Introduction
Solar panels convert radiation from a light source to electrical energy most efficiently when they are positioned perpendicular to the light source. Maintaining the panel at this desired perpendicularity has been a problem which many inventors and engineers have come up with solutions for. Single-axis tracking systems provide large improvements in power output over stationary panels, but using a motor to power two axes may prove to be cost-prohibitive when analyzing the small power gains expected when upgrading from a single-axis to a dual-axis tracking system.
Our team has designed a two-axis solar tracker than will maintain a solar panel perpendicular to the sun, no matter the sun’s position in the sky. The design uses only one motor in hopes of maximizing power output while minimizing power consumed by the tracking system. This report focuses on the design and analysis of a prototype dual-axis solar tracker, which will be constructed in the future. Once constructed, the power produced by the prototype’s main panel will be monitored for dual-axis tracking, single-axis tracking, and no tracking to determine if the anticipated initial monetary cost and power consumption of the tracking system produces a sufficient increase in output power.
The assignment is to design a dual axis solar tracking system using a single DC motor. The system, as specified by Cummins, is designed for small residential applications and was limited to a budget of 1500$. The final design will be a combination of two design concepts, one for each axis.
- DC Motor controlled by Light Sensor System
- The difference in current output of the two sensors will be analyzed to drive a reversible motor which will rotate a gear system to turn the output shaft until panel is aligned with the sun around the z axis
- Refrigerant Vaporzation
System
- The solar panel and a refrigerant expansion system will be mounted at the top of the vertical shaft, and the refrigerant system will be used to rotate the panel about a horizontal axis, as shown in the slide show to your right. The torque produced by the system will rotate the panel about the
y axis
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