BG113152A - Active tracking system for positioning of solar panels - Google Patents

Abstract

The created active tracking system comprises a headstock (1) on which is welded a fixed shaft (6) with reinforcing plates (4). Two bearings are mounted on the fixed shaft (6) above the plates (4) and at its free end are mounted two bearings, on which is mounted a thick-walled tube (9). A transmission wheel (8) is fixedly mounted on the tube (9) and at least three supporting trusses (10) are located above it, symmetrically on the surface of the tube (9). An upper frame (17) is mounted on the supporting trusses (10) with a plurality of pairs of supporting profiles (11) arranged in parallel thereto. On each pair of the supporting profiles (11) are arranged solar panels (13) at an angle, by means of adjusting profiles (14), vertically fastened with a bolted joint (16) to one of the pair of the supporting profiles (11) and by hinges (12) mounted at both ends of the solar panels (13). The system also comprises a control unit (7) connected to an electric motor (2), which is connected to the transmission wheel (8) by means of a reduction gear (3) and a chain (5).

Description

Actively tracking solar panel placement system

Field of technique

The present invention relates to an active tracking system for the placement of solar panels, which will find application in the field of electricity generation from solar radiation, and in particular for more efficient electricity generation per unit area.

Prior art

Since conventional energy sources are exhaustible, and their use leads to a negative impact on the environment, there is a need to develop new, alternative energy sources. They must be renewable or inexhaustible, and not cause pollution, and along with that, complicate the Earth's climate changes. One energy option that meets these criteria is solar energy. Energy from solar radiation is the largest source of energy on Earth. However, for solar radiation to be a reliable source of energy, the methods of capturing and transforming it must be improved. The intensity of solar radiation depends on the altitude, the characteristics of the region, climatic conditions and others. If the solar panels move, following the specific movement of the sun during the day and year, much more energy will be obtained than if the system is static.

Solar tracking systems, also known as trackers or positioners, aim to maximize electricity production by rotating the solar panels into an optimal position relative to the sun. Targeting is implemented based on measured values of solar radiation or by a controller configured for the specific geographic location of each tracker. According to the system manufacturers, the use of positioning structures increases the efficiency of the panels by about 25% for single-axis tracking systems and by about 30-35% for dual-axis tracking systems. Single-axis tracking systems provide movement of the PV modules that follows the movement of the sun during the daylight hours from east to west to obtain maximum sun pointing. However, the angle between the panel and the horizon does not change, so it is not always directly facing the sun throughout the year. With a two-axis tracking system, this drawback is avoided, as the sun is tracked from east to west, and the angle of the panel relative to the horizon is changed from north to south. Thus, the solar panel is directed perpendicular to the solar radiation at all times - both throughout the day and throughout the year, which creates conditions for more complete reception and transformation of solar radiation.

There are various modifications of the construction of the trackers, but in general they are made of a stable base, complete with movable steel and aluminum profiles, a rotating platform and the corresponding drive and control modules. Two, three or more solar panels can be mounted on the tracker. The power of photovoltaic modules is an approximate sum of the power of the number of solar cells that make up them, which are mounted and connected in the module on some plane. The type, size and directions of movement of the trackers are determined depending on the specifics of the application.

From the point of view of scale, large platforms are more economically advantageous, but when they are located in a solar park, there is a possibility of mutual shading. In addition, the panels, which are located on large platforms, must also be mounted on heavier metal structures to be resistant to winds, which prevents their use for building roofs.

Technical essence of the invention

The task of the invention is to create an active monitoring system for the placement of solar panels, which provides increased production of electricity per unit area, by positioning the solar panels in an optimal position both with respect to the sun and with each other, the system being lightened and simplified construction.

The task was solved by creating an active tracking system for the placement of solar panels, which includes a supporting plate on which a stationary shaft with reinforcing plates is welded. On the stationary shaft, above the reinforcing plates and at its free end, two bearings are installed, on which a thick-walled pipe is mounted. A transmission wheel is immovably mounted on the thick-walled pipe and above it at least three bearing trusses, symmetrically located on the surface of the thick-walled pipe. An upper frame with multiple pairs of bearing profiles located parallel to it is mounted on the supporting trusses. Solar panels are placed at an angle on each pair of supporting profiles, by means of adjusting profiles, a bolted connection is vertically attached to one of the pair of supporting profiles and by means of hinges mounted at both ends of the solar panels.

The system also includes a control unit connected to an electric motor, which is connected to the transmission wheel by means of a reducer and a chain.

At least three holes are made in the adjustment profiles at a certain distance for the bolt connection, to adjust the angle made between the solar panels and the upper frame.

In a variant embodiment, the created active tracking system is mounted on an additional stand.

An advantage of the created system is that it provides increased production of electricity per unit area, by following the movement of the sun and by further adjusting the position of the solar panels, depending on the season and the geographical latitude of the installation site. Another advantage is that the system provides an ecological source of electricity, with low costs for operation and maintenance, and a long operational period, at a relatively low price.

Description of attached figures

The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying figures, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the active tracking system for the placement of solar panels, according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a partial front view of the system of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the active tracking solar panel placement system; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the system of Figure 3 mounted on an additional stand.

Examples of implementation of the invention

The production of electricity from photovoltaic systems depends on the intensity of solar radiation in the place where they are installed. In order to increase the amount of solar radiation that falls on the photovoltaic modules, it is necessary to position them at a certain angle. The optimal angle of placement of photovoltaic modules for the Republic of Bulgaria is between 30° and 35°, with orientation to the south. A large part of photovoltaic systems are installed on the roof or facade construction of buildings and facilities, and the orientation (azimuth) and the angle of inclination are determined by the objects themselves.

The created active tracking system for the placement of solar panels, shown in figures 1, 2 and 3, includes a supporting plate 1 on which a stationary shaft 6 with reinforcing plates 4 is welded. On the stationary shaft 6 above the reinforcing plates 4 and at its free end are mounted two bearings, on which a thick-walled pipe 9 is supported. A transmission wheel 8 is immovably mounted on the thick-walled pipe 9, and above it at least three supporting trusses 10, symmetrically located on the surface of the pipe 9.

On the supporting trusses 10, an upper frame 17 is mounted with a number of pairs of supporting profiles 11 located parallel to it. On each pair of supporting profiles 11, solar panels 13 are located at an angle, by means of adjusting profiles 14, vertically fastened with a bolt connection 16 to one of the pair of supporting profiles 11, and through hinges 12 mounted at both ends of the solar panels 13. At least three holes 15 are made in the regulating profiles 14, which allows each supporting profile 14 to be clamped at different locations to the corresponding profile of the pair of supporting profiles 11, and thus obtaining a different angle between the solar panels 13 and the upper frame 17. The hinges 12 allow the free adjustment of the said angle and the corresponding adjustment of the position of the solar panels 13 relative to the sun, depending on the season and the geographical latitude of the installation site . This leads to an additional increase in the efficiency of the system between 8 and 12% on an annual basis. In addition, the pairs of support profiles 11 are mounted at a certain distance from each other, which prevents the solar panels 13 located on the front pair of support profiles 11 in front of the sun from shading the solar panels 13 located on the rear pair of support profiles 11, thus the efficiency of the system is further increased.

The entire supporting structure composed of the trusses 10 and the upper frame 17 can be configured in the form of a triangle, square, rectangle, regular or irregular polygon. The most optimal option is for this supporting structure to be in a round shape, so that several active tracking systems can be mounted close to each other, thus occupying the least area and, accordingly, not interfering with their rotation.

An optimal option is also that the created structure is located at a distance of at least 40 cm from the roof, so that the air will very easily circulate under and behind the solar panels 13. In this way, they will be cooled much better, which again leads to an increase in efficiency of the solar panels 13 and, accordingly, of the created system. In addition, mounting low above the roof on one level and placing the panels one behind the other is a prerequisite for the system to be much more resistant to wind and storms, compared to other tracker systems that are placed at a height of 3-5 t, where the possibility from damage is much greater.

The created active monitoring system also includes a control unit 7 connected to an electric motor 2, which is connected to the transmission wheel 8 by means of a reducer 3 and a chain 5. Through the chain 5, the rotational movement from the electric motor 2 and the reducer 3 is transmitted to the transmission wheel 8, respectively to the thick-walled pipe 9 and from there to the entire structure.

The control unit 7 is equipped with clock mechanisms or is a sensor for tracking the sun, through which electric energy is supplied from the electric motor 2 at precisely defined intervals, thus producing the circular movement of the entire structure relative to the sun. For example, the control unit 7 is designed so that for 10 minutes the electric motor 2 does not work, then it turns on for a few seconds to rotate the whole structure until it reaches the required degrees, and then it stops again. This action is repeated throughout the day as the structure moves gradually from 0 to 180 degrees over 12 hours, then returns to its original position where it waits for the sun to rise and the next day repeats the same cycle all over again. In this way, the sun's rays during the entire period of sunshine fall perpendicularly on the solar panels 13, thus each solar panel 13 produces between 75 and 90% more energy than the same one that is stationary.

Since the entire drive of the system is carried out from one central location, a lot of labor is saved in the installation, as well as materials in the construction of the system. For example, when mounting the system on a roof, it is necessary to make only a few holes for mounting the carrier plate 1, while in other existing systems, four holes are needed for mounting each solar panel.

In an alternative embodiment shown in Figure 4, the created active tracking system can be mounted on an additional stand 18, with a different configuration and height, to further save space, depending on the requirements and available free space.

Simultaneously with the solar panels 13, panels for the production of hot water from the sun can be installed in the created system, and this will further increase their efficiency, because these photovoltaic elements will also be constantly directed towards the sunlight.

For the production of electricity from solar radiation with the created active tracking system, inverters and additional components such as wiring, overcurrent and overvoltage protection, lightning protection, grounding, monitoring and control devices and others are installed on the solar modules 13. The wiring consists of electrical cables that serve to establish a connection between the individual components, and the arrangement of the cables is made so that the voltage loss is not greater than a few percent.

Claims (3)

1. An actively tracking system for the placement of solar panels, characterized in that it includes a supporting plate (1) on which a stationary shaft (6) is welded and strengthening plates (4), such that the stationary shaft (6) above the strengthening plates ( 4) and two bearings are installed at its free end, on which a thick-walled pipe (9) is mounted, where a transmission wheel (8) is fixedly mounted on the thick-walled pipe (9) and above it at least three supporting trusses (10), symmetrically located on the surface of the pipe (9), and on the supporting trusses (10) an upper frame (17) is mounted with multiple pairs of supporting profiles (11) located parallel to it, and on each pair of supporting profiles (11) solar panels are located at an angle panels (13), by means of adjusting profiles (14), vertically fastened with a bolt connection (16) to one of the pair of supporting profiles (11), and by means of hinges (12) mounted at both ends of the solar panels (13), whereby the system also includes a control unit (7) connected to an electric motor (2), k it is connected to the transmission wheel (8) by means of a reducer (3) and a chain (5). 2. Active monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least three holes (15) are made in the adjusting profiles (14) for the bolt connection (16) for adjusting the angle between the solar panels (13) and upper frame (17). 3. An active monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is mounted on an additional stand (18).