Design and Development of Dual Axis Solar Tracking Device Integrated Monitor Through Smartphone

• Main Author: Muhammad Hafizuddin bin Mohd Hasli
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Solar Tracking; Monitoring; Dual Axis

This project integrated the solar tracking system with enhanced tracking characteristics. 3D modelling was used to design the solar panel frame that were used to develop the prototype part by 3D printer. This tracker is a photovoltaic panel used to transform the solar power gathered into electrical power and stepper engine to move the panel into its specified axis. A fixed solar panel are less efficient in collecting the solar energy which make a solar tracker more efficient in maximizing the energy collection. This is performed to ensure that sunlight falls on the surface of the solar panel perpendicularly. The tracker uses four Light Dependent Resistors (LDR) to capture maximal light and transfer the engines into the most appropriate place while tracking the sun's position all day long. The estimated data extracted from the tracking process where to track the sunlight direction and the amount of power generated from the dual-axis solar tracking system was established. This solar tracker is designed as an active tracker system and controlled by microcontroller. The electronic parts include the using of NodeMCU and Arduino UNO as the microcontrollers involved for the tracking system. A small scale solar tracker has been built to ensure the cost is low and reasonable. The development of the application on the smartphone was also completed as this project require a smartphone application to be integrated with the system. The application was developed by using MIT Apps Inventor and manage to get reading of power, voltage and current generated by this type of solar tracker. This project is considered to be a novel idea in contributing for solar energy and renewable energy industries for future energy generation.