Development of Dual-Axis Solar Tracking using Arduino with Lab VIEW

Abstract

As the energy demand and the environmental problems increase, the natural energy sources have become very important as an alternative to the conventional energy sources. The renewable energy sector is fast gaining ground as a new growth area for numerous countries with the vast potential it presents environmentally and economically. Solar energy plays an important role as a primary source of energy, especially for rural area. This paper aims at the development of process to track the sun and attain maximum efficiency using Arduino uno and LabVIEW for real time monitoring. The project is divided into two stages, which are hardware and software development. In hardware development, four light dependent resistor (LDR) has been used for capturing maximum light source. Two DC motors have been used to move the solar panel at maximum light source location sensing by LDR. The GUI is constructed by using LabVIEW. The performance of the system has been tested and compared with static solar panel. This paper describes the design of a low cost, solar tracking system.

Automated Dual Axis Solar Tracking System using LDR Sensors

“…As the majority of the energy is in the direct beam, maximum collection requires the sun to be visible to the panels as long as possible. A typical solar panel converts only 30 to 40 percent of this incident solar radiation into electrical energy [1], [5]. METHODOLOGY The complete operation of the dual axis tracking system wholly depends on the light dependent resistor (L.D.R) which is used as a sensor whose resistance decreases with increasing light intensity.…”

New Prototype of Photovoltaic Solar Tracker Based on Arduino

“…In the field of solar energy, Arduino sensors are also used to improve the performance of this type of installations through the implementation of solar trackers. They are also used to measure one of the most common parameters in these systems of energy production, giving really satisfying results and considerable economic saving compared to other commercial controllers [27][28][29][30].…”

Dual Axis Self-tracking Solar Panel

“…Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the sun harnessed using a range of technologies such as photovoltaic, thermal electricity and etc. [1].…”

“…The solar panel is composed of photovoltaic modules which are connected electrically and mounted on a structure. The majority of modules use wafer based crystalline silicon cells or thin-film cells based on cadmium telluride or silicon [1]. The electrical connections are made in series to achieve a desired output voltage and in parallel to give the desired current capability.…”

“…Arduino is a single board microcontroller which is a open source computing and development board [1]. It can be used to take inputs from various objects and be used to control many devices, sensors, motors, etc.…”