Automatic irrigation system with pv solar tracking

Abstract

In remote rural areas in Palestine, direct access to an electric grid is almost impossible especially where utility grids are either not available or its further extension is not feasible. The availability of abundant solar irradiance, makes solar energy the most promising one. In particular, the utilization of Photovoltaic (PV) off-grid solar systems could be the solution for pumping and irrigation system. The objective of this paper is to design and construct an automatic irrigation system powered by PV panels on a laboratory level. A humidity sensor in the soil and temperature sensors in the air are used to check the need for irrigation in order to operate a pump powered by the PV system. This PV system is a two axis solar tracking one. Sensors are installed on PV panels to check the position of the sun so that PV panels are always perpendicular to the sun. This control is made by means of a microcontroller. The whole system is first simulated by ISIS simulation software to validate the final control algorithm to be implemented. A particular attention has been given to the solar tracking system. Experimental study is carried out to evaluate the performance of the tracking system in laboratory by using a light source to simulate the sun.These results show the validity of the control of the irrigation system and the PV panels are always normal to the light source.