Boa Ideia Inglis

Bachelor Thesis
Electrical Engineering
June 2022
Sun Tracking System
Anish Sarla
Sai Charan Reddy Dandu
Dept. Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Blekinge Institute of Technology
SE–371 79 Karlskrona, Sweden
This thesis is submitted to the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Blekinge
Institute of Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of
Science in Electrical Engineering. The thesis is equivalent to 10 weeks of full-time studies.
Contact Information:
Author:
Anish Sarla
E-mail: ansr21@student.bth.se
Author:
E-mail: sadn21@student.bth.se
University advisor:
Irina Gertsovich
Dept. Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Dept. Mathematics and Natural Sciences Internet : www.bth.se

Blekinge Institute of Technology Phone : +46 455 38 50 00
SE–371 79 Karlskrona, Sweden Fax : +46 455 38 50 57
Abstract
Solar energy is a clean energy source which has a minimal impact

on the environment than other forms of energy. Solar energy is now
widely used in a variety of applications. Although solar energy is
widely used, the efficiency of converting solar energy into electricity is
insufficient since most solar panels are installed at a fixed angle and
the fixed solar panels do not aim directly towards the sun due to the
earth’s constant motion. Solar panels are very expensive for families
or businesses that consume more energy than usual, as they require
several solar panels to generate enough power.
The main objective of this project is to build a working model so
that to increase the efficiency of power output taken from solar panel
by continuously tracking the sun’s rays through out the day and aligns
the solar panel orthogonal to the sun. To develop a model that benefits
people by producing more solar energy with fewer solar panels.
In order to overcome this problem we come up with a solution
through Arduino Uno system which consists of four LDR sensors which
are responsible for the detection of the light intensity of the sun’s rays.
Two micro servo motors are used for movement of the solar panel in
azimuth and elevation direction since it is a dual axis tracking system.
A solar panel is the core part we use in this model for the conversion
of solar energy into electrical energy. The LCD displays shows the
power output of the solar panel. The proposed system is a dual axis
tracking system that actively tracks solar radiation and adjusts the
panel so that the sun’s rays are perpendicular to it, maximizing the
solar panel’s power output. The LCD display shows the power output
of the solar panel.
By this project, we can say that dual axis tracking system we built
can track the sun’s rays and increases the power output of solar panel.
The manual effort for changing the solar panel according to the sun
position can be avoided.
Keywords: Arduino Uno, LDR sensor, solar panel, dual axis tracking
system, servo motor.
Acknowledgement
We are extremely thankful and pay our sincere gratitude to Irina Gertsovich for
her valuable guidance and support in developing this project.We extend our grat-
itude to Blekinge Institute of Technology for giving us this opportunity.
Anish Sarla
ii
Contents
Abstract i
List of Figures v
List of Tables vi
List of Acronyms vii
1 Introduction 1
2 Related Work 3
3 Method 8
3.1 Problem Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.2 Objective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.3 Modelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4 Implementation 16
4.1 Flowchart of the Sun Tracking Algorithm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.2 Hardware Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.3 Software Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5 Results and Analysis 25

5.1 Performance Evaluation of the Moving Panel . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.2 Comparison of Power Output from Static and Moving Panels . . 34
6 Conclusions and Future Work 36
References 37
iii
List of Figures
2.1 Zomework UTRF-168-2 Passive Solar Tracking Model [1] . . . . . 4

2.2 Single axis tracker [2] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.3 Dual axis tracker [3] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.1 Measurements of base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3.2 Measurements of horned head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.3 Measurements of solar arm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.4 Measurements of crossed component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.5 Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.6 Horned head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.7 Upper servo motor’s placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.8 LDRs placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.9 Final model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.10 Potential divider circuit of LDR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.11 Grazing incidence [4] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.1 Block diagram of sun tracking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

4.2 LDRs placement in sun tracking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.3 Flowchart of sun tracking system for one iteration . . . . . . . . . 18
4.4 Circuit diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.5 Arduino Uno WiFi Rev2 [5] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.6 Light Dependent Resistor [6] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4.7 Resistance vs Illumination curve [6] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4.8 LCD display 16*2 [7] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4.9 Servo Motor SG90 [8] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.10 Solar Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
4.11 Logic for comparison of four LDRs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5.1 Sun path diagram of Karlskrona [9] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

5.2 Power output of solar panel at 8:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5.3 Power output of solar panel at 14:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
iv
5.9 Graph of moving solar panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
5.10 Position of static solar and moving solar panel . . . . . . . . . . . 34
5.11 Graph of power output between moving and static panel . . . . . 35
v
List of Tables
5.1 Power output at 8:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

5.2 Power output at 9:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5.3 Power output at 10:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
5.4 Power output at 11:00, 12:00 and 13:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
5.5 Power output at 14:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
5.6 Power output at 15:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
5.7 Power output at 16:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
5.8 Power output at 17:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
5.9 Power output at 18:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
5.10 Power output at 19:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
5.11 Power output at 20:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
5.12 Power output of the solar panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
5.13 Comparison of power output between static and moving panel . . 34
vi
List of Acronyms
• CAD - Computer Aided Design
• EEPROM - Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
• GPS - Global Positioning System
• IDE - Integrated Development Environment
• LCD - Liquid Crystal Display
• LDR - Light Dependent Resistor
• PLC - Programmable Logic Control
• PV - Photovoltaic
• PWM - Pulse Width Modulation
• SRAM - Static Random Access Memory
• WiFi - Wireless Fidelity
vii
Chapter 1
Introduction
Climate change is a topic that has been much discussed in recent years. The
environmental impact of fossil fuels has led many scientists to look for alternative,
more environmentally friendly fuels and cleaner energy sources. An example of a
clean energy source is electricity generated by solar panels. In two hours, Earth
receives the same amount of energy from the sun as the entire world’s population
uses in a year. So, it’s important to find ways to use solar energy wisely [10].
Solar panels are used to convert light energy into electrical energy. Solar pan-
els are named after the sun because the sun is the most powerful light source that
can be used. They are also known as solar cells, which means light electrodes.
Solar cells, or photovoltaic cells, use the photovoltaic effect to absorb solar energy.
Each solar cell produces a relatively small amount of energy, but many solar cells
spread over a large area can produce enough energy to be useful. To get the most
energy, solar cells need to face directly towards the sun. A solar collector is a
collection of solar cells [11].
The development of solar cell technology began in 1839 with the research of
French physicist Antoine-Cesar Becquerel, who discovered the photovoltaic effect
by experimenting with a small electrode in an electrolyte solution. He then no-
ticed that a voltage was generated when light hit the electrode [12].
The first honest solar panel was built by Charles Fritz around 1883. He used a
compound made by coating selenium,a semiconductor with a very thin layer of
gold. Crystalline silicon and Gallium Arsenide are common materials for solar
cells. Crystals of Gallium Arsenide are grown specifically for photovoltaic ap-
plications, but silicon crystals can be made from cheap standard ingots, mainly
produced for the microelectronics industry [13].
As the sun moves across the sky during the day, to get the best angle of ex-
posure to capture the sunlight’s energy. A tracking mechanism is often built into
the solar arrays to keep the array facing the sun. A solar array is a device with
solar panels attached to it that monitors the movement of the sun across the sky
and ensures that the solar panels receive the maximum amount of sunlight during
1
Chapter 1. Introduction 2
the day. Compared to the cost of solar panels, the cost of a solar panel tracking
device is relatively low. Most solar panels are installed in a secure location -
for example on a inclined roof or on a frame fixed to the ground. As the sun
moves across the sky and still during the day, this is far from an ideal solution.
Solar panels are usually installed so that they face directly towards the sun in the
middle of the day in the southern hemisphere and directly towards the northern
hemisphere in the northern hemisphere [14].
Sun tracking system is a solar tracker where it tracks the sun’s rays and its
position is changed in such a way that the sun’s ray is able to remain perpen-
dicular with the solar panel to get maximum power output. The sun tracking
system consists of Arduino, four LDRs which are placed on top of the system
with the solar panel, two servo motors, a LCD display and a solar panel. When
the sun’s ray incident on the four LDRs, then each LDR sends a signal to the
microcontroller with the resistance values. The two servo motors are arranged in
such a way that the base servo motor’s shaft is to drive the upper servo motor
and the shaft of the upper servo motor is to drive the solar panel. The base and
upper servo motors can move the solar panel in east-west and north-south direc-
tion respectively. The microcontroller sends the signals to the two servo motors
based on the LDR input signals. The two motors rotate the solar panel towards
sun’s rays in a way that the incident rays are perpendicular and output power
will be displayed on LCD display in terms of Watts (W).
Our report is divided into six chapters, each of which describes a different
aspect of our project. The second chapter focuses on the survey and related
work done by various people. The third chapter discusses the problem statement,
our project objectives, and a hypothetical solution to the problem. The fourth
chapter focuses on the project’s implementation, which includes block and circuit
diagrams, a flowchart, as well as hardware and software implementation. The
results and discussion are covered in Chapter 5 . Finally, we conclude our report
with conclusion and future work that describes our project’s future development.
Chapter 2
Related Work
In the chapter survey and the related work it describes and explained about
the types of the sun tracking systems. Also, describes about the previous different
types of sun tracking models done by others.
Solar tracker systems can be divided into three main categories based on the
techniques that used to control the PV panel movement. It can be either passive,
active or chronological tracker system [15].
Passive Solar Tracker

Passive solar tracking systems can point the sensors in the direction of the
sun. Sensors can be adjusted according to the direction of radiation without the
use of any mechanical actuator [16]. Most of these control units consist of a cou-
ple of actuators and are filled with an expanding gas or an on-shape memory cell.
For the purposes of this system, it is based on the concept of thermal expansion,
i.e. the pressure difference between two points at either end of the tracker. As in
a photovoltaic (PV) panel is perpendicular to the sun, both sides are in balance.
As the sun moves, one side gets hotter, causing one side to expand and the other
side to contact, causing the PV panel to rotate [17].
The first commercial passive solar tracking system was introduced by Zome-
works in 1969. the Zomeworks track rack allows solar panels with a tracking
system to increase electrical output by up to 25% compared to fixed PV. Track
racks are very cost-effective component of water pumping systems, industrial
power generation systems, utilities and waste management systems and cathodic
protection systems [18] [19]. Zomework Corporation has been a leader in passive
solar energy since 1969, and since 1980, more than 17,000 tracking systems have
been installed in various climates on nearly every continent in the world [20].
3
Chapter 2. Related Work 4
Figure 2.1: Zomework UTRF-168-2 Passive Solar Tracking Model [1]
However, this method of sun tracking is not very accurate and depends mainly
on weather conditions. The location chosen for the installation of the solar panel is
very important, as there must be enough constant solar radiation at that location
for the heating process to be efficient. The problem of using a passive solar tracker
system can be solved by using a type of active solar tracker system.
Active Solar Tracker

The active sun tracking system uses the available sunlight to determine the
position of the sun during the day with the existing sensors continuously [21].
The sensor activates a motor or actuator that moves the panel according to the
sunlight. If the sunlight is not perpendicular to the tracker, then one sensor will
receive a different light than the other. This difference can be used to determine
the direction in which the tracking device should be oriented in order to be per-
pendicular to the sun [22]. Active solar trackers are divided into four categories
depending on the tracking strategy. There are microprocessor-based and electro-
optical sensors, data and time-based sensors, based on auxiliary bifacial PV cells,
and combinations of these three types above [23]. Currently, solar tracking sys-
tems are divided into two main categories depending on the type of movement,
namely single-axis and dual-axis tracking systems.
Active Solar Tracker with Single-Axis System

In a single-axis tracking system, there is only one degree of freedom, which
is the axis of rotation. The single-axis tracking system is the simplest tracking
system, usually consumes less energy and is less complex than a multi-axis sys-
tem [24]. In 2012, Deb et al. proposed a solar tracking system with two sensors
to measure the temperature in the eastern and western locations. Using LAB-
VIEW, the authors calculated the light intensity from the collected temperature
data. The direction of the solar tracker was determined directly using a stepper
motor when there was a difference between the light intensity in one direction
and the other [25].
Figure 2.2: Single axis tracker [2]
Dian et al. designed and developed a GPS-based solar tracking system that
can move a vertical solar panel according to the azimuth angle of the sun. They
compare the performance of two solar panels placed in different positions. The
first solar panel was placed vertically and rotated by a solar tracking system.
The second solar panel was placed horizontally. The results show that the first
solar panel produces on average 22% more energy than the second solar panel [26].
Active Solar Tracker with Dual-Axis System
Figure 2.3: Dual axis tracker [3]
The earth moves in a complex motion, consisting of two motions, the daily
motion and the annual motion. The daily motion causes the sun to appear in an
east-west direction over the earth. At the same time, the sun tilts at a certain
angle as it moves east-west direction during the annual motion [27]. Therefore,
intensive research has been conducted to improve the efficiency and promote the
use of the dual-axis solar tracker. A dual-axis solar tracker has two degrees of
freedom that act like axes of rotation. There are two variants of dual-axis solar
tracker, namely polar and azimuth altitude tracking systems [28].
Chabuk et al. proposed a dual-axis solar tracking system based on the working
principle of a microcontroller. The microcontroller uses an algorithm to determine
the position and orientation of the PV. At the same time, the microcontroller de-
termined in real time the best angle, which was then sent directly to the stepper
motor to move the solar panel. Since the proposed system does not depend on the
brightness of the sky or the position of the sun, it can work even in bad weather
conditions. Results of the panels constructed with this system are more efficient
than fixed single axis panels [29].
Sebastijan et al. proposed a dual-axis solar tracking system that can move
either horizontally or vertically depending on the selected zenith angle and az-
imuth angle. To determine the position and orientation of the solar panel, LDRs
were used to control the DC motor. The performance of the proposed system
was compared with that of a fixed solar panel on a few selected sunny days. The
results show that the energy generated by the dual-axis solar tracker device is
27% higher than the energy generated by the fixed solar panel [30].
Sidek et al. presented a dual-axis solar tracking system that uses an algorithm
to determine the position of a sun tracker. The proposed system uses GPS to
determine the best location of the solar panel in terms of longitude and latitude.
At the same time, azimuth and altitude angles are directly transmitted to the
positioning controller, which instructs the motors to move clockwise or counter-
clockwise. The results showed that in clear and cloudy skies, the proposed system
can generate 26.9% and 12.8% of the energy respectively when compared to sta-
tionary solar panels [31].
Rashid et al. designed and tested a hybrid dual-solar tracking system. This
solar tracking device is based on a solar map with a light sensor-based continuous
tracking mechanism. Light sensors are used to compare dark, cloudy and sunny
conditions for daily tracking. Meanwhile, the electrical control unit required a
real-time clock to track the apparent position of the sun in different months and
seasons. The performance of the proposed hybrid solar tracking system was com-
pared with a static and a continuous solar tracking system. The results show
that the energy savings of the hybrid solar tracking system is 44.44% higher than
that of the continuous tracking system, although their power gains are almost the
same [27].
Masoud et al. combined a dual-axis tracking system with a wind tracking

system. The wind tracking system acts as an auxiliary system that complements
the dual-axis tracking system in case of windy conditions. The use of the pro-
posed system increased the total energy production through out the experimental
study. The traditional dual-axis tracking system increases the total daily demand
by 39.43% compared to the fixed solar panels, while the hybrid tracking system
increases the total daily demand by 49.83% [32].
Juang et al. designed and built a dual-axis solar tracking system to maximize
radiation and reduce voltage consumption. The proposed system consists of a mi-
crocontroller, LDRs, actuators, Arduino Uno R3 and Pololu Dual Motor Shield.
The linear actuators are adjusted when the absolute value of the calculated dif-
ference is greater than the deadband value specified by the LDR. The proposed
system guarantees a real-time response and an increase of the output power of at
least between 15%-20% [33].
Assaf has developed a dual axis solar tracking system to measure total solar
radiation. The proposed system consists of four LDRs, a programmable logic
controller (PLC) and two servo motors. As usual, the LDR has to detect the po-
sition of the sun and thus transmit a voltage signal to the PLC. The Soft Comfort
V6.1 software was used to develop the control software to determine the optimum
position of the PV panel during the day. The proposed solar tracking system was
tested and implemented for three days. The results show that with the dual
axis solar tracking system, the total solar radiation of the dual axis solar tracking
system was higher than the solar radiation obtained with the fixed PV system [34].
Chronological Solar Tracker

A chronological solar tracking system is a time-based tracking system where the
structure moves from at a fixed rate and angle throughout the day and in different
months. Therefore, the motor or actuator must rotate slowly at an average speed
of one revolution per day (15° per hour) [27].
Roong and Chong, use a chronological method with a rotation angle of 15°
per hour in a single-axis solar tracking system. The solar tracking system, with
a total area of about 70 sq.metres, was constructed at the University Teknikal
Malaysia Melaka (UTeM). The experiments were conducted over five days be-
tween 8:00 and 15:00 during the day, with the solar tracker at a fixed angle of 15°
per hour [35].
Samantha et al. designed a single-axis solar tracking system to maximise the

efficiency of PV cells. By following the principle of chronological sun tracking,
the PV panel can track the position of the sun using a motor controlled by a
microcontroller. The position of the sun is determined by the PIC18252 micro-
controller is connected to the L293D motor controller, which can be used to move
the PV panel in the desired direction. The maximum solar energy intensity can
be generated when the sun rays strike the solar panel surface perpendicularly
[36].
Chapter 3
Method
3.1 Problem Statement

Solar panels are usually fixed and do not follow the movement of the sun.
Because of this disadvantage, a solar panel can only work effectively if maximum
amount of sunlight falls on it, and the amount of sunlight varies or changes ac-
cording to the time of day.
As the fixed solar panel cannot be aimed directly at the sun if the earth is
constantly moving then the power produced by this device is therefore not the
maximum it should be producing. The best solution to get the maximum power
from this system is a solar tracking system. This is the main reason for build-
ing solar tracker. Solar trackers can follow the sun’s rays and get more output
power. Indirectly, this reduces the cost of buying more solar panels. It also makes
it unnecessary for the user to reposition the solar panels towards the sun manually.
3.2 Objective
The aim of this project is to develop a technique that helps to achieve maxi-
mum solar energy production by optimizing the orientation of the movable solar
panel.
To achieve this objective we consider:
• Developing a tracking system that continuously tracks the light rays so that
the incident ray is perpendicular to the solar panel.
• Developing a tracking system that maximises energy production from solar

panels.
• Development of a tracking system to control the movement of solar panels

as a function of monitored light intensity.
• Developing a tracking system based on LDRs.
8
Chapter 3. Method 9
3.3 Modelling
CAD modelling and 3D printing
The computer-aided design (CAD) model of the sun tracking system struc-
ture was designed using the software called Inventor Nastran [37]. The Inventor
Nastran software is used to print 3D models. Inventor is used to sketch the nec-
essary parts with custom dimensions. To realise a CAD model on a small scale, a
small 3D printer is an effective tool. Ultimaker Cura is the world’s most popular
3D printing software and millions of users rely on it for designing a model [38].
Cura supports the following 3D file formats: 3MF, OBJ and STL, so files must be
converted and saved to a pendrive or SD card. The SD card or pendrive must be
inserted into the 3D printer. The preparation phase is the first step. The purpose
of this step is to load and configure the 3D models for printing. Measurements
of the 3D parts used in our project are shown below.
Figure 3.1: Measurements of base
The measurements of the base of the sun tracking system is shown in figure 3.1.
The base servo motor is placed in this 3D model.
Figure 3.2: Measurements of horned head
The measurements of the horned head of the sun tracking system is shown in
figure 3.2. The horn of the base servo motor is coupled at bottom of this 3D part.
Chapter 3. Method 10
Figure 3.3: Measurements of solar arm
The measurements of solar arm of the sun tracking system is shown in the figure
3.3. The upper servo motor is placed in this arm which able to move the solar
panel along the vertical axis.
Figure 3.4: Measurements of crossed component
The measurement of the crossed component are shown in the figure 3.4. LDRs
are placed in this cross shaped component.
Placement of base servo motor
Figure 3.5: Base
The base servo motor is located in the section depicted in figure 3.5. The
servo motor used in our project has a range of only 180 degrees, implying that it
rotates in an east-west direction. This 3D part has an opening at the top, which
allows the axle of the base servo motor to move the upper part of the sun tracking
system around the horizontal axis. The base part must move the entire system
so that it can be screwed to the ground in order to be inert.
Horned head
Figure 3.6: Horned head
The horned head is used to couple the axle of the base servo motor with its
horn shown in top view of figure 3.6, allowing the head to rotate around the
horizontal axis in a range of 0-180 degrees. This head serves as the link between
the upper and base servo motors. The axle of the upper servo motor is coupled
with its horn to the head shown in the side view of figure 3.6, allowing the solar
panel which is attached to the upper servo motor to rotate in a vertical axis in a
range of 0-45 degrees.
Placement of upper servo motor
Figure 3.7: Upper servo motor’s placement
The upper servo motor is positioned in the gap between the two edges depicted
in figure 3.7. This is the solar panel arm that is in charge of vertical axis rotation
in the range of 0-45 degrees. This arm is inserted into the horned head, and a
screw is inserted between the arm and the head to keep it in place.
Placement of LDRs
Figure 3.8: LDRs placement
A cross-shaped piece was designed and placed on the sun tracker’s movable
piece. The LDRs were then placed inside the cross’s four corners. The goal of
this component was to cast a shadow on two or more LDRs as long as the cross
was not pointing orthonormally toward the sun.
Figure 3.9: Final model
This is the combination of all 3D parts that are designed and printed, then
they are arranged together to form the prototype of the sun tracking system. The
final model of the sun tracking system looks like shown in figure 3.9.
Model
Sun tracking system is a type of solar tracker which follows or tracks the sun
as it moves in the sky throughout the day and makes sure that the solar panel is
directed towards the sun’s rays to capture more light. This system is placed in
an open space where the sun rays are directly fall onto it without any obstacles
present in between.
The proposed tracking system tracks sunlight more efficiently by rotating the
solar panel along two different axes. The tracker mainly consists of four Light
Dependent Resistors (LDR) sensors, two micro servo motors and a microcon-
troller. The north-south tilt is done by the servo motor connected at the top,
while the east-west tilt is done by the servo motor connected to the bottom. Two
servo motors are used in the system. The servo motor at the top which holds
the solar panel follows the parabolic movement of the sun, while the servo motor
at the bottom follows the sun linearly. These two motors and LDR sensors are
interfaced with a microcontroller, which controls both motors based on the data
provided by the LDRs. The LDR sensor detects the light and sends a signal to
the microcontroller. The resistance of the LDR depends on the light intensity and
varies accordingly. The higher the light intensity, the lower the LDR resistance
and the lower the output voltage. At low light levels, the LDR resistance is higher
and the output voltage is higher. According to the intensity of LDRs, the upper
and the lower micro servo motors are tilted towards where there is the maximum
sun rays incident towards the solar panel.
Figure 3.10: Potential divider circuit of LDR
To connect the LDRs to Arduino we use potential dividing circuit as shown

in figure 3.10. The function of LDR is, if the light intensity of LDR changes the
resistance change accordingly. To measure these resistances we need a potential
dividing circuit to actually know the voltages at the LDR. By using the potential
divider formula below equation (3.1) we find out the voltage of the LDR’s
V o = V cc ∗ (R2/(R2 + R1)) (3.1)
Where,
• Vo as output voltage (V)
• Vcc as supply voltage (V)
• R2 is 10 kOhm resistor (Ohm)
• R1 is LDR (Ohm)
Solar panel
A solar panel is a technology that uses the photoelectric effect to transfer
charge carriers between two separate layers. The separated charges create a volt-
age difference. The two voltage levels can be connected to an electrical circuit to
generate a direct current through the circuit.
Concentrated solar panels have optics that capture sunlight directly, so the
solar panel must be positioned at the correct angle to capture the energy. The
concentrated solar energy systems are equipped with tracking systems, as the
systems cannot generate energy if they are not correctly aligned with the sun.
The voltage of the solar panel may not be constant at all times since the light
intensity of the sun changes throughout day.
P =V ∗I (3.2)
Where,
• P as power (W)
• V as voltage (V)
• I as current (A)
From the equation (3.2) we can say that the power depends on the voltage
and current. In our work we assume that a load is connected to the solar panel
that requires the constant maximum current produced by solar panel. Under that
assumption since the current is constant the power of the solar panel changes ac-
cording to the changes in voltage.
According to Lambert’s cosine law, the radiant energy measurement on a Lam-
bert reflecting surface is directly proportional to the cosine of the angle formed
by the measurement point and the surface normal. Accordingly, the illuminance
incident on a surface varies as the cosine of the angle of incidence. At an oblique
angle, the measurement area perpendicular to the incident light beam is much
smaller, so the energy is distributed over a larger area than when the incident
radiation is perpendicular to the surface. Assuming a fixed surface, the amount of
exposed energy decreases significantly as the source approaches the grazing inci-
dence. Grazing incidence refers to situations where the irradiance or illumination
is almost parallel to the incident surface, i.e. the angle of incidence is very close
to 90 degrees as shown in figure 3.12 [4].
Figure 3.11: Grazing incidence [4]

Chapter 4
Implementation
This implementation chapter mainly contains a detailed project’s description

of the components used in the project. This chapter consists of parts which are
flowchart of sun tracking system, circuit and block diagrams, hardware and soft-
ware implementation. The hardware implementation section details the hardware
and how it works in our project. In the software implementation, we focus on
Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
Block diagram
Figure 4.1: Block diagram of sun tracking system
Figure 4.1 represents the block diagram of the sun tracking system. As shown
in the block diagram, four light-dependent resistors (LDRs) are placed on a com-
16
Chapter 4. Implementation 17
mon board with the solar panel. The light from the light source incident on
them with different intensities. Since LDRs property is photo conductivity i.e.,
the resistance decreases with increasing light intensity, the resistance value of all
LDRs is not always the same. Each LDR sends a corresponding signal to the
microcontroller based on their resistance values using the programming logic and
the values are compared with each other.
One of the two DC servomotors is mechanically coupled to the drive shaft of
the other servomotor, so that the upper servomotor moves with the rotation of
the base servomotor shaft. The shaft of the upper servomotor is used to drive the
solar panel. The two servomotors are arranged so that the solar panel can move
in a north-south and east-west direction.
The microcontroller sends the appropriate signals to the servo motors accord-
ing to the LDR input signals. One servo motor is used for tracking the solar panel
in the north-south direction and the other motor in the east-west direction. The
power output from solar panel will be displayed on the Liquid Crystal Display
(LCD) screen. This is how the sun tracking system is designed.
4.1 Flowchart of the Sun Tracking Algorithm
Figure 4.2: LDRs placement in sun tracking system
From the flowchart of the sun tracking algorithm in the figure 4.3, the
working our project is represented. In the figure 4.2 the placements of LDRs are
shown. The power is supplied to microcontroller. Here, the LDRs namely LDR1,
LDR2, LDR3 and LDR4 are placed in cross shaped component. The voltage lev-
els of the lower and upper two LDRs, LDR 1 and 2, and LDR 3 and 4, are now
compared. If the average of voltages of LDRs 1 and 2 are equal to LDRs 3 and
4 then there is no movement in the upper servo motor. If the average of voltage
Figure 4.3: Flowchart of sun tracking system for one iteration
levels of the lower two LDRs are higher than the upper two LDRs, the panel tilts
to the south. i.e., the panel tilted downwards. If the average of voltage levels of
the upper two LDRs are higher than the lower two LDRs, the panel tilts to the
north i.e., the panel tilted upwards. The upper servo motor stopped after this
comparison.
Now, the comparison of voltage levels between the LDRs that are placed in
west and east direction i.e., LDR 1 and 4, LDR 2 and 3 respectively. If the average
of voltages of LDRs 1 and 4 are equal to LDRs 2 and 3 then there is no movement
in the base servo motor. If the average of voltage levels of the LDRs (LDR 1 and
4) are higher than the LDRs (LDR 2 and 3) then the panel rotated towards west
direction. If the average of voltage levels of the LDRs (LDR 2 and 3) are higher
than the LDRs (LDR 1 and 4) then the panel rotated towards east direction.
The base servo motor stopped and the solar panel is aligned in such a way that
the sun rays are incident onto it is perpendicular. When the optimal orientation,
based on LDRs states is achieved, the solar panel capture maximum sun rays
and produce maximum output power by converting the solar energy into electri-
cal energy. The power output from the solar panel can be seen in the LCD display.
Circuit
Figure 4.4: Circuit diagram
Figure 4.4 represents the circuit of our sun tracking system. Power supply is
given to the Arduino Uno R2. Digital pins 5, 6 are connected to the servo motor
which rotates in east-west direction and other servo motor which tilts in north-
south manner respectively. The 5V supply is given to the two servo motors, and
one end of the each of four LDRs. The other end of the each of four LDRs are
connected to the 10 kOhm resistors. The end of the each of four 10 kOhm resistors
and the ground of the two micro servo motors are connected to the ground of the
Arduino Uno R2. The analog pins A0, A1, A2 and A3 are connected to the
LDR4, LDR3, LDR1, LDR2 respectively.
4.2 Hardware Implementation

In this project, the components we used are Arduino Uno Rev2, LDRs, LCD
display, servo motor and solar panel. The explanation of each component is given
below.
Arduino Uno WiFi Rev2

Arduino Uno is a microcontroller board. The Arduino Uno WiFi Rev2 is
the easiest way to get started with the basics of the Internet of Things, using a
standard-sized device from the Uno family. The Arduino Uno WiFi Rev2 is a
single solution for a wide range of basic IoT application scenarios, whether it’s a
router-connected sensor network at work or at home, or a Bluetooth low energy
device for transmitting data to a mobile phone.
The Arduino Uno WiFi Rev2 features the ATECC608 secure crypto chip
accelerator using microchip’s ATmega4809 8-bit microcontroller. The board has
LSM6DS3TR embedded IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), the NINA-W102 WiFi
and Bluetooth module from u-Blox [39]
Figure 4.5: Arduino Uno WiFi Rev2 [5]
Specifications [40]
• Microcontroller ATmega4809.
• Digital I/O Pins 14.
• Analog input pins 6.
• PWM pins 5.
• Input voltage 7V - 12V.
• SRAM 6KB.
• Flash 48KB.
• EEPROM 256 bytes.
• Weight 25g.
Light Dependent Resistors (LDR)

Light-dependent resistors (LDR) works on the principle of photoconductivity.
LDR or photoresistors are electronic components commonly used in electronic
circuits where the presence or amount of light is to be detected. LDRs are very
different from other types of resistors, such as carbon fibre, metal oxide or metal
film resistors, which are widely used in other electronic designs. They have been
developed specifically because of their photosensitivity. They are made up of
semiconductor materials having high resistance [6].
Figure 4.6: Light Dependent Resistor [6]
In the resistance v/s illumination (LUX) curve: LDRs are light-dependent

devices whose resistance decreases in bright light and increases in darkness.
Figure 4.7: Resistance vs Illumination curve [6]
In our project, we use LDRs for measuring the light intensity of sun’s rays
and the output voltage values of four LDRs will be compared among them which
are placed on the sun tracking system. According to the voltage values of LDRs
the panel will be tilted perpendicular towards the sun’s rays.
• Maximum power dissipation 200 mW.
• Maximum voltage at 0 LUX 200 V.
• Maximum resistance at 10 LUX 4.5 kOhms.
• Dark resistance 0.25 MOhms.
• Daylight resistance 5 kOhms.
LCD display
An LCD screen containing thin flexible sheets of organic electrically luminescent
material is mainly used in digital displays. The LCD screen has a parallel in-
terface. This means that the microcontroller uses several pins simultaneously to
control the LCD [42].
Figure 4.8: LCD display 16*2 [7]
In this project, we use 16*2 LCD display for displaying the maximum output
power in terms of Watts from the solar panel.
• Operating voltage 5 V.
• Screen resolution 2-lines x 16 characters.
• Character resolution (5 x 8) pixels.
• Module dimensions (80 x 36 x 12) mm.
• Viewing area dimensions (64.5 x 16.4) mm.
Servo motor
A servo motor is a small unit with an output shaft. This axis can be set to certain
angular positions by means of a coded signal to the servo motor. As long as a
coded signal is applied to the input line, the servo motor maintains the angular
position of the shaft. If the coded signal changes, the angular position of the axis
changes [44].
In our project, we use servo motors SG90 for the movement of the solar panel.
We use two servo motors, the servo motor which is attached to the solar panel is
Figure 4.9: Servo Motor SG90 [8]
used for the tilting of the solar panel in north-south direction and the other one
which the upper servo motor and solar panel is attached is used for rotating the
the solar panel in east-west direction.
Specification [45]
• Operating Voltage 5V.
• Torque 2.5kg/cm
• Operating speed 0.1s/60°
• Rotation 0°-180°
• Weight 9gm
Solar Panel
Solar cells are also called photovoltaic cells which is a non-mechanical com-
ponent made of silicon amalgam. The solar panel works on the principle of
photovoltaic energy which converts solar energy into electricity. There are dif-
ferent types of panels are available for example, monocrystalline, polycrystalline,
amorphous and hybrid. Here in this project we use polycrystalline solar panel.
• Peak power 0.33 W
• Working voltage 3.37 V
• Output current 0 mA - 100 mA

Figure 4.10: Solar Panel
4.3 Software Implementation

The Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is used to write and
compile code for the Arduino module. This is the official software for Arduino.
The Arduino IDE contains a text editor for writing code, a message area, a text
console, a toolbar with buttons for common functions and various menus. It can
be connected to Arduino/Genuino hardware to load and interact with programs
[47].
Figure 4.11: Logic for comparison of four LDRs
In figure 4.11, logic for how the comparison of four LDRs is shown. In this we
have taken the average values of LDRs, taken the differences of averages of the
LDRs that are placed in vertical axis and the LDRs that are placed in horizontal
axis.
Chapter 5
Results and Analysis
The prototype of sun tracking system is developed and the outcomes of our
sun tracking system are reviewed and compared in the results chapter.
5.1 Performance Evaluation of the Moving Panel

Sun path diagram
Figure 5.1: Sun path diagram of Karlskrona [9]
As we observe in figure 5.1 sun path diagram is a visualisation of the sun’s

path across the sky. This path is created by plotting the sun’s azimuth and eleva-
tion angles for a given day. It is a convenient way to track the direction of the sun
over time [9]. Here, the green circle is June’s solstice, blue arc is the December’s
solstice and the yellow shaded region is annual variation of duration of sun in
Karlskrona. The orange line represents solstice of the day that the readings of
our sun tracking system are based on this line.
25
Chapter 5. Results and Analysis 26
Case-1 :
In this case, it represents the sun tracking system tracking the sun at 8:00 a.m.
The solar panel’s power output is calculated using equation (3.2) and displayed
on the LCD screen, as shown in figure 5.2.
Figure 5.2: Power output of solar panel at 8:00
Time Power output

8:00 0.29 W
Table 5.1: Power output at 8:00
Discussion :
The azimuth angle of the sun is 91 degrees and the elevation of the sun is
25 degrees in case-1, which describes the position of the sun at 8:00, is known
from the sun path diagram explained earlier in this chapter. The sun is far away
from the sun tracking system, as shown by the orange line in figure 5.1, which
results in less intensity, that affects the output power of the solar panel. As the
clouds are present in the sky at this time, which act as a barrier between the sun’s
rays and the solar panel, the power output displayed as 0.29 W on the LCD screen.
Case-2 :
In this case, it represents the sun tracking system tracking the sun at 9:00
a.m. The solar panel’s power output is calculated using equation (3.2).
Time Power output

9:00 0.37 W
Discussion :
The sun path diagram explained earlier in this chapter shows that the azimuth
angle of the sun is 104 degrees and the elevation of the sun is 34 degrees in case-2,
which describes the position of the sun at 9:00. When we compare the position of
the sun at 8:00, which is shown by the orange line in figure 5.1, the sun is closer
to the sun tracking system, resulting in even more intensity, which affects the
output power of the solar panel. Since there is no obstruction of clouds between
the sun and the solar panel at this time, the power output is 0.37 W.
Case-3 :
a.m. The solar panel’s power output is calculated using equation (3.2).
Time Power output

10:00 0.38 W
Discussion :
which describes the position of the sun at 9:00. When we compare the position of
the sun at 9:00, which is shown by the orange line in figure 5.1, the sun is closer
to the sun tracking system, resulting in even more intensity, which affects the
output power of the solar panel. Since there is no obstruction of clouds between
the sun and the solar panel at this time, the power output is 0.38 W.
Case-4 :
a.m, 12:00 and 13:00. The solar panel’s power output is calculated using equation
(3.2).
Time Power output

11:00 0.38 W
12:00 0.38
13:00 0.38
Table 5.4: Power output at 11:00, 12:00 and 13:00
Discussion :
Since the temperature, sun’s intensity and the weather conditions are influ-
encing the solar panel at this time and these are also peak hours for the panel to
produce the most power. As a result, we obtained the same results as before for
case -3.
Case-5 :
In this case, it represents the sun tracking system tracking the sun at 14:00.
Time Power output

14:00 0.36 W
Discussion :
The sun path diagram explained earlier in this chapter shows that the az-
imuth angle of the sun is 205 degrees and the elevation of the sun is 51 degrees in
case-2, which describes the position of the sun at 14:00. When we compare the
position of the sun at 8:00, which is shown by the orange line in figure 5.1, the
sun is closer to the sun tracking system, resulting in even more intensity, which
affects the output power of the solar panel. Since there is no obstruction of clouds
between the sun and the solar panel at this time, the power output displayed on
the LCD screen as 0.36 W.
Case-6 :
Time Power output

15:00 0.35 W
Discussion :
imuth angle of the sun is 225 degrees and the elevation of the sun is 46 degrees in
case-3, which describes the position of the sun at 15:00. When we compare the
position of the sun at 14:00, which is shown by the orange line in figure 5.1, the
temperature is higher during this time due to which the output power of the solar
panel is slightly decreased [48]. As there is no obstruction between the sun and the
solar panel at this time, the power output displayed on the LCD screen as 0.35 W.
Case-7 :
The solar panel’s power output is calculated using equation 3.2 and displayed on
the LCD screen, as shown in figure 5.5.
Time Power output

16:00 0.36 W
Discussion :
imuth angle of the sun is 244 degrees and the elevation of the sun is 43 degrees
in case-4, which describes the position of the sun at 16:00. When we compare
the position of the sun at 15:00, which is shown by the orange line in figure 5.1,
the sun is far to the sun tracking system, which may lead to the less intensity
of light and should produce less output power. But the temperature during this
time is less when compared to the case-3, that results in the increase of out-
put power of the solar panel. As there is no obstruction between the sun and the
solar panel at this time, the power output displayed on the LCD screen as 0.36 W.
Case-8 :
Time Power output

17:00 0.34 W
Discussion :
imuth angle of the sun is 258 degrees and the elevation of the sun is 35 degrees
in case-5, which describes the position of the sun at 17:00. When we compare
the position of the sun at 16:00, which is shown by the orange line in figure 5.1,
the distance between the sun and tracking system is increased, which leads to the
less intensity of light thus produced less output power. As there is no obstruction
between the sun and the solar panel at this time, the power output displayed on
the LCD screen as 0.34 W.
Case-9 :
Time Power output

18:00 0.33 W
Discussion :
which describes the position of the sun at 18:00. When we compare the position
of the sun at 17:00, which is shown by the orange line in figure 5.1, the distance
between the sun and tracking system is slightly increased, which leads to the less
intensity of light thus produced marginally lesser output power. As there is no
obstruction between the sun and the solar panel at this time, the power output
displayed on the LCD screen as 0.33 W.
Case-10 :
The solar panel’s power output is calculated using equation 3.2.
Time Power output

19:00 0.33 W
Discussion :
The solar panel generated the same amount of power output as in the case-9.
The intensity of the sun may be same as during 18:00. Case-11 :
Time Power output

20:00 0.21 W
Discussion :
The azimuth angle of the sun is 295 degrees and the elevation of the sun is
11 degrees in case-7, which describes the position of the sun at 8:00, is known
from the sun path diagram explained earlier in this chapter. The sun is far away
from the sun tracking system, as shown by the orange line in figure 5.1, which
results in less intensity, that affects the output power of the solar panel. As it is
a cloudy sky at this time, which act as a barrier between the sun’s rays and the
solar panel, the power output displayed as 0.21 W on the LCD screen.
Time Power output

8:00 0.29 W
9:00 0.37 W
10:00 0.38 W
11:00 0.38 W
12:00 0.38 W
13:00 0.38 W
14:00 0.36 W
15:00 0.35 W
16:00 0.36 W
17:00 0.34 W
18:00 0.33 W
19:00 0.33 W
20:00 0.21 W
Energy (kWh) 0.05798 kWh
Table 5.12: Power output of the solar panel
The equation (5.1) is used to calculate energy.
Energy (kW h) = [P ower (W ) ∗ T ime period (hr)] / 1000 (5.1)
Table 5.12 summarizes the measurement results and plotted a graph shown in
figure 5.9 between time and power (W), shows the variation in the power output
of the solar panel during one day from 8.00 in the morning to 20:00 in the evening.
Figure 5.9: Graph of moving solar panel

5.2 Comparison of Power Output from Static and

Moving Panels
Figure 5.10: Position of static solar and moving solar panel
In this case, to investigate the advantage of the using sun tracker to move solar
panel we have compared the power output of fixed and the moving solar panels.
To get maximum power output, solar panels in Southern Sweden are installed at
an angle of about 45 degrees [49]. This result was obtained by moving the torch
light from east to west first with respect to the static panel, then with the same
distance between the torch and the panel now with respect to the moving panel,
the readings were noted in table 5.13 and plotted a graph shown in figure 5.11
between angle of incidence of torch and power (W), shows the variation of the
power output of the static and moving solar panels at different angle of incidence
of torch.
Angle of torch Moving Panel (W) Static panel (W)
15° 0.17 W 0.15 W
30° 0.17 W 0.16 W
45° 0.18 W 0.17 W
60° 0.18 W 0.17 W
90° 0.18 W 0.18 W
120° 0.18 W 0.17 W
135° 0.18 W 0.17 W
150° 0.17 W 0.16 W
165° 0.17 W 0.15 W
Total Power 1.58 W 1.48 W
Table 5.13: Comparison of power output between static and moving panel
Figure 5.11: Graph of power output between moving and static panel
Discussion :
Here, the readings are taken under the torch light at angles with respect to the
static panel. The static solar panel is placed at angle of 45 degrees to the ground.
We can see the difference of power outputs in moving and static panel in the table
5.13 and it shows that the moving solar panel produce more power output when
compared to the static panel. We see that when the torch is placed at an angle
of 90 degrees both the static and moving panel shows the same power output as
the torch was perpendicular to the static and moving panel. As in the case of
moving panel the power output is almost the same since the main objective of
the tracking system is to keep the panel perpendicular to the light rays.
From the table 5.13 we can see that the total power 1.48 W produced by static
panel is smaller than the total power 1.58 W produced by the moving panel. This
results show that the objective to maximize the energy production of the solar
panel by using the sun tracking system has been achieved.
Chapter 6
Conclusions and Future Work
We will conclude with a summary and future work on the sun tracking system
after a detailed explanation of all previous chapters. In this project, we have
developed a prototype of sun tracking system. From this project we conclude
that our system has successfully completed the main objective which is the de-
veloping a tracking system that continuously tracks the light rays, developing a
tracking system that maximises energy production from solar panels, developing
a tracking system based on LDRs, development of a tracking system to control
the movement of solar panels as a function of monitored light intensity. This
project is an interesting and simple attempt to build a dual axis solar tracker
using LDRs, servo motors and a microcontroller. By this project we developed
a tracking system that maximises the solar energy production by optimizing the
orientation of the movable solar panel. This system works well in tracking the
light rays continuously and keeps the panel orthogonal to the light rays. From
the experimental results, we can say that this system has increased efficiency as
compared to the static panel. In this project, we made comparison between the
static and moving panel and we can say that the moving panel produces more
output power than the static panel.
As this project is considered to be a prototype it can be developed with more
robust materials, more advanced components and more advanced algorithms to
track the sun, which would lead to an improved final product. In the future we
could use the idea of this project to implement in larger scale so that we can use
it for the domestic purposes.
36
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Bachelor Thesis

Sun Tracking System

Dept. Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Dept. Mathematics and Natural Sciences Internet : www.bth.se

Solar energy is a clean energy source which has a minimal impact

List of Acronyms vii

5 Results and Analysis 25

6 Conclusions and Future Work 36

2.1 Zomework UTRF-168-2 Passive Solar Tracking Model [1] . . . . . 4

3.1 Measurements of base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

4.1 Block diagram of sun tracking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

5.1 Sun path diagram of Karlskrona [9] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

5.1 Power output at 8:00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

• CAD - Computer Aided Design

• EEPROM - Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory

• GPS - Global Positioning System

• IDE - Integrated Development Environment

• LCD - Liquid Crystal Display

• LDR - Light Dependent Resistor

• PLC - Programmable Logic Control

• PWM - Pulse Width Modulation

• SRAM - Static Random Access Memory

• WiFi - Wireless Fidelity

Passive Solar Tracker

Figure 2.1: Zomework UTRF-168-2 Passive Solar Tracking Model [1]

Active Solar Tracker

Active Solar Tracker with Single-Axis System

Figure 2.2: Single axis tracker [2]

Active Solar Tracker with Dual-Axis System

Figure 2.3: Dual axis tracker [3]

Masoud et al. combined a dual-axis tracking system with a wind tracking

increases the total daily demand by 49.83% [32].

Chronological Solar Tracker

Samantha et al. designed a single-axis solar tracking system to maximise the

3.1 Problem Statement

• Developing a tracking system that maximises energy production from solar

• Development of a tracking system to control the movement of solar panels

• Developing a tracking system based on LDRs.

Figure 3.1: Measurements of base

Figure 3.2: Measurements of horned head

Figure 3.3: Measurements of solar arm

Figure 3.4: Measurements of crossed component

Placement of base servo motor

Figure 3.5: Base

Figure 3.6: Horned head

Placement of upper servo motor

Figure 3.7: Upper servo motor’s placement

Figure 3.8: LDRs placement

Figure 3.9: Final model

Figure 3.10: Potential divider circuit of LDR

To connect the LDRs to Arduino we use potential dividing circuit as shown

V o = V cc ∗ (R2/(R2 + R1)) (3.1)

• Vcc as supply voltage (V)

• R2 is 10 kOhm resistor (Ohm)

Figure 3.11: Grazing incidence [4]

This implementation chapter mainly contains a detailed project’s description

Figure 4.1: Block diagram of sun tracking system

4.1 Flowchart of the Sun Tracking Algorithm

Figure 4.2: LDRs placement in sun tracking system

Figure 4.3: Flowchart of sun tracking system for one iteration

Figure 4.4: Circuit diagram

4.2 Hardware Implementation

Arduino Uno WiFi Rev2