Introduction

This is a very effective project on nonconventional energy resources. In this project we are making a parabolic reflector based solar cooker with automatic solar tracking for consuming heat energy from the sun. A parabolic solar reflector is a structure that uses concentrated solar power to produce high temperatures. This heat energy can be utilized to boil water, cook food, producing steam etc.

Materials required

Aluminum plate

Screws

Frame

Hard board

Integrated circuit

Resistors

Capacitors

LED

LDR

Servo motor

Microcontroller

Connecting wires etc.

Component Description

LDR

LDR Stands for Light Dependant Resistor. LDR is a kind of variable resistor and its resistance value varies depending on the intensity of light falling on it. In dark, LDR offers extremely high resistance as high as 10 Mega Ohm but it reduces to 100 Ohms or less in bright light. So LDR is an ideal light sensor when our circuit has a dependency parameter as sun light. You can use a 5mm diameter LDR here.

Capacitor

A capacitor stores electric charge. Capacitors used here are ceramic and electrolytic type.

Resistor

A resistor restricts the flow of current. The resistors used here are carbon film and quarter watt type.

Variable Resistor

There is a provision to adjust its resistance value by rotating it through a screw driver.

LED (Light Emitting Diode)

It is a transducer which converts electrical energy into light energy.

NE 555

The 8-pin NE 555 timer is the most useful ICs ever made in the world. Its popular name is timer IC. It is used in many electronics projects. Just adding a few external components, it can be used to construct so many circuits. The 555 has three operating modes: Monostable mode, Astable mode and Bistable mode. It can withstand maximum supply voltage up to 16 volt. It has a maximum power dissipation up to 600mW.

Microcontroller

A microcontroller is a compressed microcomputer which acts by getting commands through software program.

Servomotor

The rotation of this special kind of motor can be controlled through a signal. It can be rotated with smaller angles. There is no inertia of motion for a servomotor.

Working

As the sun moves from east to west reflector position is changed automatically to get maximum heat energy. The parallel rays of solar light when reflected on the parabolic reflector plate are concentrated on the focus line of the reflector. A parabolic (or paraboloid or paraboloidal) reflector (or dish or mirror) is a reflective surface used to collect or project energy such as light.

Construction

The reflector is made by bending the aluminum plate on the frame. The circuit is made according to the diagram. All parts are mounted on the base board.

Scientific reason

Parabola is a conic defined by its focal property.  There is a point(focus) and a line(directrix) and parabola is the locus of points equidistant from the focus and the directrix.

Application

1 – Solar furnaces for steam power plant.
2 – Solar cookers to cook huge amount of food.
3 – Water pasteurization to get pure drinking water.
4 – In space to provide energy for manufacturing purposes.

Advantages

1-This method uses the solar energy which is a free and clean source of energy.

2-This project is eco-friendly.

3-There is no pollution.

Code for microcontroller

//Su-Din Technology( phone no. 9861004895 )  "Parabolic reflector tracking for solar cooker"
//CONTROL SIGNAL WIRE OF SERVO MUST BE ATTACHED TO A PWM PIN OF ARDUINO
#include<Servo.h>
Servo s1;
int readPin=A0;
int readVal;
float V=0;
int i;
void setup() {
pinMode(readPin,INPUT);
Serial.begin(9600);
s1.attach(9);//Control wire of servo to PWM pin 9
s1.write(i=0); /*when project is initially powered, 
servo angle=0, to set it  towards EAST.THIS IS A RESET OF PROJECT*/
}
void loop(){
readVal=analogRead(readPin);/*We have to read the analog voltage value at pin A0
which is developed at pin 3 of 555 ic when light falls on LDR*/
V=(5./1023.)*readVal;  
Serial.print(V);
Serial.println("volts");
delay(500);
if(V>3.0){
for(i=0; i<=15; i+=1){ 
s1.write(i);        
delay(100);//These 100 has a meaning,if you write 5000 ,you will notice nothing
s1.write(15);        } 
delay(3000);
                     
for(i=16; i<=30; i+=1){ 
 s1.write(i);        
 delay(100);//These 100 has a meaning,if you write 5000 ,you will notice nothing
 s1.write(30);         }           
 delay(3000);

for(i=31; i<=45; i+=1){ 
 s1.write(i);        
 delay(100);//These 100 has a meaning,if you write 5000 ,you will notice nothing
 s1.write(45);         }           
 delay(3000);

 for(i=46; i<=60; i+=1){ 
 s1.write(i);        
 delay(100);
 s1.write(60);         }           
 delay(3000);

for(i=61; i<=75; i+=1){ 
 s1.write(i);        
 delay(100);
 s1.write(75);         }           
 delay(3000);

for(i=76; i<=90; i+=1){ 
 s1.write(i);        
 delay(100);
 s1.write(90);         }           
 delay(3000);

 for(i=91; i<=105; i+=1){ 
 s1.write(i);        
 delay(100);
 s1.write(105);         }           
 delay(3000);

 for(i=106; i<=120; i+=1){ 
 s1.write(i);        
 delay(100);
 s1.write(120);         }           
 delay(3000);

 for(i=121; i<=135; i+=1){ 
 s1.write(i);        
 delay(100);
 s1.write(135);         }           
 delay(3000);

 for(i=136; i<=150; i+=1){ 
 s1.write(i);        
 delay(100);
 s1.write(150);         }           
 delay(3000);

 for(i=151; i<=165; i+=1){ 
 s1.write(i);        
 delay(100);
 s1.write(165);         }           
 delay(3000);

 for(i=166; i<=179; i+=1){ 
 s1.write(i);        
 delay(100);
 s1.write(179);         }           
 delay(3000);
 
        }    
if(i==180){ /*This loop is to send back the shaft of servo again towards EAST
after it has reached WEST*/
for(i=180; i>=0; i-=1){
  s1.write(i);            
  delay(100);//These 100 has a meaning,if you write 5000 ,you will notice nothing
                        }
  delay(4000);
          } 
}

Designer:
Er. Anil Kumar Prusty
Phone No. :- 9861004895