Abstract:
Two-axis solar tracking system operated by the discharge of water from a bottom hole of
a tank filled with water was designed, constructed and tested. The water tank is hanged
by a chain passing over a non-circular sprocket wheel which is fixed to the rotating shaft
along the first solar tracking axis. A counterweight is also hanged by another chain
passing over a regular circular sprocket. In the morning, the tank is full and the water
tank and the counterweight on either side of the shaft balance in such a way that the solar
panel is facing the East as required. This study shows that the contour of the non-circular
sprocket wheel can be designed taking into consideration the reduction of weight of water
tank with time and the required rotation for solar tracking. In addition to the hourly
tracking by the above mechanism, provision has been made to tilt the second tracking
axis of the solar panel manually on a weekly basis to compensate for the seasonal
variation of the Sun's declination.
Results show that the additional cost involved in making this mechanism is justifiable
when considering the increase of about 30% of more solar power obtainable by two-axis
tracking.
The paper published regarding this tracking system at Sri Lanka Association for the
Advancement of Science (SLAAS) in 64th Annual Sessions held on 01-06 December
2008 shown in Appendix A.
