Design And Development Of Time-Based Solar Tracker

Abstract

Conventional solar panels are statically installed, which leads to decrease in the amount of solar energy absorbed. Intensity of the incident sunlight and the temperature of the solar cell decides the efficiency. Tracking the incident sunlight on a regular basis is necessary for increasing the efficiency of the solar panel. A remunerative solution is required to install the panels in rural areas and farmlands. In smart city development usage of time-based solar tracker is inevitable. 3D modelling and simulation were done using PTC Creo parametric 6.0. Geometry and simulation data was perceived for electronic circuit. Circuit design and simulation was carried out using Autodesk Tinker cad to ensure the functionality of the program. The prototype consisting of servo motor, ambient light sensor, domestic solar panel and an Arduino R3 board was fabricated. Prototype was tested under the sun for a day and the values were recorded.