This document discusses the design of a closed loop solar tracker as part of a capstone project. The objectives are to design an effective sensor array to guide a drive system to track the sun's movement and position a photovoltaic panel at the optimal angle. The system will use LDR sensors, DC motors, an L293D motor driver IC, and an ATmega16 microcontroller. It will track the sun automatically to maximize the solar panel's energy output. The team aims to present the working solar tracker at the end of the course to provide a low-cost solution for remote areas lacking electricity access.

1. Presentation OnPresentation On
Capstone Project (Part –I)Capstone Project (Part –I)
(Closed Loop Solar Tracker)(Closed Loop Solar Tracker)
Prepared By:
Vinayak Kumar
Manpreet Kaur
Kunal Paul
Shiv Yadav
Manoj Kumar

2. IntroductionIntroduction
• Renewable energy is rapidly gaining importance as an
energy resource as fossil fuel prices fluctuate.
• One of the most popular renewable energy sources is solar
energy.
• Many researches were conducted to develop some methods
to increase the efficiency of Photo Voltaic systems (solar
panels).
• This project deals with a microcontroller based solar panel
tracking system.
• Solar tracking enables more energy to be generated because
the solar panel is always able to maintain a perpendicular
profile to the sun’s rays.

3. Project ObjectivesProject Objectives
Some of the objectives to meet are:
 To design an effective sensor array to provide
directional information to guide a major drive system
to track the movement of the sun across the sky.
 The drive will have to position a photo-voltaic panel
to the best angle of exposure to sunlight for collection
of solar energy.
To present and run the Solar Tracker during the end-
of-the course presentation.

5. Solar PanelsSolar Panels
Solar panels are devices that convert light into
electricity. Solar cells or PV cells rely on the
photovoltaic effect to absorb the energy of the
sun and cause current to flow between two
oppositely charge layers.
A solar panel is a collection of solar cells.
Crystalline silicon and gallium arsenide are
typical choices of materials for solar panels.

6. Solar TrackerSolar Tracker
A solar tracker is a device onto which solar
panels are fitted which tracks the motion of the
sun across the sky ensuring that the maximum
amount of sunlight strikes the panels throughout
the day.

7. Need Of Solar TrackerNeed Of Solar Tracker
Commercial purpose
 Increase Solar Panel Output
Maximum efficiency of the panel
 Maximize Power per unit Area
Able to grab the energy throughout the day .

8. Types of solar trackersTypes of solar trackers
Single Axis Solar Tracker Dual axis solar Tracker

9. Methods of DriverMethods of Driver
 Active Trackers :Active Trackers use motors and gear trains to
direct the tracker as commanded by a controller responding to the
solar direction.
 Passive Trackers :Passive Trackers use a low boiling point
compressed gas fluid that is driven to one side or the other (by solar
heat creating gas pressure) to cause the tracker to move.
 Chronological Tracker :Chronological Tracker counteracts the
earth's rotation by turning at an equal rate as the earth, but in the
opposite direction.

10. Flow chartFlow chart

11. Components used:Components used:
LDR
DC Motors
L293D(Motor Driving IC)
Microcontroller(ATMEGA 16)
LCD
Buzzer

12. LDRLDR
 Light Dependent Resistor
(LDR) is made of a high-
resistance semiconductor.
 It can also be referred to as a
photoconductor.
 If light falling on the device
is of the high enough
frequency, photons absorbed
by the semiconductor give
bound electrons enough
energy to jump into the
conduction band.
 The resulting free electron
(and its hole partner) conduct
electricity, thereby lowering
resistance.

13. DC MotorDC Motor
• A DC motor is a mechanically
commutated electric motor powered
from direct current(DC).
• DC motors are cheaper to buy.
• Simple to drive but they need feed-
back sensors to allow control of the
speed.
• It is necessary to detect the rotation of
the wheels by means of sensors.

14. L293DL293D
• L293D is a dual H-bridge motor driver
integrated circuit (IC).
•Motor drivers act as current amplifiers since they
take a low-current control signal and provide a
higher-current signal.
• This higher current signal is used to drive the
motors.
•When an enable input is high, the associated
driver gets enabled.
•when the enable input is low, that driver is
disabled.

15. Microcontroller(ATMEGA16)Microcontroller(ATMEGA16)
Flash (Kbytes): 16 Kbytes
Pin Count : 40
Max. Operating Frequency:
16 MHz
 CPU: 8-bit AVR
Max I/O Pins: 32
 ADC channels:8
ADC Resolution (bits): 10
SRAM (Kbytes):1
 EEPROM (Bytes):512

16. Our systemOur system

17. Work to be doneWork to be done

18. Pros And Cons Of SolarPros And Cons Of Solar
Tracking SystemTracking System
PROS:
• Produces no pollution.
• Solar power produces electricity very silently.
• Chance to harness electricity in remote locations
that are not associated with a national power grid.
• Installing solar power panels in remote locations
is generally much less expensive.
•High efficiency.

19. Cons:Cons:
• High initial price of solar panels.
• Repairs and maintenance
• Damage in a storm
• Moving parts and gears require regular
maintainance

20. ConclusionConclusion
As we know that our country (India) have one of the
great problem of electricity now a day, specially in
ruler areas .electricity is a pillar of any country ,we
just want our project becomes ray of hope of those
People which really deserved it.
Here,Our main aim is to find low cost and accurate
closed loop solar tracker which is fully Automatic .