PROJECT REPORT ON : SOLAR TRACKER By

Bharat Karki : 904169 Ramesh Karkee: 905143 Sagar Bhattarai: 904184 Suresh Tamang : 904187

A project report submitted to the department of Electronics and Communication Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Engineering

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering 2068

SOLAR TRACKER
Submitted to: The Project Committee Everest Engineering and Management College

Date: August 17, 2011

Bharat Karki

: 904169

Ramesh Karkee : 905143 Sagar Bhattarai : 904184 Suresh Tamang : 904187 BE (Electronics and Communication)

Certification

Project Title:- SOLAR TRACKER

The proposed Project seems feasible based on Proposal submitted and defense carried out and is accepted as a third year project. I agree to supervise and monitor the milestones delivered and evaluate the performance of individual project members.

Full Name: Full Signature: Designation: Date:

TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover page . Certification Abstract .. Introduction .. Objective . Project Feature .. Feasibility study System Requirement .. Motivation .. Aims and Goal Time estimation .. Cost estimation .. Block Diagram of solar tracker

ABSTRACT:In this modern world, today the most important crisis that we are facing is that of en energy. Energy being the most essential and basic requirement to fulfill our lives is the most important resource and presently it has become impossible to survive without it. The basic forms of energy that we have are petroleum, natural gas, natural gas liquid , coal and wood. Simultaneously, the use of energy has increased rapidly and it has become really very important to conserve and save it as the energy resources available are being used in such a rate that they might be depleted in not too distant future. Thus the idea of our project rose from the goal to save energy and the main aim of our project is to conserve and obtain maximum possible this alternative form of energy. This project is related to the renewable-energy i.e. conversion of solar radiation in to the electrical energy (voltage, current and power). We have performed this project to achieve the maximum power generation from solar panel. This system is actually, efficient in the sense that it can track the solar radiation from sunrise to the sunset. The entire stationary panel exited in this advance and progressing world also seeks the tracking system to replace them completely. This is the key , that it will be able to sustain this economic condition for replacing them. We also aim this is the most user reliable for the operation and maintenance. In the context of Nepal, this project is most suitable due to the poor economic condition.

INTRODUCTION:We know that sun is the ultimate source of energy, the form without which it is impossible for any living being to survive on earth. Even fossil fuel received their solar energy input eons ago and posses the energy in a greatly concentrated form. Nevertheless, we know that Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed, this refers to the fact that we can convert the energy from the sun and used it in various ways. The world today is in search of all possible forms of energy and the only alternate form of energy is the solar energy which is renewable and can be easily transformed to electrical energy.

The background or say root of level concept of our project emerged from support of the above facts. The rapid and increasing demand of energy will not let the non-renewable forms of energy to last longer. Due to this reason, not only here in Nepal but the whole world is demanding most reliable, cheap and commonly available energy source. Here we are trying to capture the maximum energy from the sum and use it in the way we want or say as electrical energy here.

We also aim to track the sum by the panel and achieve maximum energy in minimum cost and better result from especially the context of Nepal society for domestic and commercial us as well.

BLOCK DIAGRAM OF SOLAR TRACKER:

Analog input

ADC LDR1 0808 LDR2

p 89S51

Interfac ing Ckt

Motor

Solar panel

Fig:-Block diagram of solar tracker

OBJECTIVE: To implement a tracking system capable of performing the very important task of solar radiation absorption, which can be used in industrial sector as well as in the commercial sector. Is simple to construct and easy to handle. To control this instrument is reliable and cheap. Minimization of cost is achieved. The circuit is also able to recognize the maximum radiation and traps the maximum energy. We expect this project is going to be very useful and contemporary as to the changing needs of the forms of energy.

PROJECT FEATURES:The currently purposed project would provide: An efficient device for trapping energy in horizontal axis can be obtained. Easy, secured and handy equipment for general use. It is very helpful in countryside and villages as it can be effective where resources for heat generating and cooking are not surplus. It is an easy mode to be used in industries if modified. The device thus would be a multi-purpose one.

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FEASIBILITY STUDY:Operational feasibility: By using solar tracker, it would be very efficient to capture energy for many purposes like heating, cooking etc instead of using different techniques. It can be also used in cities as well as countryside. It is more handy and easy to use. Some difficulties may arise while using different sensors and converting energy. If the device uses sensors for various perspectives separately, it can get more efficiency. Thats why we have limited it only as a model at this time.

Technical Feasibility Solar tracker we are presenting is a model. The components that we are using are easily available. The mechanical part can be easily made as we have knowledge of mechanical workshop. The circuit elements are available in the market and the design procedure as carried stepwise is definitely feasible. Economic feasibility The solar tracker can replace a number of fuel requirements. Also the device used for all types of people and industries can be reused for others. This device can work for capturing energy for wide ranges of purpose. As single device can be used to replace many resources and once the device is ready it can capture as much energy as desired, the concept of making maximum use of limited resources is encouraged in our project and obviously determines its economic feasibility.

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SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:The system requirements can be divided into software, hardware and mechanical section. Hardware requirements: These are the components required in the circuitry: LDR (light dependent resistor) ADC (analog to digital converter) Microcontroller AT 89s51 Resistors of various value Capacitors of various value Stepper motor BC547 Oscillator 3.57 MHz IC 7404

Software requirements: SDCC (small device c compiler) Notepad++ ISP programmer

Mechanical requirements: Since we have planned to make the proper device of metal hence few mechanical parts can be: Metal sheets Pillar Bearings Pulley etc.

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COST ESTIMATION
Component LDR(light dependent resistors) ADC Microcontroller(89s51) Resistors and capacitor Leds BC547 Stepper Motor IC 7404 Circuit element(like wires, Oscillator 3.57 MHz) Mechanical part and workshop cost Miscellaneous charges Quantity 2 1 1 Few Few 4 1 1 Price 10 225 150 50 25 15 750 40 80 300 100 Amount 20 225 150 50 25 60 750 40 80 300 100

TOTAL

1800 only

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MOTIVATION:The energy demands of the world is increasing very rapidly and the natural resources like, fossil fuels, wood, biogas couldnt last long. Due to this reason, this world is demanding most reliable, cheap and commonly available energy source. Solar energy has all these features and fulfills the energy demand of this world. The project launched before carrying this project also attempt to get maximum efficiency at a sunny day of 8 hours by using tracking system or only with the stationary panel adjustment , but is costly. We aim with a maximum cost of the tracking of sun by the panel can be achieved and able to collect the maximum energy at the output. In the context of Nepal, people need only those project carried out with minimum cost, whatever the result. We hope that our project can be maintained with minimum cost and better efficiency. From this point of view, we have selected this project and also thought that all stationary solar panel can be easily attached to the structures designed by us leads to the formulation of this project and motivated us to propound this. Renewable energy follows the law of conservation of energy,i.e. energy can neither be created nor be destroyed but can be transformed in other forms. So, sun provides solar energy demanded by the universe in the form of light and heat and which can be transformed in to the desirable one. Sun is primary source of energy and all forms of energy on the earth are derived from it. The solar energy can be harnessed either by deriving energy directly from sunlight or by indirect methods. We choose the indirect methods in which light energy is converted into corresponding voltage level/current i.e. electrical energy. For the reception of maximum energy a variety of tracking mechanisms have been designed which is capable of tracking the sun from east to west. East to west tracking system is the perfect one to collect the sufficient solar energy from sun rise to sun set.

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TIME ESTIMATION:-

1 2 3 4 5 6

Task Name Proposal submission Proposal defense Analysis design coding testing documentation

Duration 2wks 3 days 3 wks 2 wks 1wks 1wks

Start Tue 8/2/11 Mon 8/15/11 Thu 8/18/11 Thu 9/8/11 Thu 9/22/11 Thu 9/29/11

Finish Mon 8/14/11 Wed 8/17/11 Wed 9/7/11 Wed 9/21/11 Wed 9/28/11 Wed 10/5/11

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AIMS AND GOALS:Through this project, we attempt to implement a tracking system capable of performing the very important task of solar radiation absorption, which can be used in industrial sector as well as commercial sector. The general structure which has been designed by us is simple to construct and easy to handle. The circuit to control this instrument is reliable and cheap. We assure that a general skilled person can prepare this circuit and the structure if he/she gets this document. We selected the circuit components, which are commonly available in the market. Minimization of the cost is achieved by using with the LDR(light dependent resistor) sensor. Circuit is also able to recognize the maximum radiation and hence it can trap maximum energy. We expect this project will replace all the stationary structure very soon in the future. Engineering is a wide field where technology changes day by day so engineer must be updated. This project also guides to update us for the incoming future.

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REFERENCES:1. Website: http:/users.pandora.be/educypedia/electronics/resistors.htm 2. Website: www.malvino.com 3. Website: www.8051projects.projects.asp 4. Website: www.wikipedia.com 5. Website: www.alldatasheets.com 6. G.D Rai, Solar utilization, Khanna Publishers 7. M.P Agrawal, Future sources of Electrical power, S.Chand

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