p–ISSN: 2723 - 6609 e-ISSN: 2745-5254
Vol. 5, No. 1 January 2024 http://jist.publikasiindonesia.id/
Doi: 10.59141/jist.v5i01.865 297
DESIGNING BEAM CAPTURE SETTINGS FOR SOLAR POWER PLANTS
Muhammad Ridwan1*, Arief Suardi N.C2
Institut Teknologi PLN Jakarta, Indonesia
Email: [email protected]*, [email protected]
*Correspondence
ABSTRACT
Keywords: Rays, movers,
programs.
Solar Power Plant (PLTS) absorbs solar energy and is adjusted to the
change in circulation from 06.00 in the morning to 17.00 in the
afternoon. This requires adjustment to the installation of a solar power
plant so that energy capture can be optimal; this adjustment uses a
sunlight capture tool called Suntracker. The main tools are in the form of
movers, timers and work steps that can be dragged. Based on the testing
results and discussion of the overall design of solar trackers, namely. The
highest current measurement results in stationary solar cells (static)
occur at 11.00 WIB, which is 0.23 A. The highest current measurement
results on solar trackers also occur at 10.00 WIB, 0.25 A. The highest
voltage measurement in stationary solar cells occurs at 10.00 WIB,
which is 14.2 volts. Moreover, the highest voltage measurement results
on the solar tracker occurred at 10.00 WIB, which is 20.3 volts.
Introduction
Solar Power Plant consists of several components, which include a series of solar
modules equipped with a buffer structure, batteries, control systems, inverters to meet
loads that have reciprocating runs, wiring, and generator diesel as an option if the system
requires a backup system, as shown in the following figure below:
Figure 1 Solar system and components
Image caption:
1. PV Array or network of modules
2. Solar Charge Controller
3. Energy storage bank battery
4. Inverter to convert DC to AC
5. Load.
Muhammad Ridwan, Arief Suardi N.C
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2024 298
Modul Sel Surya (module photovoltaics)
Solar or photovoltaic cells can convert solar radiation energy directly into electrical
energy. The cell is a diode type composed of P –N junctions. Photovoltaic solar cells are
made from semiconductor materials that are processed in such a way that can produce
direct current (DC) electricity (Mukarromah, 2016). In use, solar cells are connected,
parallel or in series, depending on their use, to produce power with the desired
combination of voltage and current.
Battery
A battery is a device that stores power generated by solar panels that are not
immediately used by the load (Pasaribu & Reza, 2021). The stored power can be used
during low solar radiation or at night. Battery components are sometimes called
accumulators. Batteries store electricity in the form of chemical power. The most
commonly used batteries in solar applications are maintenance-free lead-acid batteries,
also called recombinant or VRLA batteries (Idris, 2019).
Batteries fulfil two essential purposes in photovoltaic systems: to provide electrical
power when the solar panels' arrays do not provide power and to store the excess power
generated by the panels whenever it exceeds the load (Putra, 2019). Such batteries
undergo a cyclical process of storing and discharging, depending on the presence or
absence of sunlight. During the time of the sun, the panel array produced electrical power.
Unused power is immediately used to charge the battery (Ariprihata, Erfandy, Susilo, &
Sujito, 2023). During the time of the absence of the sun, the demand for electrical power
is provided by the battery, which therefore will discharge it.
This store and discharge cycle occurs whenever the power generated by the panel
does not equal the power required to support the load. The battery will store power if
there is enough sun and the load is light. The battery will discharge power at night
whenever a certain amount is needed (HUTAPEA, 2023). The battery will also discharge
power when the irradiation is insufficient to cover the load requirements (due to natural
variations in climatic conditions, clouds, dust, etc.).
Sel Surya (Solar Cell)
Photovoltaic comes from two words, photo and volt, which means light-electric.
Cells that convert sunlight radiation into electricity are called photovoltaic cells, also
known as solar cells (Sampeallo, Galla, & Mbakurawang, 2018). A photovoltaic module
is a unified circuit consisting of several photovoltaic cells connected in series, parallel, or
a combination of series and parallel. To get a large enough power requires a lot of solar
cells. Usually, solar cells have been arranged so that they are in the form of panels and
are called photovoltaic (PV) panels.
Research Methods
The type of research used is quantitative research with content analysis. Electronic
design is the initial stage carried out. This is intended to obtain a circuit that suits your
needs, where it is expected that the device made can follow the movement of the sun
Designing Beam Capture Settings For Solar Power Plants
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2024 299
(tracker) from morning to evening. Electronic design includes the process of selecting
electronic components and assembling these components into tools with good
specifications. Once the designed tool shows the desired results, the solar cell module can
be tested. Testing solar cell modules with circuits that have been made aims to show the
circuit's performance in maximising the use of photovoltaic devices to capture and change
solar radiation from morning to evening so that testing needs to be carried out for two
days starting at 06.00 to 17.00. Some of the indicators tested to demonstrate the
modulator's performance include testing current and voltage over time by comparing
absorption by PV cells when the module is stationary and by using a tracker, both on the
first day and on the second day.
Results and Discussion
Motor Servo
A servo motor is a motor with a closed feedback system where the motor's position
will be informed back to the control circuit in the servo motor. The motor consists of a
motor, a series of gears, a potentiometer and a control circuit. The potentiometer serves
to determine the angular limit of the servo rotation. Meanwhile, the angle of the axis of
the servo motor is set based on the width of the pulse sent through the signal leg of the
motor cable. As shown in the picture with a pulse of 1.5 mS in a period as broad as two
mS, the angle of the motor axis will be in the middle position. The wider the OFF pulse,
the greater the axis movement clockwise and the smaller the OFF pulse, the greater the
axis movement in the counterclockwise direction.
Servo motors usually only move to a certain angle and are not continuous like DC
or stepper motors. However, servo motors can be modified to move continuously for
specific purposes. In robots, this motor is often used for legs, arms or other parts with
limited movement and requires large enough torque.
A servo motor is a motor that can work in two directions (CW and CCW), where
the direction and angle of movement of the rotor can be controlled only by providing
PWM signal duty cycle settings on the control pins. The Servo Motor is shown in Figure
2
Figure 2 Servo Motor
Muhammad Ridwan, Arief Suardi N.C
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2024 300
A Servo motor is a DC motor with electronic controls and internal gear to control
movement and angular angle. The Servo Motor Mechanical System is shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3 Servo Motor Mechanical System
A servo motor is a slow-rotating motor, usually indicated by its slow rotation rate,
but has a strong torque due to its internal gear.
More deeply, it can be described that a servo motor has:
1. 3 cable paths: Power, Ground, and Control
2. Control signal controlling position
3. The operation of the servo motor is controlled by a pulse ± 20 ms wide, where the
pulse width between 0.5 ms and 2 ms represents the end of the maximum angular
range.
4. The construction includes internal gear, potentiometer, and feedback control.
Types of servo motors
a. Motor Servo Standard 180°
This type of servo motor can only move in two directions (CW and CCW) with
deflection of each angle reaching 90° so that the total angle deflection from right – centre
– left is 180°.
b. Motor Servo Continuous
This type of servo motor can move in two directions (CW and CCW) without the
limitation of rotational angle deflection (can rotate continuously).
Principles of Work of the Servo Motor
The working principle of the motor is based on laying a conductor in a magnetic
field. Discussion of the principle of magnetic field flow will help us understand the
working principle of a motor. A rotating magnetic field will be generated if a conductor
is wound with a current wire. The contribution of each rotation will change the intensity
of the magnetic field present in the field covered by the coil. It is in this way that a strong
magnetic field is formed. The power to drive the flux is called the magnetomotive Force
(MMF).
Flux magnets determine how much flux there is in the area around the coil or
permanent magnate. A permanent magnet generates the magnetic field in a DC servo
motor, so power is unnecessary to create a magnetic field. The magnetic field flux in the
stator is unaffected by the armature current. Therefore, the ratio curve between speed and
torque is linear.
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Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2024 301
In principle, if a conveyor passes through, the electric current will generate a
magnetic field around it. Then, whenever this conveyor is placed in magnetic induction
B, it will acquire the FB style. The magnitude of the force posed is comparable to the
electric current It and the length of the conveyor L, which cuts the magnetic induction B
or commonly expressed by the equation, Magnetic induction,
Fb = B . I . L
Information:
Fb = Gaya (N)
B = Magnetic induction
I = Current (A)
L = Long (m)
When the motor rotates, the current in the motor coil produces a torque whose value
is constant. In this servo DC motor, there are three primary coils, namely:
1. Armature
2. Magnet Permanent
3. Komutator
If a conductor (iron) is wound with a wire current, it will generate a rotating
magnetic field; the contribution of each rotation will change the intensity of the magnetic
field present in the field covered by the coil. In this way, the magnetic field is called
Magnet Motive Force (MMF). Magnetic flux is used to determine how much flux there
is in the area around the coil or permanent magnet. A permanent magnet generates the
magnetic field in the servo motor, so there is no need for energy to create a magnetic field.
The flux in the stator field is not affected by the motor's current. Therefore, the curve of
the ratio between speed and torque is linear.
The mechanics use ball bearings at the bearing outputs to make the movement
smoother, and vibrations and shocks can be reduced as little as possible. Inside a servo
motor is a DC motor as an actuator drive, several capacitors and an electronic circuit
potential odometer as a servo position feedback regulator.
Figure 4 Side view
Electronic Planning
Muhammad Ridwan, Arief Suardi N.C
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2024 302
Electronic design steps are arranged to obtain the proper circuit considering the
components' characteristics. With this design, the work stage from component selection
to component assembly is carried out continuously to create equipment with good
specifications.
Parts of the tool
1. The microcontroller, on the microcontroller part, is used to process data received from
the LDR sensor.
2. Servo motor, used as a horizontal and vertical drive on solar panels according to the
presence of the solar focal point
3. Solar cells and LDR panels: LDR sensors are adjacent to solar panels. The LDR sensor
detects the presence of sunlight, and then the data obtained is forwarded to the
microcontroller.
4. The accumulator serves as a store of electrical energy produced by solar cells.
Solar Cell Module Testing
This test is carried out directly under sunlight with sunny weather in the morning,
afternoon and evening using a digital multimeter. The purpose of testing solar cell
modules is to determine whether this tool works (Damanik, Pasaribu, Lubis, & Siregar,
2021). This test was conducted for two days, from 06.00 to 17.00.
The tests carried out start by measuring the output voltage of the solar cell, current
with load, and then testing the power generated from the solar cell. Below are the results
of testing on the Solar Cell Module (Sintaro, Surahman, & Pranata, 2021).
Table 1
Current and voltage testing against the time of the solar cell stationary on the first day
No.
Time
(UTC)
Arus
(Ampere)
Tension
(Volt)
Intensity
Light (lux)
Information
1. 06.00 0,15 13,3 437 bright
2. 07.00 0,17 13,5 462 bright
3.. 08.00 0,19 13,8 516 bright
4. 09.00 0,20 13,9 696 bright
5. 10.00 0,21 14,1 841 bright
6. 11.00 0,23 14,2 965 bright
7. 12.00 0,20 14,1 576 overcast
8. 13.00 0,17 13,4 564 overcast
9. 14.00 0,16 13,3 754 bright
10. 15.00 0,17 14,2 653 bright
11 16.00 0,16 13,6 648 bright
12. 17.00 0,16 13,4 521 bright
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Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2024 303
Table 2
Current and voltage testing against the time of the solar cell stationary on the second day
No.
Time
(UTC)
Arus
(Ampere)
Tension
(Volt)
Intensity
Light (lux)
Information
1. 06.00 0,16 13,4 415 bright
2. 07.00 0,17 13,5 457 bright
3.. 08.00 0,19 13,7 512 bright
4. 09.00 0,21 13,9 694 bright
5. 10.00 0,22 14,1 836 bright
6. 11.00 0,23 14,2 883 bright
7. 12.00 0,21 14,1 969 bright
8. 13.00 0,22 14,2 875 bright
9. 14.00 0,21 13,3 754 bright
10. 15.00 0,19 13,4 395 overcast
11 16.00 0,17 13,5 273 mendung
12. 17.00 0,16 13,3 243 Rain
From Table 1, a comparison between solar cells that use trackers and solar cells that
are stationary on the first day, it can be seen that the comparison produced is more
significant the current produced by solar cells that use trackers compared to solar cells
that do not use trackers, namely using solar trackers 0.24 A while those that do not use
trackers 0.23 A. The results of current testing on solar cells can be seen in Graph 1.
Chart 1
Comparison of current when using the tractor and at rest
0,15
0,17
0,19
0,2
0,21
0,23
0,2
0,17
0,16
0,17
0,16 0,16
0,17
0,19
0,21
0,22
0,23
0,24
0,22
0,19
0,18
0,19
0,18
0,17
0
0,05
0,1
0,15
0,2
0,25
0,3
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Arus pada saat solar cell diam Arus pada saat solar cell tracker
Muhammad Ridwan, Arief Suardi N.C
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2024 304
Table 3
Current and Voltage Testing of the time generated by the first-day solar tracker
No. Time (WIB) Arus (A) Voltage (V) Information
1. 06.00 0.17 18.5 bright
2. 07.00 0.19 18.9 bright
3. 08.00 0.21 19.8 bright
4. 09.00 0.22 20.1 bright
5. 10.00 0.23 20.3 bright
6. 11.00 0.24 20.2 bright
7. 12.00 0.22 18.8 overcast
8. 13.00 0.19 18.9 overcast
9. 14.00 0.18 18.7 bright
10. 15.00 0.19 19.4 bright
11. 16.00 0.18 19.2 bright
12. 17.00 0.17 18.6 bright
Table 4
Current and Voltage Testing of the time generated by the second-day solar tracker
No. Time (WIB) Arus (A) Voltage (V) Information
1. 06.00 0.17 18.7 bright
2. 07.00 0.19 19.3 bright
3. 08.00 0.19 19.6 bright
4. 09.00 0.20 19.8 bright
5. 10.00 0.23 20.2 bright
6. 11.00 0.25 20 bright
7. 12.00 0.24 19.7 bright
8. 13.00 0.23 19.5 bright
9. 14.00 0.22 19.4 bright
10. 15.00 0.17 18.4 overcast
11. 16.00 0.15 17.5 mendung
12. 17.00 0.10 14.6 Rain
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Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2024 305
Table 3 shows the comparison between the voltage produced by solar cells that use trackers
and solar cells that do not use trackers. The results obtained from testing between solar cells that
use trackers and those that do not use trackers have a difference; namely, the voltage produced by
solar cells that use trackers is greater than the voltage produced by solar cells that do not use
trackers on the first day. The results of voltage testing on solar cells can be seen in graph 2.
Chart 2
Voltage Comparison when using the tractor and at rest
From the results of taking current and voltage data from the solar cell, the power
generated from the solar cell will be obtained using the following formula:
P = V x I …………………………………………………………….. (4.1)
Information:
P = Solar cell power (Watt)
V = Solar cell voltage (Volt)
I = Solar cell current (Ampere)
From the two-day measurement data, solar cell power was obtained from 06.00 to
17.00. Data on power test results on solar cells can be seen in Table 5.
Table 5
The average measurement result in Solar cell power
No. TIME
SOLAR CELL DIAM SOLAR TRACKER
I'm
(ampe)
V (Volt)
P
(Watt)
I (ampere)
V
(Volt)
P
(Watt)
1 6 0.15 13.3 1.995 0.17 18.5 3.145
2 7 0.17 13.5 2.295 0.19 18.9 3.591
3 8 0.19 13.8 2.622 0.21 19.8 4.158
4 9 0.2 13.9 2.78 0.22 20.1 4.422
5 10 0.21 14.1 2.961 0.23 20.3 4.669
13,3 13,5 13,8 13,9 14,1 14,2 14,1 13,4 13,3 14,2 13,6 13,4
18,5 18,9 19,8 20,1 20,3 20,2
18,8 18,9 18,7 19,4 19,2 18,6
0
5
10
15
20
25
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Tegangan pada saat solar cell diam
Tegangan pada saat solar cell tracker
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Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2024 306
6 11 0.23 14.2 3.266 0.24 20.2 4.848
7 12 0.2 14.1 2.82 0.22 18.8 4.136
8 13 0.17 13.4 2.278 0.19 18.9 3.591
9 14 0.16 13.3 2.128 0.18 18.7 3.366
10 15 0.17 14.2 2.414 0.19 19.4 3.686
11 16 0.16 13.6 2.176 0.18 19.2 3.456
12 17 0.16 13.4 2.144 0.17 18.6 3.162
Average rating
0.180833
33
13.7333333
2.48991
67
0.19916667
19.283
333
3.8525
Table 5 shows that the power produced by solar cells that use trackers is more
significant than solar cells that do not use trackers. The results of the calculation of power
in solar cells can be seen in graph 5.
Chart 3
Network Overall Testing
In testing the solar cell module, the data collection was carried out by measuring
the current and voltage from the solar cell using a digital multimeter. The power generated
by the solar cell will be obtained from the current and voltage data. Data is taken within
two days from 06.00 to 17.00.
Data collection of solar cell current and voltage is carried out two times, namely
when using a tracker and when not using a tracker or solar cell at rest or straight (Utami,
2017). The results of the data obtained between solar cells that use trackers and those that
do not use trackers are very different. The current and voltage taken when using a tracker
are more significant than those in a solar cell that does not use a tracker. This proves that
the efficiency produced by solar cells that use trackers is better than those that do not. So,
using solar trackers in solar power plants (PLTS) is beneficial and more efficient in
producing greater electrical power (Sirait, 2016).
All tools must be connected to see the whole set of tools working correctly. This
tool works well but not as expected from the test results and the data generated. Because
1,995
2,295
2,622 2,78 2,961
3,266
2,82
2,278 2,128
2,414
2,1762,144
3,145
3,591
4,158
4,422
4,669 4,848
4,136
3,591
3,366
3,686
3,456
3,162
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Solar Cell Diam Solar Tracker
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Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2024 307
the microcontroller cannot be used due to problems and is used manually, the tracker is
moved 15 minutes every hour; this solar tracker uses 2 DC servo motors, In the design of
this solar tracker, the speed of motor movement needed is not so fast, because what will
be tracker is a relatively slow movement of the sun that is 15 degrees per hour (Irfan,
Pakaya, & Faruq, 2019). So, the response that will be given to the design of this solar
tracker is prolonged to adjust to the sun's movement. However, if we want a fast tracker
movement it can be done by adjusting the speed of the motor through a program that will
be downloaded into the microcontroller.
Conclusion
Based on the test results and discussion of the overall solar tracker design, it can be
concluded as follows. The highest current measurement result on a stationary solar cell
(static) occurred at 11.00 WIB, which is 0.23 A. The highest current measurement result
on the solar tracker also occurred at 10.00 WIB, which is 0.25 A. The highest voltage
measurement in stationary solar cells occurs at 10.00 WIB, which is 14.2 volts. Moreover,
the highest voltage measurement results on the solar tracker occurred at 10.00 WIB,
which is 20.3 volts, the highest power measurement result in a stationary solar cell is
3,266 watts. Moreover, the highest power yield on the solar tracker is 4,848 watts.
Muhammad Ridwan, Arief Suardi N.C
Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 2024 308
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