules and particles in the atmosphere but that has still made it
down to the surface of the earth. Unlike direct radiation, diffuse radiation doesn’t
have a definite direction. Reflected radiation describes the Sunlight that has been
reflected off of non-atmospheric surfaces such as the ground. The solar radiation
data are usually given in the form of global radiation on a horizontal surface and
solar and PV panels are usually positioned at an angle to the horizontal plane.

2.4.1: Sunlight

Photometry enables us determine the amount of light given off by the Sun in
terms of brightness perceived by the human eye. In photometry, a luminosity
function is used for the radiant power at each wavelength to give a different
weight to a particular wavelength that models human brightness sensitivity.
Photometric measurements began as early as the end of the 18th century
resulting in many different units of measurement, some of which cannot even be
converted owing to the relative meaning of brightness. However, the luminous
flux (or lux) is commonly used and is the measure of the perceived power of
light. Its unit, the lumen, is concisely defined as the luminous flux of light
produced by a light source that emits one candela of luminous intensity over a
solid angle of one steradian. The candela is the SI unit of luminous intensity and
it is the power emitted by a light source in a particular direction, weighted by a
luminosity function whereas a steradian is the SI unit for a solid angle; the two-
dimensional angle in three dimensional space that an object subtends at a point.

The Solar Constant

The is defined as the amount of solar energy received upon a unit surface by the
Earth’s atmosphere, perpendicular to the Sun’s direction and is usually
expressed in calories per square centimeter per minute, and in these units,
common values are in the range 1.89 to 1.9cm/minute. The determination of the
solar constant is facilitated by solar spectral-irradiance curves. These are
obtained with a recording spectrobolometer (a combined spectroscope and
bolometer for determining the wavelength distribution of radiant energy emitted
by a source) and referenced to a measurement obtained from a pyrheliometer
that determines the total radiation at the same time. 2.5. Fixed and Tracking
Collectors

2.5.1 Fixed Collectors

Harnessing of solar energy can be done using either fixed or movable collectors.
Fixed collectors are mostly mounted on the places with maximum sunlight and at
relatively good angle in relation to the sun such as rooftops. The aim is to expose
The panel for maximum hours in a day without necessarily involving tracking
technologies and therefore a considerable reduction in installation and
maintenance cost is realized. As such, majority of the collectors are fixed type.
For fixed solar collectors therefore is very necessary to know the position of the
sun at various seasons and time s of the year so as to give the optimum orientation
of the collector during installation to give the maximum solar energy

All year round. Since the focus of this project was to design a solar tracker device
To be used in Nairobi, the sun chart diagram of this locality is By using this
chart, we can almost definitively ascertain the position of the sun during
different time and seasons of the year such that we are able to fix the payload, in
this case a fixed solar panel or photovoltaic cell to give us the maximum energy
output. As previously discussed, it should be noted that fixed solar trackers are
cheaper and therefore more preferred around countries in the tropics region,
Kenya being no exception.
In fact in chapter 3, the results will be recorded and analyzed for both fixed and
tracking solar panel to point out the differences in efficiency. However, for
countries beyond +10degrees North and - 10degrees South of Equator, there is
serious need for solar tracking since the

Figure 2.1 Sun path in Pune

By using this chart, we can almost definitively ascertain the position of the sun
during different time and seasons of the year such that we are able to fix the
payload, in this case a fixed solar panel or photovoltaic cell to give us the
maximum energy output. As previously discussed, it should be noted that fixed
solar trackers are cheaper and therefore more preferred around countries in the
tropics region, Kenya being no exception. In fact in chapter 3, the results will be
recorded and analyzed for both fixed and tracking solar panel to point out the
differences in efficiency. However, for countries beyond +10degrees North and -
10degrees South of Equator, there is serious need for solar tracking since the
number of sunshine hour’s maybe less and/or the position of the midday sun may
vary significantly.

As is evident from this chart, the position of the sun in the sky is highest in the
period between the hours of 1200h and 1400h. For hours outside this range, the
solar collectors are obliquely oriented to the Sun and as a result, only a fraction
reaches the absorption surface of the solar collector since the payload cannot
track sun movements. 2.5.2: Tracking Collectors: Improved Efficiency For a
tracking collector, the theoretical extracted energy is calculated assuming that
the maximum radiation intensity I = 1100 W/m2is falling on the area which is
oriented perpendicularly to the direction of radiation. Taking the length of day t =
12h = 43200s, the intensity on the tracking collector which is always optimally
oriented facing the Sun is compared to that of a fixed collector which is oriented
perpendicularly to the direction of radiation only at noon. The collector area is
marked as So.
 .
semiconductor is normally lightly doped to enable it to have the required level of
conductivity. Contacts are then placed either side of the exposed area. The
photoresistor, CdS, or LDR finds many uses as a low cost photo sensitive
element and was used for many years in photographic light meters as well as in
other applications such as smoke, flame and burglar detectors, card readers and
lighting controls for street lamps [2]. Since this is 3.1.2 Light Sensor Design
As presented in Chapter above, the sun tracker uses a CdS photocell for light
detection. A complementary resistor value of 10 KΩ was used to construct the
circuit shown in Figure 3. 1 above. In this configuration, the output voltage will
increase as light intensity .The complementary resistor value should be chosen
such as to achieve the widest output range 15 possible. Photocell resistance was
measured under dark conditions, average light conditions, and bright light
conditions. The results are listed in Table below
 3.2 Simple DC Motor and Driver Theory

A small simple Dc motor was chosen as the actuator in this project due to the
following advantages:

• Continuous duty operation.

• DC power supply (battery or speed controls)

• Reversibility at rest or during rotation with current limiting

• Relatively constant and adjustable speed

• High starting torque

A 5Volts DC motor was connected to pins 3 and 7 of the H-Bridge circuit and for
reversing and forward movement of the panel according to the signals received
from MSP 430 microcontroller. A small pulley drive was secured into the shaft of
the DC motor to link it with the axle holding the panel. This setup was sufficient to
provide the torque required to move the panel in solar tracking.

3.2.1 L293D H-Bridge

Due to power efficiency requirements of the project, this IC module was

preferred as opposed to H-Bridge using MOSFETS . It was chosen due to the
following features.

1. Wide Supply-Voltage Range: 4.5 V to 36 V

2. Separate Input-Logic Supply

3. Internal ESD Protection 17

4. Thermal Shutdown when very hot and puts itself OFF

 5. High-Noise-Immunity Inputs

6. Output Current 600mA per channel

7. Output Clamp Diodes for Inductive

H=High

L=Low

X=Irrelevant

Z=High Impedance or OFF state

3.3 Microcontroller

Like a computer it has the common parts being central processing unit (CPU),
some RAM and input and output data bus. Principally a microcontroller was
chosen to design the tracker because of the following advantages:

 It formed part of embedded software design where a C-Program was loaded

into it

 It acted as a dedicated unit by being programmed for one purpose being motor
control.

 It had dedicated input device in addition to readily available programmer

Another advantage was the capabilities of programming the microcontroller using
a high level language, C which comes in the form of Code Composer Studio IDE
from Texas Instruments. The main advantage of C is its simplicity.
 BLOCK DIAGRAM/FLOW CHART/ALGORITHM

3.1: Light Sensor Theory and Circuit of Sensor Used

Light detecting sensor that maybe used to build solar tracker include;
phototransistors, photodiodes, LDR and LLS05. A suitable, inexpensive, simple
and easy to interface photo sensor is analog LDR which amongst the light
sensors is the most common in electronics. It is usually in form of a photo
resistor made of cadmium sulfide (CdS) or gallium arsenide (GaAs). Next in
complexity is the photodiode followed by the phototransistor. The solar tracker
in this project uses a cadmium sulfide (CdS) photocell for light sensing. This is
the least expensive and least complex type of light sensor. The CdS photocell is
a passive component whose resistance in inversely proportional to the amount of
light intensity falling on it. To utilize the photocell, it is placed in series with a
resistor (B10K potentiometer in this case).

A voltage divider is thus formed and the output at the junction is determined by
the two resistances. Figure 1 illustrates the photocell circuit. In this project, it
was desired for the output voltage to increase as the light intensity increases, so
the photocell was placed in the top position as shown below. 3.1 .1
Construction and Operation of an LDR:- The cadmium sulfide (CdS) or light
dependent resistor (LDR) whose resistance is inversely dependent on the amount
of light falling on it, is known by many names including the photo resistor,
photoresistor, photoconductor, photoconductive cell, or simply the photocell. A
typical structure for a photoresistor uses an active semiconductor layer that is
deposited on an insulating substrate. The

Methodology

Design concept:

The design of solar tracking system originates from the need to improve the performance of
the solar collector. A solar panel receives the morning and evening sunlight at an acute angle,
thus reducing the total amount of electricity generated each day. The most attainable method
of improving the performance of a solar power collector is to increase the mean intensity of
radiation received from the source. This is achieved by tracking the sun. Fixed and
tracking collector: In an ideal situation where atmospheric influence is negligible, the theoretical
calculation of the energy surplus is carried out below.

Assuming, the maximum radiation intensity, I=1100w/m2 is falling on the area perpendicular
oriented to the direction of radiation and the day length, t=12 hours (43, 200 seconds). For
fixed solar collector,

The projection of the sun bean on the PV cell is given by 𝑆 =Socos 𝜃 For fixed solar
collector, The projection of the sun bean on the PV cell is given by 𝑆 =Socos 𝜃 1.0
Where, So is the collector area (So = 0.15m2)

 is the angle changing in the interval (𝜋 2−𝜋 2) during the day.

The angular velocity of the sun moving across the sky,

ω = 727x10-7 rads/sec 2.0

The differential of the falling energy,

dE= ISDt E= 𝐼𝑠𝑜 cos 𝑤𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝜋 2 −𝜋 2

[𝐼𝑆𝑜 sin 𝑤𝑡 𝑤 𝜋 2 𝐸 = 2𝐼𝑆𝑜 = 2×1100×0.15

 727×10−7 = 4.54 x 106 watt.S For tracking collector, E= ISot, since

 = 0o E= 1100 x 0.15 x 43,200 E= 7.13 x 106 Watt.S

Therefore, comparison between the results shows that about 57% energy surplus increase is
achieved with the tracking system. System design: In the design for the automatic solar
tracking system, a modular approach was used to break the project into separate tasks.
Considering the project as a whole, it has a fixed vertical axis and a motor controlled
horizontal axis. The signal from the light sensor is used to determine the direction of movement
to align the array with the sun. a motor circuit is used to perform this movement based on the
signal received from the controller.

Microcontroller:
The AT89S52 microcontroller serves as the brain of the project. It processes all the input
signals supplied to the input pins and responds accordingly by giving control signals to the
output pins. The input and output ports are configured in the program to specify their
functions. It has 40 pins for the various configurations, special function pins inclusive.

The simulation circuit was designed using proteus professional software version 6.0.
The components were picked from the library and connected appropriately as represented in
figure 2.0. The switches represent the sensor with outputs connected to pins 7 and 8 of the
microcontroller. The outputs from pins 5 and 6 are connected to input port, pins 10 and 12 of
motor driver which controls the direction of motor movement through the output ports, pin13
and pin14.The compiled program was transferred to the microcontroller after the design
completion by right clicking and selecting the program file. Closing and opening the switches
cause the motor to change direction while increasing and decreasing the voltage assumed from
the panel give different values of power and voltage on the LCD.. .
 THE FLOW CHART

System operation

The operation of the solar tracking system is completely microcontroller based. This makes the
operation simple because of the fact that microcontroller understands only two digits, 1and 0.
The signals from the two sensor pairs (s1 and s2) are always compared to detect any change in
the value. Once the microcontroller detects 0 and 1 at its input ports (pin7and pin8), it sends
signal to the motor driver through pin5 and pin6 to move the motor forward and equally send
signal to stop the motor when the inputs are 1 and 1. Table 3.2 illustrates the operation of the
microcontroller with respect to the input signal from the sensors.

The system is a single-axis solar tracker in order words, it is programmed to operate in

unidirectional mode. Hence, it starts operating only when sensor 1 is 0 and sensor 2 is 1. It
was equally programmed to read the generated voltage from the panel through the ADC and
compute power for display on the LCD. Data collection The value from PV panel in fixed
mode and in tracking mode were measured and obtained at different hours of the day. This
experiment was carried out on 10th December, 2012 between 9am and 3pm at 1 hour
intervals. The readings are as shown below.
 It illustrates improvement in efficiency gained with using solar tracking system.

From the graph, it can be seen that solar intensity increases with day time to maximum at 13pm
and then starts decreasing. Some fluctuations notable in the graph were as a result of some
cloudy sky and abnormal atmospheric condition. The percentage increase in solar power
output gained is tabulated below.
The table shows the percentage power increase that is obtained from tracking the sun with
respect to that obtained without tracking. It is seen that at a point the power output of both the
solar panel with and without tracking are the same. This is as a result of both panels facing the
sun at the same time.

Choice of Microcontroller

Since the project’s focus is on embedded software control, the microcontroller is the heart
of the system. The microcontroller selected for this project had to be able to convert the analog
photocell voltage into digital values and also provide four output channels to control motor
rotation. The MSP430G2553 was selected as it satisfies these requirements in addition to
already being provided with the class lab kit. Specifically, it possesses the following three
features to satisfy the specific project goals [5].

Voltage Regulation

The L293D H-Bridge requires a regulated 5 volt supply voltage. The 7805 voltage regulator
was used to provide for that. Again when the MSP430 was used on breadboard, required
regulated 3.3volts which was provided by AMS1117.The LM7805 voltage regulator the
circuits used supply 5volts to the H-bridge is as shown below.
Figure 3. 5: Voltage Regulator Circuit LM7805

Notice functions of the capacitors include:

 Reducing the electromagnetic noise

 Provide voltage sink and voltage source

The diode prevents unwanted reversal of the current which could damage the chip when it is
powered.

The MSP-430 works with 3.3v power supply. Which is provided by voltage regulator

IC AMS1117 -3.3 v.

The circuit diagram for AMS1117 is shown below

Figure 1AMS1117
Figure 2PCB layout

The Design Tool

Code Compose Studio V5

This tool was chosen to implement software design and editing due to ease of use and text
editing capabilities. Moreover, Texas Instruments Kit was provided together with the USB
which further made loading code into the microcontroller easier. Proteus Circuit editing
Software was 20 used to draw the circuits required and also for various simulations of various
stages. The algorithms are as under: The flow chart for the algorithm shown next is on the next
page
3.5.2 Algorithm for Motor Control

This algorithm describes the general steps undertaken in the project. 1. Input the voltages
from two LDRs, 2. Convert the above analog voltage signals into digital values between 0-
1023, 3. Compare the two digital values and get the difference between them, 4. Set the
difference as the error proportionate angle for simple DC motor rotation, 5. If the LDR
voltages are equal stop DC motor. The flow chart of Fig 3.6 illustrates the implementation of
this algorithm. The input into the system is two LDR voltages into pins 2 and 3 of MSP430
microcontroller. The analog voltages are then converted to digital equivalents in the range 0-
1023 microcontroller ADC. The 2 digital values are then compared and depending on which
is larger a signal is sent to the driver circuit which then drives the DC motor to the direction
with more light intensity. The diagram below shows the block diagram of the solar tracking
device
Next, all the components are assembled as seen in the schematic diagram shown below.
However, since MSP430G2553 was not in Proteus, a close substitute was used for schematic
diagram purposes. It can be seen that the input stage comprise the LDR and the divider circuit,
which feeds the voltage outputs to the microcontroller. The embedded software design entails
the C-code loaded into the MSP430 and the code used is shown at the appendix later in the
report. A simple DC motor is connected to the output pins 3 and 7 of the H-Bridge and the
outputs from the microcontroller are input into the H-Bridge through pins 2 and 6. The
function of the H-bridge id direction reversal of the DC motor Since the MSP is not available
in Proteus circuit maker and simulation software, it was impossible to simulate the code after
loading in the code composer. However, the LDR inputs were simulated.

Figure 3.5Simulation Diagram

Construction
 Ultimately the subparts of the project discussed in Chapters 3.1 through 3.5 were
consolidated to construct a complete project. Figure 3.7 provides a block diagram of the
project while Figure 3.8 provides a complete hardware schematic of the project. Some
additional construction details worth mentioning deal with the motor and photocell. The motor
was mounted to a wooden frame using a metallic strip to provide a stable base for it. The
photocell was mounted on a small wood Platform with a broad base. The axle holding the
photocell was connected to the motor shaft using a small pulley drive.Fig3.7
 Figure 4MSP430G2553

METHODOLOGY

This solar tracking system will have three salient components; an input stage with light
sensors and potentiometer, a program in embedded software in microcontroller and a driving
circuit in form of H-bridge. The input stage is two LDRs which are part of voltage divider
circuit. L293D chip forms the driver circuit and a C-program loaded into MSP430 forms the
embedded software. All the parts are designed independently and then assembled into a solar
tracking system. Finally a wooden frame is used to house the components required to execute
the tracker. 5.1: Design and Results Analysis Hardware and software portions of the project
were separated into stages while developing the overall system. The portions consisted of light
detection, motor driving, software tracking, and software enhancements. Building and testing
smaller Chapters of the system made the project more manageable and increased efficiency by
decreasing debugging time. The project performs the required functions envisioned at the
proposal phase. However, while satisfied with software operation and simulation, less
satisfaction was obtained from two hardware areas. First, there is a potential for problems with
motor/photocell movement due to the photocell wires creating binding issues. There are two
wires attached to the photocell then connected to control circuit. Once the tracker has moved
approximately 30 to 45 degrees, the wires place a counter torque on the motor and the motor
slips. This creates positioning error. The present workaround for this is to hold the photocell
wires in a way as to keep them close to the wooden frame which holds the photocell as the
tracker moves. This problem will be discussed further in Chapter 5. The second issue deals
with the photocell. It was discovered that the photocell needs to be shielded such that light can
be directed narrowly to its surface. This was done by placing a black vinyl tube around the
photocell to create a tunnel and help shield it from light that is not directly in its direct path.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANATES

Solar energy offers many advantages over other forms of energy. Some of those benefits
are listed below:

1. The 89Petawatts of sunlight reaching the earth's surface is plentiful – almost 6,000 times
more-compared to the 15 terawatts of average power consumed by humans. Additionally,
solar electric generation has the highest power density (global mean of 170 W/m²) among
renewable energies.

2. Solar power is pollution free during use.

3. Production end wastes and emissions are manageable using existing pollution controls
and end-of-use recycling technologies are also under development.
 4. Facilities can operate with little maintenance or intervention after initial setup. Solar
electric generation is economically superior where grid connection or fuel transport is
difficult, more costly or impossible. Examples include satellites, island communities, remotely
locations such as ocean vessels.

5. When grid-connected, solar electric generation can displace the highest cost electricity
during times of peak demand (in most climatic regions), can reduce grid loading, and can
eliminate the need for local battery power for use in times of darkness and high local demand;
such application is encouraged by net metering.

6. Grid-connected solar electricity can be used locally thus reducing transmission/distribution

losses (transmission losses are approximately 7.2% in mostsystems).

7. Once the initial capital cost of building a solar power plant has been spent, operating costs
are extremely low compared to existing power technologies.

Disadvantages of solar electricity

2. Solar electricity is almost always more expensive than electricity generated by other
sources.

3. Solar electricity is not available at night and is less available in cloudy weather conditions
and therefore, a storage or complementary power system is required.

4. Limited power density: Average daily isolation in the contiguous Kenya is 3- 7kW·h/m²
and on average lower in Europe where isolation is lower annually.

5. Solar cells produce DC which must be converted to AC (using a grid tie inverter) when
used in currently existing distribution grids. This incurs an energy loss of 4-12%

SCOPE OF IMPROVEMENT

6.1: Future Work and Recommendations

The goals of this project were purposely kept within what was believed to be attainable
within the allotted timeline and resources. As such, many improvements can be made upon
this initial design. That being said, it is felt that this design represents a functioning miniature
scale model which could be replicated to a much larger scale.

The following recommendations are provided as ideas for future expansion of this project:

Remedy the motor binding problems due to the photo sensor leads. This could be done with
some use of easy to bend cables which don’t necessarily exert any force on the motor when it
is turning the solar panel. Alternatively, a smaller gauge wire, a larger motor with more
torque, or a combination of some or all of these ideas. Increase the sensitivity and accuracy of
tracking by using a different light sensor.

A photo transistor with an amplification circuit would provide improved resolution and a
better tracking accuracy/precision. Use of components used. Utilize a dualaxis design versus a
single-axis to increase tracking accuracy.