Energies (Aug 2023)

Performance Analysis of Solar Tracking Systems by Five-Position Angles with a Single Axis and Dual Axis

  • Nuttee Thungsuk,
  • Thaweesak Tanaram,
  • Arckarakit Chaithanakulwat,
  • Teerawut Savangboon,
  • Apidat Songruk,
  • Narong Mungkung,
  • Theerapong Maneepen,
  • Somchai Arunrungrusmi,
  • Wittawat Poonthong,
  • Nat Kasayapanand,
  • Siriwhut Nilwhut,
  • Hiroyuki Kinoshita,
  • Toshifumi Yuji

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/en16165869
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 16
p. 5869

Abstract

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This research presents an analysis of the five-position angle in both single-axis (one-axis tracking) and dual-axis (two-axis tracking) solar tracking systems. The study compares these tracking systems, where four solar panels move simultaneously, with a fixed solar panel system. The findings revealed that the five-position angle Sun-tracking technique resulted in lower energy consumption by the tracking mechanism than in the case of an all-time solar tracking system. The key component of the implemented system is a light-dependent resistor (LDR) sensor for controlling the motion of the motor for five positions on the vertical axis and horizontal axis, processed by a microcontroller to ensure the necessary solar tracking always moves in a perpendicular direction. According to the results, the voltage, current, and power increased with both one-axis and two-axis tracking compared to those of the fixed solar panel system under the same conditions. However, when evaluating the total energy with numerical integration methods, one-axis and two-axis provided 183.12 Wh and 199.79 Wh, respectively. Consequently, the energy production of the one-axis tracking system and the one-axis tracking system was found to be 16.71% and 24.97%, respectively, when compared to the fixed-axis system. Thus, the five-position angles of the sun-tracking technique resulted in lower energy consumption than is the case of an all-time solar tracking system.

Keywords