ABSTRACT
This is aimed at designing, constructing, and a single-axis, variable speed passive solar tracking device. This is because all the solar trackers in use in the country are mainly imported.
The design works on the principle that Freon – 12 (Dichloroflouromethane)boils at very low temperatures i.e. somewhat lower than – 300F (-34.44oC) thus generating great pressures even with just a small quantity of it evaporating.
This pressure generated from the evaporation of some of the Freon – 12 tilts the collector in the direction of the sun through a hydraulic pivoted to the collector .
The solar tracker was designed, constructed, and tested by mounting a solar photovoltaic (PV) module on the tracker, and a comparison of the power output ofthe PV on the tracker against that of a stationary PV module was made.
Results showed that the panel had an average relative performance of about 30% over the stationary module and a cost of over N40, 000.00 cheaper than that of the imported ones.
It was thus concluded that the project was a success because the relative performance obtained is in agreement with reported performances of similar tracking devices.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgment v
Abstract vii
Table of content viii – xii
List of figures xiii-xiv
List of tables xiv
List of drawings xv
List of plates xvi
Symbols xvii-xviii
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Solar Energy ……………………………………….. 1
1.2 Solar Tracking ……………………………………… 2
1.3 Solar Collectors …………………………………….. 3
1.4 Solar Photovoltaic Cell …………………………… 4
1.5 Solar Module ……………………………………… 5
1.6 Need for Tracking …………………………………. 5
1.7 The Aim of the Project ……………………………… 6
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Solar Trackers ……………………………………… 7
2.2 Tracking Modes/ Geometries …………………….. 7
2.3 Previous Works on Solar Tracking systems …….. 9
2.4 Justification. ……………………………………….. 10
CHAPTER THREE
THEORY OF DESIGN AND DESIGN CALCULATIONS
3.1 Analysis of Tracking …………………………….. 11
3.1.1 Angle of Altitude ………………………………… 11
3.1.2 Angle of Slope …………………………………. 12
3.1.3 Angle of Incidence …………………………….. 12
3.1.4 Surface Azimuth Angle ……………………….. 13
3.1.5 Angle of Declination of the Sun ……………….. 13
3.1.6 Hour Angle ……………………………………. 14
3.1.7 Total Solar Radiation on a Tilted Surface …… 14
3.2 Volume of Cylinder …………………………… 15
3.3 Pressure in a Cylinder ………………………… 15
3.4 Specific Gas Constant …………………………. 16
3.5 Ideal Gas Equation …………………………….. 16
3.6 Length of Throw Arm ………………………….. 17
3.7 Maximum Permissible Pressure in Refrigerant Reservoir …………….. 17
3.8 Force on Hydraulic Cylinder ………………….. 18
3.9 Mass of Fluid …………………………………… 18
3.10 Design of Semi Tracking Variable Speed Solar Tracking Device ……… 18
3.11 Design Calculations ……………………………. 20
3.12 Length of Throw Arm …………………………. 31
3.13 Pressure Generated by Gas in Reservoir …….. 33
3.14 Altitude Angles at other Dates in the Year …… 33
3.15 Height of Shades Required for 21st September And 21st March ……………………………….. 34
CHAPTER FOUR
CONSTRUCTION OF SOLAR TRACKING DEVICE AND MATERIAL SELECTION
4.1 Methodology …………………………………. 35
4.2 Description of Solar Tracking Device …….. 35
4.3 How the Solar Tracker Works …………….. 36
4.4 Specification of the Solar Tracking Device 38
4.4.1 The Refrigerant …………………………….. 38
4.4.2 The Frame …………………………………… 39
4.4.3 The Double Acting Hydraulic Cylinder …… 39
4.4.4 The Shades ………………………………….. 39
4.4.5 Refrigerant Hoses ……………………. 40
4.4.6 Valves ………………………………………… 40
4.4.7 Refrigerant Reservoir ………………………. 40
4.5 Material Selection and Manufacturing Process …………………. 40
4.5.1 Frame ………………………………………… 40
4.5.2 Double Acting Hydraulic Cylinder ………… 41
4.5.3 Shades ……………………………………….. 41
4.5.4 Refrigerant Hoses ……………………. 41
4.5.5 Valves ……………………………………….. 41
4.5.6 Refrigerant …………………………………. 42
4.5.7 Refrigerant Reservoir ……………………… 43
CHAPTER FIVE
EXPERIMENTS AND RESULTS
5.1 Experimentation ……………………………. 44
5.2 Aim ………………………………………….. 44
5.3 Procedures ………………………………….. 44
5.4 Results ………………………………………. 46
5.5 Discussions ………………………………….. 54
5.6 Costing ………………………………………. 55
CHAPTER SIX
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusion …………………………………………… 57
Recommendations ……………………………………. 57
REFERENCES ……………………………………….. 58
INTRODUCTION
SOLAR ENERGY
Solar energy is an important clean, cheap, and abundantly available renewable energy. The sun radiates heat and light. The heat and light received from the sun support the environment on the earth through the following well-known natural effects.
– Temperature balance on the earth
– Photosynthesis by biological plants, production of oxygen and organic materials. Production of organic chemicals and biomass
– Wind due to unequal heating of water, land surfaces.
– Water cycle: Evaporation – Clouds – Rainwater – evaporation – clouds – …
– Heating of ocean water: Ocean thermal energy (OTEC)
– Waves in Ocean: Ocean wave energy
– Tides in Ocean: Ocean tidal energy (due to gravitational forces.
The sun produces an enormous amount of heat and light through sustained nuclear fusion reactions. The solar energy received on earth and can be used for heating and producing electrical energy.
The first person to use the sun’s energy on a large scale was Archimedeswho reportedly set fire to an attacking Roman fleet at Syracuse in 212BC.
He accomplished this by means of a burning glass composed of small square mirrors moving everywhere upon hinges so as to reduce the Roman fleet to ashes at a distance of a bowshot.
Serious studies of the sun and its potential began in the 17th century when Galileo and Lavoiser utilized the sun in their research.
By 1700 diamonds had been melted and by the early 1800s heat engines were operating with energy supplied by the sun. In the early twentieth century, solar energy was used to power water distillation plants in Chile and irrigation pumps in Egypt. (Kreider and Kreith, 1981).
REFERENCES
Arinze, E.A, Adefila, SS, Folayan CO and Mumah, S.N. (1988). Augmentationof Energy Collection System in Flat Solar Collectors by Sun Tracking forVarious Locations in Northern Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Solar Energy:Volume 7, Pp 84 – 104
Atiku, A.T.(1987). Design and Development of a Microprocessor ControlledSolar Tracker for Photovoltaic Module. Unpublished M.Sc thesis, AhmaduBello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
Atiku, A.T., Sulaiman, A.T. and Aliyu, U.O. (1989). Microprocesso ControlledSolar Tracker for Photovoltaic Module. Nigerian Journal of Solar Energy:Volume 8, Pp 105 – 122
Brinkworth, B.J (1972) Solar Energy for Man, The Compton Press Ltd,Compton Chamberlayne Salisbury.
Cheremisinoff, P.N & Region, T (1978) Principles and Application of SolarEnergy. Anne Arbor Science Publishers Inc. Michigan
Dickinson, W.C & Cheremisinoff, P.N (Ed) 1980) Solar Energy TechnologyHandbook – Part A Engineering Fundamentals. Marcel Dekker Inc. pp.
StudentsandScholarship Team.
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