Design and Simulation of Dual Axis Solar Tracker for Optimum Solar Energy Absorption

Abstract

Solar energy is clean, cheap, renewable, and abundantly available source of energy and hence many researchers focus on the techniques of increasing absorption of solar power for different practical applications. Solar tracking system plays a major role in this field because of the importance of tracking the sun and increasing absorption of solar energy during the day light timing. This paper presents a new design, simulation as well as results of dual axis solar tracking system that is able to make the solar panel produce maximum power during its function. The design takes into account that all related electronic (transducers, controlling, and drive circuits) are supplied by an efficient designed and simulated DC power supply which is fed from the connected solar panel. The simulation results show that the dual axis tracker has better capability of tracking the sun light in two planes instead of single plane tracking of single axis tracker. The design of the proposed system depends on general use discrete electronic components that make the practical implementation to be easily constructed.