Análise de eficiência energética de um módulo fotovoltaico com rastreador solar comparado a um módulo fixo

Abstract

Solar energy has been constantly growing in recent years as an alternative to traditional energy generation. Studies have been carried out around the world to improve assembly techniques for solar energy generation systems, increasing the efficiency of photovoltaic modules, in order to guarantee the maximum generation of the plates. The efficiency of the modules was the basis of this research, using a module together with a solar tracker, checking if there is an improvement in the efficiency of the photovoltaic module and comparing with the efficiency of a fixed module. The tracker was assembled with wooden parts, pipes and an MDF base. The movements performed by the structure were made possible by means of two servomotors, one arranged to ensure movement in the azimutal axis and the other in the altitude axis. So that we could control the movements and read the quantities generated by the modules, we used two Arduino UNO prototyping modules and INA219 current, power and voltage sensors. An interface was developed in the Processing software to allow real-time supervision of the efficiencies of both modules. In addition, the interface allowed the user to perform manual control over the structure's movements, which could also move automatically. The automatic mode of operation was possible thanks to the use of photoresistive sensors, LDRs, which are able to change their resistivity when there is light incidence. In order for the interface to control the movements of the servos and interpret the readings of the photoresistive sensors, we used the Firmata library in one of the Arduino used. As a result, in one of the days analyzed, we obtained an improvement of 2.2% in the efficiency of the module coupled to the tracker, this result could have been better if we had used nominally more efficient panels, but even so, there was proof of efficiency gain.