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automatic solar tracking system

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Fantascy

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hi guys!, please i have a final year project titled automatic solar tracking system to design. I will appreciate it if anyone will drop hint(s) on how am to go about it.
Right now am thinking that using LDR,8051 and dc motors will be able to do the trick but i don't know how to start.
Your ideas are highly welcomed.
 

Use Photodiodes. every LDRs you buy will vary in charateristics eventhough its from the same shop and batch.
so its very difficult for you to make a judgement based on LDR value.

mount the five photodiodes in a half round manner. use ADC to covert the analog output of Photodiodes to digital.
based on value from each channel of adc rotate a stepper motor, which will change the direction of solar pannel.
 

Keep 3 IR receiver at some distance on the board to represent the East middle and West. Assuming that the sun rises in east when 1st IR receiver is illuminated using IR tx then the motor should rotate to some extent and stop. If middle IR receiver gets light the motor should rotate some more and should stop, when west IR gets IR tx signal the motor rotates and waits for some time. after some time assuming the sun has set, the motor should come back to orig position and again wait for the sun rise, or use an RTC and depending on the rtc value rotate the motor with proper delay

---------- Post added at 22:19 ---------- Previous post was at 22:17 ----------

Instead of IR you can use your LDR, if you use LDR then you need ADC.
 

i suppose the photodiodes have different types right and is its behaviour similar to LDR.
5 photdiodes does it mean 5 different ADc?
 

No, A single ADC will have multiple channels, depends on the ADC, So each sensor is connected to each channels and scanned in the application program
 

All the best for your project 8)

---------- Post added at 06:24 ---------- Previous post was at 06:22 ----------

You can gather much information from web as well....
 

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I would say us 2x LDR's, 1x PIC microcontroller, 1 x servo. Then use the hardware PWM in the processor to drive the servo.
 

Fantacy,
Don't know about giving hints...
But I can point you to a few places:::
...
Here are a few links to some solar trackers.
See if they can help you get organized and get your project done.
…
1st: A web Page about solar trackers and with a few good examples:
..
Solar Tracker - Solar
…
Here is a really popular and accurate tracker:
…
New Page 1
…
Here is a better site : same tracker – but has schematics, etc…
…
LED3X Solar Tracker Assembly
…
Here is a paper from Cornell University..
Includes a Bi-Polar Motor Controller using a LMD1825, and a Relay motor controller using I MOSFET.
..
http://courses.cit.cornell.edu/ee476/FinalProjects/s2005/tp62/website/solartracker.pdf
..
Hope these help..
...
Dave
 
Not sure if its been mentioned? max msp software is fantastic for such a project. with an arduino microcontroller for connecting your motors and sensors.

its worth checking max msp out. it would take you a few days to get your head around it , but when you do , its awesome.
 

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