Programmable logic controller based design and implementation of multiple axes solar tracking system

Abstract

The power generation using solar energy has been used widely many years ago due to fuel shortage and its low cost. In this paper, a design and implement of dual axis solar tracking system has been implemented using programmable logic controller (PLC). This proposed system, keeps the solar panels aligned with the sun during the sunrise hours, in order to maximize solar power extracted from the sun. In this work an open loop control systems been designed and carried out using PLC, and direct current motors for solar cell sun tracking. The tracking has done in two manners, that is, the usual daily sun tracking vertically, and the seasonal sun tracking horizontally. The second tracking technique, computes the difference in the day hours per year in four seasons, with the aid of PLC program, which is the solar time of the day hours or the sunrise hours of the day. After the system has completely installed a suitable measurement has been carried out for the fixed and moving solar panel. As compared with usual fixed panels, the power that has been obtained from the solar system is 38% better than the fixed technique.