Autonomous Solar Radiation Tracking System

Purpose & objective

Objectives:
1. Investigate the energy benefits that solar energy offers as a primary energy source.
2. That students recognize and understand the importance of clean energy as the main energy supply, leaving aside the generation of energy through fossil fuels.
3. Make the most of the natural resources that the island of Cozumel offers as a means of generating electricity.
4. Design a device capable of efficiently following the highest incidence of light during the day.
5. Take advantage of the greater capture of solar radiation to generate a greater volume of electrical energy.

Theoretical Perspective:
The generation of electrical energy from the sun's rays continues to increase. Photovoltaic capture systems are implemented more frequently and at different scales around the world.
Solar panels are the mainstay of this conversion system, where to obtain a greater solar incidence it is necessary to accommodate them at a certain angular position, between 18 and 30 degrees, as well as to rotate them continuously.
Technological progress in this area in our country is zero, there are various brands and dimensions of photovoltaic systems, but there is no system that guides the cell arrangement where the greatest amount of sunlight falls.

Research Methods:
We are working on the implementation of a mechatronic system capable of tracking and locating the highest incidence of solar radiation during the day, making the most of energy capture for residential photovoltaic systems.
The system consists of a series of photosensitive sensors, located angularly on a circular base, which monitor the amount of solar rays that affect them, comparing the information through a micro controller that chooses which sensor receives the highest energy incidence, positioning the system in said angular direction thanks to a high precision motor that maintains said position until the micro controller detects another position with greater solar incidence.

Expected Results:
The development of the project is in its experimental stage, the students are working on the implementation of the prototype, this considering the factors analyzed for the solar incidence in Cozumel.
In the first instance, a scale prototype capable of following and acceptably positioning the sensors will be built in the orientation where there is better solar reception; causing a greater energy capture that translates into a higher voltage positioning the solar cells in the correct orientation.
We are to build an autonomous system with sufficient capacity to efficiently position an array of photovoltaic cells, allowing the capture of a greater volume of electrical energy which, in turn, represents a lower consumption of electrical energy that is supplied to homes on a regular basis, reducing said spending.

Educational Relevance:
As a vanguard Educational Institution we seek to encourage our students to create new areas of opportunity in future industrial trends, that is why the real implementation of sustainable technological projects make them acquire valuable experiences that nurture their comprehensive training.
We also want our student to understand and analyze the high rate of solar rays and natural factors that help and promote the use of this natural resource. The project, per se, will allow a better collection of energy, which in turn will benefit the community.

Supporting research

https://www.forbes.com.mx/negocios-la-4t-y-la-ip-se-confrontan-por-las-energias-renovables/
https://www.greenpeace.org/mexico/blog/8329/cual-es-el-potencial-de-mexico-en-energia-renovable/
http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1815-59012015000200008
http://www.ecorresponsabilidad.es/pdfs/ecoinnovacion/HISPANOTRACKER_seguidores_solares.pdf
https://solar-energia.net/energia-solar-fotovoltaica/elementos/seguidor-solar
http://oa.upm.es/43463/1/TFG_MARCOS_BERNAL_ESPANA_a.pdf