Study of sun tracking mechanism for photovoltaic panels
Other Title(s)
دراسة آلية تتبع الشمس باستخدام الألواح الفوتوفولتائية
Dissertant
Thesis advisor
Comitee Members
Hamrash, Ibrahim Ismail
Abd al-Wahhab, Hassan N.
Atrushi, Soorkeu A.
University
Salahaddin University-Hawler
Faculty
College of Engineering
Department
Mechanical Engineering
University Country
Iraq
Degree
Ph.D.
Degree Date
2012
English Abstract
Solar energy is a renewable, inexhaustible energy source which has recently become more feasible with the decreasing cost of photovoltaic panels.
Power generation efficiency by photovoltaic panels depends on environmental factors like the intensity of local solar radiation and the amount of solar energy absorbed by the panel.
Among the various methods for improving the performance of photovoltaic panels, the most common method is a solar tracking system, which serves to make the incident radiation perpendicular on the solar panel.
A mechatronic tracking system comprised of an electronic control circuit with a mechanical model was designed to follow the sun position.
Four sensors with an enclosure were mounted on the solar panel frame and used as a detector of the sun position.
A programmed microcontroller was used to get the input from the sensors and drive two DC actuator motors to keep the solar panel perpendicular with the solar radiation angle.
The mechanical component was designed to rotate the panel around the vertical axis to follow the Azimuth angle and around the horizontal axis to follow the Altitude angle.
A comparison between a fixed solar panel and two axes solar tracking panel was done.
The output power for the two axes solar tracking panel is 30 % more than the fixed solar panel.
The energy consumption by the solar tracking system is 1.4 % from the energy gain by two axes solar tracking panel.
The system error angle which is the difference between measured and calculated angles is 0.531º for the Azimuth axis and 0.321˚ for the Altitude axis.
The designed tracking system proved effective at successfully lowering power generation cost.
Main Subjects
Topics
No. of Pages
71
Table of Contents
Table of contents.
Abstract.
Chapter One : introduction.
Chapter Two : literatures review.
Chapter Three : design of the system and the experimental work.
Chapter Four : results and discussion.
Chapter Five : conclusions and future work.
References.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Yusuf, Ali Husayn. (2012). Study of sun tracking mechanism for photovoltaic panels. (Doctoral dissertations Theses and Dissertations Master). Salahaddin University-Hawler, Iraq
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-314352
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Yusuf, Ali Husayn. Study of sun tracking mechanism for photovoltaic panels. (Doctoral dissertations Theses and Dissertations Master). Salahaddin University-Hawler. (2012).
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-314352
American Medical Association (AMA)
Yusuf, Ali Husayn. (2012). Study of sun tracking mechanism for photovoltaic panels. (Doctoral dissertations Theses and Dissertations Master). Salahaddin University-Hawler, Iraq
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-314352
Language
English
Data Type
Arab Theses
Record ID
BIM-314352
