A Paper on Design of a Solar Tracking using ...

A Paper on Design of a Solar Tracking using Mechanical Principles

Author Name : N Sreekaran Reddy, L Mohan Sai Charan, D Srikanth Goud, P harshavardhan Goud

ABSTRACT In this paper, a new mechanical solar tracking system is developed to increase the conversion efficiency of the panel without the need for any electrical systems. The prior arts of tracking systems that employ motors and electronics are expensive to produce and highly energy demanding. This new system incorporates thermally expandable fluid within a parabolic trough, a counterweight system and a Shape Memory Alloy or SMA spring to optimize the angle of the solar panel to the sun during the course of the day. Due to its simplicity integrated in basic and elementary mechanical concepts, this system is cheaper, energy saving and eco-friendly, particularly suitable for off-grid/use and rural area. In this way, the commonly used SMA spring allows it to reset itself daily and thus maintain its operations without the need for energy addition. Flexible and relatively easy to implement at a large scale, this system may find use in residential and commercial settings. Possible future advancements could be extendable to improving material properties and experimentation under various conditions with an aim of improving their sturdiness and effectiveness in boosting the use of solar renewable energy