Designing and Simulation of a Two-Axis Solar Tracking System by Exact Relations of Solar Angles

Subject Areas : Renewable energy

Faezeh  Esmaili Ranjbar ¹ (Ms.C/Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University)
Hasan  Fatehi Marj ² (Assistant Professor/Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Kerman)
Ghazanfar  Shahgholian ³ (Smart Microgrid Research Center- Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran)

Received: 2012-05-13 Accepted : 2012-11-03 Published : 2013-01-01

Keywords: Microcontroller, Two-axis solar tracking, solar angles, stepper motor,

Abstract :

In this study, a system has been designed and simulated to track sunlight, which identifies sun location based on the exact relations of solar angles and without any optical sensor. In fact the relations which have been used in this study are far more accurate compared to similar cases, because of using the "equation of time" and reducing the tracking time of every 15 minutes. In this system, an economical micro-controller has been used to generate the necessary orders to control system and two stepper motors for powering solar array. By adding a real-time clock IC (RTC) to angle differentiation circuit, dynamic plane has improved.