Photovoltaic Panel Tracking System using Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Control
Abstract- Due to energy scarcity, the
decreasing of energy resources and the
increasing of energy demands in the world
makes people start using renewable energy
to fulfill their energy needs. One of the
simplest renewable energy is solar energy,
which can be obtained by using photovoltaic
panel. Photovoltaic panel always installed in
fixed state, which makes the panel only
produce maximum power at certain time
when the panel is perpendicular to then sun.
The proposed single-axis position tracking
offers maximum power produced by moving
the panel in accordance to the sun position in
a single direction, which is from east to
west. The fuzzy method use in this paper is
Mamdani type inference. The mechanism of
the system is based on balancing principle
by comparing the light intensity in two
different light detectors. The voltage from
LDR processed by the type 2 Fuzzy logic
controllers. The output from fuzzy is a signal
to control the DC motor to adjust the PV
angle. The panel has gained 49.8% more
power than the fixed state photovoltaic
panels.
Keyword-Light Dependent Resistor, Type 2
Fuzzy Logic Controller, DC motor, Sun
angle, Panel angle, Position tracking.
I. INTRODUCTION
The power that photovoltaic panel
generated rarely maximum. The power of
the panel will only be maximum on a certain
point of the time according to the angle of
the panel [1]. The panel will generate
maximum power when the angle of the panel
perpendicular to the sun angle and usually it
is at 12 pm if the panel lies flat on the
rooftop [2]. This happens because the panel
always installed in fixed state so the power
can only be maximum on a certain point of
time. And this fixed stated panel wasted a lot
of power that can be generated.
That is why panel photovoltaic
needed to be installed with a light tracker
and move accordingly to the sun position to
get the perpendicular angle between the sun
and the photovoltaic panel [1].
The classic Fuzzy Logic introduced
in 1965 by Lotfi Zadeh, allows the
representation and processing of imprecise
knowledge based on the linguistic terms. It
relies on human reasoning to convert a
linguistic command into an automatic
command to control a complex system [3].
Type 2 Fuzzy set was introduced as an
upgraded version of the ordinary Fuzzy logic
set, which is called type 1 Fuzzy set. The
characterization of type 2 Fuzzy set is that
the membership, not a crisp set like type-1
set [4][5]. Type 2 Fuzzy set can handle
linguistics uncertainties as well as numerical
uncertainties. FLC needs dispersion to
measure more about rule uncertainties than a
single number. Type-2 FLC provides this
dispersion and it is considered fundamental
to the design of systems that include
linguistic and numerical uncertainties [6].
The light tracking system uses the
balancing principle by comparing the light
intensity in two different places, which is in
this case, is the right and left side of the
panel [7]. The sensor, which is used as the
light detector is the Light Dependent
Resistor (LDR). Two LDR was used as a
tracker of light intensity from each side of
the panel. When the panel is not
perpendicular to the sun, the motor will
rotate the panel until it is perpendicular to
the sun. This tracking system uses the
voltage, which LDR generated from each
side of the panel. The voltage will be
different if the panel receives different
sunlight intensity from each side of the panel
[7][8]. If the voltage of the LDR in the east
and west side of the panel is the same means
the panel is perpendicular to the sun [2].
 There are two types of light tracking
Start
systems, single-axis, and dual-axis. The
differences between single-axis and dual-
axis are on the direction and the component
Literature Studies
of the system [6][9]. Single-axis light
tracking system consists of two light
dependent resistor (LDR) and one DC
motor. Single-axis only offers one direction Modeling Mathematical Equation for
PV Panel (Eq.1), DC Motor (Eq.2 and
movement to follow the direction of the sun. Eq.3) and LDR (Eq.4 and Eq.5)
On the other side, the dual-axis light
tracking can follow the sun more
dynamically by following the sunlight in two Implementing the Mathematical Model
To Simulink (Fig.3, Fig.4 and Fig.5)
directions, which is vertically and
horizontally. Dual axis light sensor consists
of four light sensors and two motors for the
vertical and horizontal systems. Modeling the PV Tracking System with
The permanent magnet DC motor Fuzzy Logic Controller Type 2 (Fig.6)
will generate an angle from the fuzzy output
to the angle of the photovoltaic panel in
order to get the maximum power output of Combine the entire Model in Simulink
the panel [4][10]. (Fig.6)
II. METHODOLOGY
1. Step one: Literature studies which is Run the Simulation of Tracking System
finding the references of PV panel, fuzzy With FLC type 2 in Simulink
logic control from papers, thesis, and
books.
2. Step two: Modeling the mathematical
equation for the PV panel, LDR, and DC Evaluate the No
motors. performance of
3. Step three: Implementing the mathematical the system
model to Simulink.
4. Step four: Modeling the tracking system Yes
with FLC type 2 in Simulink and Matlab.
5. Step five: Combine the entire model, from Analyze the result of the simulation
PV, DC motor, LDR, and Fuzzy Tracking
System.
6. Step six: Run the tracking system in Conclusion
Simulink.
7. Step seven: Evaluate the performance of
the system, if good then proceeds to the
End
next step, else go back to modeling the PV
tracking system. Figure 1. The method of this Undergraduate
8. Step eight: Analyze the result of the Thesis.
simulation.
9. Step nine: Draw the conclusion of the
system from the simulation result.

Figure 2. Diagram block of the tracking
system
The tracking system uses the voltage
difference, which LDR generated from each
side of the panel. Both LDR placed at the
left side of the PV panel with a balancer
between the LDR. The LDRs are used to
track the sun's movement from east to west
direction. The voltage difference will be
processed by type 2 Fuzzy logic control
system. The Fuzzy will produce signal to
rotate the DC motor that will adjust the
angle of the PV panel to get the optimum
angle to be perpendicular to the sun for
maximum power output of the PV panel.
The Fuzzy control is used to compare
the voltages from the LDR to get the signal
for the speed and direction of the motor to
rotate the panel to be in perpendicular
position to the sun to get and maximum
power output from the panel.
III. MODELING
A. Photovoltaic Panel
Figure 3. PV panel in model in simulink
Which is made by this equation:
[ (
I =I ph−I 0 . exp q ⋅
( V + I ⋅ Rs )
( n ⋅ K ⋅ N s ⋅T ) ]
−1 − I sh
Equation (1) Figure 3 is the implementation
of PV panel from the mathematical equation.
The current from photovoltaic panel depends
on the sun irradiance that falls upon the
panel and panel temperature.
B. Permanent magnet DC motors (PMDC)
1 1
ω ( s )=K t ⋅V a ( s)−K b ⋅ ω ( s ) ⋅ ⋅
R a+ L a s J m s + B m
Equation (2)
Figure 4. Permanent Magnet DC Motor
1
θ ( s )= ⋅ ω ( s ) Equation (3)
s
Figure 4 is the implementation of Eq.2
and Eq.3 for tracking system DC motors.
The Panel increasing angle is from the
integral of the motor speed as in equation 3.
C. Light Dependent Resistor
The Light Dependent Resistor
(LDR) is designed with the difference of 45
degree between the panel and the LDR. The
irradiance of the LDR will be different in
each side if the panel is not perpendicular to
the sun. This way we can compare the
Voltage on each side of the LDR to make a
control system for the panel.
Rtetap
V out =V ¿ ⋅ Equation (4)
Rtetap+ Rldr
R LDR =I LDR ⋅ R Equation (5)
Figure 5. East and West side LDR design
Figure 5 is the implementation of
LDR equation into Simulink to get the
voltage from each LDR at different sun and
pv angle. The LDR is designed with
maximum 90° angle between the sun angle
and panel angle it can also be -90°.
D. Tracking position of photovoltaic
panel by using type-2 Fuzzy Logic Control
Figure 6. Tracking position of PV panel
The tracking system starts with the
E. Sun angle modeling
sun angle and sun irradiance. The sun angle,
PV angle, and sun irradiance produce the
voltage difference from the LDR to be
processed by the type-2 fuzzy logic. The
fuzzy produce signals for the motor driver to
move the motor and produce the angle
adjustment for the PV panel. Sun angle, sun
irradiance and PV angle serve as and input Figure 7. Sun angle modeling
for effective irradiance that the PV receives The sun angle is increasing every hour for
from the sun. The effective irradiance will 15 degree. The angle is set for the maximum
be the input for the PV panel. output of 180 degree.
 III. Type-2 Fuzzy Control is 3 membership in the input which is
low(L), medium(M) and High(H)

Figure 9. MF with 0.

Figure 8. Diagram block of type-2 fuzzy

system
A. Fuzzification
Fuzzification is used to convert crisp
inputs into a fuzzy variable, the 2 FOU of west LDR
membership of each fuzzy input variable
is evaluated for the given crisp input, and
the resulting value is used for evaluating
the rules.
B. Inference Engine
Second step involves determining the Figure 10. MF with 0.2 FOU of east LDR
output of each rule given its fuzzy
antecedents. The inputs are evaluated
Figure 11. MF with 0.5 FOU of west LDR
according to the given rules, and the output
is a fuzzy set that is some clipped version
on the user-specified output fuzzy set.
C. Type Reducer
Type reducer function is to transform
the type 2 fuzzy into type 1 fuzzy.
D. Defuzzification Figure 12. MF with 0.5 FOU of east LDR
Defuzzification converts the fuzzy Low (L) : [ 0 to 3 ]
output of the inference engine to crisp Medium (M) : [ 2 to 4 ]
based on membership functions. High (H) : [ 3 to 6 ]
E. Mamdani type 2 Fuzzy Logic control
modeling
After trial and error membership
function used for the input is decided to be
the combination of trapezoidal and
triangular. The tracking system will compare
the result from fuzzy with 0.2 and 0.5 FOU. Figure 13. Rules IF X And Y then Z
The range of the input same with the
Where X is the voltage from West LDR, Y
range of LDR output which is 0 to 6. There is the voltage from East LDR and Z is the
output from the Fuzzy inference.
 INPUT Output Definition

Small Negative (SN) CW FAST

CCW:
Negative (N) CW SLOW
Counter
Zero (Z) STOP clock wise

Figure 14. Output with 0.2 FOU Positive (P) CCW SLOW CW:

Clockwise
Large Positive (LP) CCW FAST

The Fuzzy output is a signal for the

motor driver to drive the motor according to
the signal. The motor will adjust the panel
angle to be perpendicular to then sun then to
Figure 15. Output with 0.5 FOU get the maximum power output from the PV.
Fuzzy output from the membership IV. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
function A. Result of Sun Angle Simulation
Small Negative (SN) :[ -6 to -2 ]
Negative (N) :[ -4 to 0 ]
Zero (Z) :[ -2 to 2 ]
Positive (P) :[ 0 to 4 ]
Large Positive (LP) :[ 2 to5 6 ]

Table. 1 Fuzzy rules and output

No. West East
Output
Rule LDR LDR
1 L L Z Figure 16. The increasing of sun angle
2 M M Z every hour
3 H H Z The sun angle is set to 0° and
4 H L LP
increasing with 15° angle every hour just
like the figure 16. Sun angle model follows
5 H M P
the azimuth angle of the sun, which is 0 to
6 L M N
180 degree.
7 L H SN
B. Result of LDR voltages simulation
No. West East in a fixed state
Output
Rule LDR LDR
1 0 0 0
2 2.5 4 -1
3 6 4.5 1
4 5 1 4
5 5 3 2
6 2 3 -2
7 1 5 -4

Figure 17. East LDR Voltages

Table.2 DC Motor rotation

 Figure 20. Power comparison between fixed
Figure 18. West LDR voltages
panel and mobile panel.
From figures 17 and 18 we can see the
From the result of fixed and mobile PV
difference of light intensity from the east and
panel, there is a huge difference in terms of
west side of the panel when the panel is
power generated because the mobile panel
installed in a fixed state. The east side got
angle keeps increasing to follow the
more light intensity in the morning while the
increasing sun angle. Which made the
west side got more light intensity in the
mobile panel always perpendicular to the
afternoon. At 12 PM the light intensity on
sun. The panel is tested with different
the LDR was the same for the west and east
irradiance data according to the time of the
side of the panel.
day. The irradiance starts from 6 am until 6
C. Result of DC motor angle output
pm and the peak irradiance was on 12 pm.
The panel that use 0.5 FOU for the fuzzy
produce more power then the 0.2 FOU
because of the motor performance which has
better accuracy with the 0.5 FOU fuzzy.
E. Comparison of total power generated
from the fixed and mobile panel
There is clear difference in power
generated between the uncontrolled panel,
and the PV panel that has type 2 fuzzy
control system to track the movement of sun.
Figure 19. DC motor angle for the plant
The result of the increasing angle degree
is almost the same with the sun increasing
angle degree, which is 15 ° every hour. And
the motors stop working if the voltage
difference of the LDR is 0. The motor with
FOU 0.5 fuzzy has better performance then
the 0.2 FOU.

D. Comparison of power generated

Figure 21. Comparison of total power
From the fixed panel the mobile
generated from the mobile and fixed panel
panel with a tracking system
The total power generated from the
mobile panel with tracking system is much
higher than the power generated from the
 fixed panel. This happens because the
mobile panel always perpendicular to the
sun, which makes the power that can be
generated always maximized. The total
power from the mobile panel with FOU 0.2
and 0.5 is 1550 and 1575 watt while the
fixed panel is only 1051 watt.
V. CONCLUSION
The power generated from the
photovoltaic panel with type 2 fuzzy logic
controller for the tracking system got 49.8%
more power generated then the static
photovoltaic panel. More power generated
because the panel is always moving to match
the sun angle or to be perpendicular to the
sun.
Type-2 fuzzy logic control with 0.5
footprint of uncertainties has better tracking
accuracy then the 0.2 footprints of
uncertainties (FOU), which makes the PV
generate more power.
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