JP2013535641A - Robot heliostat system and operation method - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and method for automatically positioning a plurality of sunlight receiving surfaces by operating a robot controller to increase the amount of solar energy generated from the sunlight receiving surface. In some embodiments, the robot controller moves in a sealed trajectory and adjusts the sunlight receiving surface using magnetic communication.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a priority of US Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 364,729 filed July 15, 2010 and US Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 419,685 filed December 3, 2010. The entire text of these provisional applications is incorporated herein by reference. This application is related to US patent application Ser. No. 13 / 118,274, the entire text of which is incorporated herein by reference.

  The present invention relates to a solar tracking and calibration device, and in particular, solar power generation, concentrating solar power generation, and concentrating solar heat collection system that require continuous orientation adjustment in order to maintain a direct relationship with the sun. The tracking system for

  In an attempt to reduce the price of energy using sunlight, many developments relating to cost reduction for accurately adjusting and calibrating the light receiving surface with two degrees of freedom have been made. In the concentrating solar thermal collection system, the heliostat array uses a biaxial adjustment mechanism, and the normal vector of the heliostat reflector reflects the angle between the sun position and the target at that time. Redirect sunlight to the central tower by adjusting it to divide equally. The heat generated by the central tower can then be used to generate industrial steam and electricity for the grid.

  A concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) system uses a biaxial mechanism to ensure that the vector perpendicular to the CPV plane coincides with the solar position vector. When the CPV surface faces the sun, the internal optical system can collect the sunlight into highly efficient small solar cells.

  According to the biaxial positioning system, a flat panel photovoltaic (PV) system can also generate more power through solar tracking. Compared to a fixed tilt system, the energy generated by a biaxial PV system is increased by 35-40% on an annual basis. Such an increase in energy production may seem attractive, but with current technology, the overall capital investment and maintenance costs increase by 40-50%, so the value of biaxial solar tracking is underestimated. Has been.

  Conventional solutions to the problem of control and calibration of individual light receiving surfaces are roughly classified into three types: active individual drive, module or mirror connection, and passive control.

US patent application Ser. No. 13 / 118,274

Mack, Solar Engineering: http: //: www. rw-energy. com / pdf / yield-of-s_where-Almansa-graphics. pdf

In the active individual drive model, each two-axis system requires two motors, a microprocessor, a backup power source, field wiring, and an electronic system for controlling and calibrating each light receiving surface. In addition, the lifetime of all components must be 20 years or longer, and the system must be sealed from harsh installation environments. In order to disperse the fixed costs for controlling the individual light receiving surfaces, the conventional engineer has devised a heliostat of 150 square meters (m ² ) and a PV / 225 square meter of PV / 225. It is to construct a CPV tracking device. If it is this size, the control cost can be reduced, but the large tracking device has the problem that the requirements for steel, foundation and installation become severe.

  Another method attempts to solve the problem of fixed cost of control by connecting a plurality of light receiving surfaces together using a cable or mechanical connecting means. Although this method is effective in reducing the driving cost of the motor, the requirement for leveling becomes strict, the installation process is greatly complicated, and the rigidity of the mechanical connection means is required, so that the steel material cost increases. Occasional ground subsidence and imperfect manufacturing and installation require separate adjustments to the heliostat and CPV system, which complicates the system and increases maintenance costs.

  Passive systems that track the sun using hydraulic oil, bimetal plates, or bio-inspired materials are limited to flat photovoltaics and have lower performance compared to individually driven or coupled systems. In addition, this system cannot perform a backtracking algorithm that optimizes the solar field in terms of energy yield and ground coverage.

  Provided is a robot controller that controls the positions of a plurality of sunlight receiving surfaces in response to movements of a plurality of sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheels, each sunlight receiving surface has a corresponding sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheel, The robot controller is installed on a track. The robot controller is connected to the processing unit, a position determination unit that is communicably connected to the processing unit and determines the position of the robot controller, and a robot in response to a command from the processing unit. A drive system for moving the controller along the track, an adjustment content determination system for determining a first adjustment parameter for the first sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheel of the plurality of sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheels, An engagement system for adjusting the first solar light receiving surface adjustment wheel based on the adjustment parameter.

  While specific embodiments and applications of the present invention are described herein, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise configuration and components disclosed herein, Various improvements, changes and modifications may be made in the arrangement, operation and details of the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

  In certain embodiments, the present invention can be used in connection with its microprocessor, azimuth adjustment drive means, elevation adjustment drive means, central control system and heliostat or solar tracking device without wiring. By not providing these components, the cost can be significantly reduced as compared with the conventional system, and the fourth drive system, that is, the passive type by the active robot control is realized. In this model, one robot controller plays the functional role of calibrating and adjusting two or more sunlight receiving surfaces in 3D space.

  In the second embodiment of the present invention, the robot controller moves between the passive solar light receiving surfaces and can accurately control the rotation of one or more adjustment wheels in the vicinity of the light receiving surface. These adjustment wheels may be connected to a rigid or flexible shaft, which can be coupled to a gear, a lead screw assembly, or directly to a sunlight receiving surface. A gear, lead screw assembly or direct drive system converts the rotational input motion into the motion of the solar receiving surface. If the gear, lead screw assembly or direct drive system is reversible, a separate adjustment wheel may be used to activate the braking mechanism. Since the robot controller can adjust the orientation of the sunlight receiving surface on one or two axes by controlling one or more adjustment wheels, more than 100 sets of wires, motors, central controllers, calibration sensors Instead. This also breaks the central design premise that the cost per light-receiving surface is relatively fixed and expensive, which has become the driving force for developing large heliostats and solar tracking devices.

  Since each robot must be able to withstand 5-8 million adjustment cycles per year, the ideal adjustment interface provides non-contact control of the position of the adjustment wheel. In a third embodiment, the present invention can control the rotation of the adjustment wheel using a magnetic or electromagnetic interface. If an axial magnetic flux motor mechanism is used, no moving parts are required for the adjustment wheel interface of the robot controller.

  In the fourth embodiment, the robot controller can detect the position of the adjustment wheel before adjustment, during adjustment, and after adjustment. This may be achieved by using Hall effect sensors provided on the robot controller and individual magnets or metal pieces provided on the adjustment wheel. Examples of metal detection methods include, but are not limited to, very low frequency (VLF), pulse induction (PI), and beat frequency oscillator (BFO). The robot may also determine the instantaneous position of the adjustment wheel using optical, electromagnetic or physical marking systems and detection methods. This interface may also be used to detect individual solar light receiving surface stations in order to reduce the complexity of the individual robot station detection mechanism.

  In the fifth embodiment, the robot controller is optimized to quickly adjust the sunlight receiving surface. The robot adjustment device is 1) the position of the robot controller in 3D space, and 2) sunlight reception in 3D space. It is possible to quickly analyze the relationship with the surface, 3) the current position of the sun based on time and place, and 4) the desired pointing position. If these four variable values are known, the robot controller can calculate the necessary adjustment amount for each sunlight receiving surface. In PV and CPV applications, the solar receiving surface may be directed directly to the sun or to an optimum angle defined by a backtrack control algorithm. In addition, for PV applications, the robot may determine the position of the sun using existing methods that rely on location, date, and time information and direct the PV panel in an open loop manner. In the heliostat power generation tower system, the sunlight receiving surface needs to bisect the angle between the sun and the central target. Since the solar light receiving surface is not always updated, when the light receiving surface is optimally positioned in a certain application, the light receiving surface is in the best orientation even between adjustment and adjustment. For example, if the optimal elevation angle at a certain adjustment is 26 degrees and the new maximum value at the next adjustment is 27 degrees, the robot controller may tilt the light receiving surface to 2.65 degrees.

  When the calculation is finished, the robot controller may control the position of the sunlight receiving surface using an on-board adjustment interface. The final step in the robot controller process is to analyze the distance to the adjacent adjustment station and move to a position ready for the next adjustment using an on-board or external drive mechanism.

  In the sixth embodiment, by using two, three or more grades of robot controllers, the field orientation of the sunlight receiving surface can be adjusted in a cost-effective manner. The most expensive advanced robot controller may include all the mechanisms necessary to accurately calibrate and adjust the field of the sunlight receiving surface. The intermediate-level robot controller may include all the mechanisms necessary for adjusting the orientation of the sunlight receiving surface, and is constructed so that it can withstand operations on the site for more than 10 years. The lower-level robot controller may be provided with as few functional components as possible so that the solar light receiving surface can be adjusted quickly, and may be designed with an emphasis on lower cost than lifetime.

  In an ideal passive field, one advanced robot controller may be used for initial calibration and recalibration. The intermediate-level robot controller may be used for normal work, and the sunlight receiving surface is adjusted based on the input from the advanced robot controller. Inferior robot controllers may be used in an emergency, thereby allowing for quick and low cost emergency defocus and / or wind stow.

  In the seventh embodiment, the field of the robot controller is stored via a wireless network, a direct connection system, an external switch, or in the vicinity of individual sunlight receiving surfaces or collections of sunlight receiving surfaces, Communicate with each other and / or with the central control system.

  In the eighth embodiment, the robot controller has a plurality of adjustment wheel interfaces so that a plurality of sunlight receiving surfaces can be adjusted at a time.

  In the ninth embodiment, the robot controller can control one or more of the individual adjustment wheels without stopping. This may be achieved by a gear rack and pinion system that rotates the adjustment wheel using contacts, magnetic force and / or electromagnetic force.

  In the tenth embodiment, the robot controller moves between stations through a sealed tube, and can prevent entry of large foreign objects, water, and dust. It may also be preferable to seal the robot controller and add a more stringent foreign matter entry prevention layer.

  In the eleventh embodiment, the robot transfer tube can be laid so that the robot controller can easily return to the central position.

  In the twelfth embodiment, two or more robot controllers can adjust one set of sunlight receiving surfaces. Thereby, even when one robot fails, the direction of the sunlight receiving surface is adjusted redundantly.

  In a thirteenth embodiment, the robot controller includes an environmental control system that maintains a constant temperature and environment for internal components utilizing a heat sink, an active cooling / heating system, and a moisture control mechanism. Also good. This system is particularly beneficial for extending the useful life of various on-board energy storage mechanisms.

  In the fourteenth embodiment, the robot controller can be charged wirelessly. If electromagnetic coils are used to control the rotation of the adjustment wheel, this interface can be reused for inductive charging of on-board energy storage systems.

  In the fifteenth embodiment, the robot controller may include a diagnostic system that can relay the soundness of components mounted therein to other robot controllers and / or a central control system. The diagnostic system may periodically and periodically return the message to the remote operator or allow access to it as needed. The system also ensures the field quality of passive tracking devices or heliostats because the robot actively measures the amount of torque or energy required to control the position of the adjustment wheel on the sunlight receiving surface. May be used to This system may also be used for defect detection when the solar light receiving surface adjustment wheel cannot be rotated. The robot controller may also determine whether the robot transfer tube is defective using an on-board sensor.

  In the sixteenth embodiment, it is possible to detect a defect on the solar light receiving surface for PV and CPV. In this model, the robot controller may communicate with the central current collection system and measure the direct output from the field of the sunlight receiving surface. If a change in output is not detected by the central current collection system when one solar light receiving surface is rotated away from the sun, the robot controller can consider that the solar light receiving surface is defective. Further, the solar light receiving surface may be oriented in a special direction to notify a maintenance worker on site that there is an abnormality in a part of the PV or CPV system.

  In the seventeenth embodiment, various pre-programmed control protocols and algorithms are incorporated into the robot controller to handle various situations in the field. These robot control algorithms may also be updated by the field or remote operator.

  In the eighteenth embodiment, various security functions for preventing reverse engineering and theft can be incorporated in the robot. The robot may also include a tracking function that can retrieve a lost or stolen robot.

  The functions and advantages described herein are not necessarily exhaustive, and many other features and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the drawings and specification. Further, it will be appreciated that the language used herein has been selected primarily for readability and clarity, and is intended to limit or define the scope of the present invention. Not selected for.

Passive solar light reception with precise orientation adjustment without individual microprocessor, azimuth adjustment drive motor, elevation adjustment drive motor, central control system, backup power supply or calibration sensor, according to an embodiment of the present invention FIG. Passive solar tracking that does not require gear deceleration to convert rotational input motion from one or more adjustment wheels to single-axis or two-axis control of the sunlight receiving surface according to an embodiment of the invention FIG. 2 is a diagram of a device or heliostat. 1 is a diagram of a robot controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram of an embodiment of a non-contact interface between a robot controller and an adjustment wheel. FIG. 3 is a diagram of various components of a robot controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart of an operation of a robot controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart of the operation of an intermediate robot controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart of the operation of a lower-level robot controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram of several communication methods that can be used by a robot controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram of a robot controller having a plurality of adjustment wheel interfaces according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram of a robot controller that can control an adjustment wheel without stopping at the adjustment station, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 illustrates a method by which a robotic transfer tube can be laid in a system having many solar light receiving surfaces according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an environment control system for a robot controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram of a robot controller that utilizes a wireless power transfer interface to charge an energy storage mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention. 4 is a flowchart of an operation process of a diagnosis and quality assurance system mounted on a robot controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The figures depict various embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate from the following description that other embodiments of the structures and methods described herein can be utilized without departing from the principles of the invention described herein. I will.

  Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers indicate the same or functionally similar elements. In the figure, the leftmost digit of each reference number corresponds to the figure in which the reference number is first used.

  In this specification, references (for example) to “one embodiment”, “first embodiment”, “second embodiment”, or “an embodiment” are those described in connection with an embodiment. It is meant that a particular feature, structure or feature is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Where the phrase “in one embodiment”, “first embodiment”, “second embodiment”, or “an embodiment” is used in different places in the specification (for example), not necessarily Not all are referring to the same embodiment.

  Included in the detailed description below are algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others in the art. The algorithm is here and generally regarded as a coherent sequence of steps (instructions) leading to the desired result. A step is one that requires physical manipulation of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical, magnetic, or optical signals that can be stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It is sometimes convenient to represent these signals as bits, numbers, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers or the like because they are basically in common use. In addition, it is sometimes convenient to represent a particular configuration of steps that require physical manipulation or conversion of a physical quantity or representation of a physical quantity as a module or code device without loss of generality.

  However, all of the above and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless otherwise noted, as will become apparent from the description below, throughout the description, “process” or “compute” or “calculate” or “determine” or “display” or “determine” A description using terms such as refers to the operation and processing of a computer system or similar electronic computing device (eg, a particular computing device), which may be computer system memory or registers, or other such information storage, transfer or display Manipulates and converts data expressed as physical (electronic) quantities in equipment.

  Certain aspects of the present invention include process steps and instructions described herein in the form of algorithms. It should be noted that the process steps and instructions of the present invention can be implemented in software, firmware or hardware, where they are downloaded and stored on different platforms used by various operating systems. Can run from there. The present invention can also be a computer program product executable on a computing system.

  The present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. The apparatus may be specially configured for that purpose, such as a specific computer, or includes a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Also good. Such a computer program may be a computer readable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, any type of disk, such as a floppy disk, optical disk, CD-ROM, magneto-optical disk, read only memory (ROM), random access memory. (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic or optical card, application specific integrated circuit (ASICS), or any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions, each of which is a computer system bus Connected to The memory may include any of the above and / or include other devices that can store information / data / programs. Furthermore, the computer referred to in this specification may include a single processor, or may have an architecture that uses a design by a plurality of processors to increase the computing power.

  The algorithms and displays described herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purpose systems can also be used with the programs according to the teachings herein, or it may be advantageous to build specialized devices by performing these method steps. The structure of these various systems will be apparent from the following description. In addition, the present invention is not described with respect to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that various programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the invention as described herein, and where the following references are to specific languages, this may be the practice of the invention. It is provided to introduce the sex and the best mode.

  Further, the language used herein is selected primarily for readability and comprehension, and is not selected to limit the scope of the invention or to define its scope. Absent. Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, but to illustrate it.

  Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a passive type capable of precise orientation adjustment without an individual microprocessor, azimuth adjustment drive motor, elevation adjustment drive motor, central control system, backup power supply or calibration sensor. A light receiving surface (101) is shown. Two adjustment wheels (102) controlled by one robot controller may operate the system through a flexible or rigid drive shaft (103). The illustrated system uses a flexible cable to transmit rotational motion from a fixed adjustment wheel to the azimuth adjustment gear (104) and elevation adjustment feed screw assembly (105). A fixed adjustment wheel is preferred because it allows the use of a relatively simple robot controller that can be moved along a track or tube (106). However, this design constraint is not essential because the robot controller need not be limited to a specific path and the entire field of the sunlight receiving surface can be moved freely.

  The robotic trajectory may include a hollow square tube or a circular tube made from aluminum, steel, non-ferrous metal, iron, plastic or composite material. There are various types of foundations that can support a passive solar light receiving surface, such as, but not limited to, a driven peer (107), screw pile, ballast, or simple bolting to a rigid surface. The robot transfer tube may also be used as a base support for individual passive solar receiving surfaces.

  FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a passive solar tracker or heliostat that can be used to transmit rotational input motion from one or more adjacent adjustment wheels (102) to a single or two axes of a solar light receiving surface. No gear reduction is required to convert to control. This system may be operated in a tip tilt manner directly by the flexible drive shaft (103). In one embodiment, the flexible drive shaft is directly connected to a pin joint (201) that is rigidly fixed to one rotational axis. Therefore, the rotation of the adjustment wheel changes the rotation of the sunlight receiving surface by 1: 1 on one axis. This system may use friction to lock the position of the sunlight receiving surface, or may use other active braking mechanisms described in US Pat.

  FIG. 3 illustrates the driving method of a passive system using active robot control, which is the core of the present invention. The robot controller (301) advances along the trajectory (106), stops near the sunlight receiving surface (101), and is connected to one or more adjustment wheels (102) connected to the sunlight receiving surface. Rotation can be accurately controlled using the on-board adjustment wheel interface (302). Each adjustment wheel is connected to a rigid or flexible shaft, which can be arranged to accommodate a variety of passive tracking device designs. The present invention focuses on the function of the robot controller to ensure that the adjustment wheel is positioned accurately and accurately.

  In order to reduce the gear deceleration required for adjusting the direction of the sunlight receiving surface, it is preferable to supply a large input torque to the adjustment wheel. Contact-type adjustment methods can also be used, but they are susceptible to inadequate alignment of station positions, mechanical fatigue, and difficult to seal from the installation environment. If desired, the robot controller may mechanically control the rotation of the adjustment wheel, for example, using a system that utilizes mechanical engagement by engagement, friction or suction.

  FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of a contactless interface between the robot controller and the adjustment wheel (102). This system uses an individually controlled electromagnet (401) to rotate a metal adjustment wheel. The adjustment wheel may have another metal foam (402) whose rotation angle can be changed with a specific electromagnetic coil actuation pattern. Other systems / embodiments may utilize permanent magnets provided on the adjustment wheel and / or permanent magnets provided on the robot controller (301). A system that utilizes a permanent magnet or contact type adjustment interface may be connected to a rotary drive system to rotate the adjustment wheel. The system using the electromagnet on the robot controller side may be a solid state. In many embodiments, the adjustment interface that uses electricity to control the rotation of the adjustment wheel uses electromagnets, and from an energy utilization and system lifetime perspective, high cost components are attached to the robot controller, simplifying the adjustment interface. It is most effective to reduce to a small axial magnetic flux or induction motor.

  FIG. 4 also shows that the robot controller may include a system that detects the orientation of the adjustment wheel before, after, and during adjustment. These systems may use one or more sensors (403) to detect the position of individual marks (404) on the adjustment wheel. Types of marks include, but are not limited to, magnetic or metallic materials, physical detents, or marks that can be recognized by light, electromagnetic, or electrostatic sensing mechanisms. This system is beneficial because it allows the robot controller to confirm that the sunlight receiving surface has been correctly oriented at different input speeds. It is also possible for the robot to verify that the wheel has not been rotated between adjustments.

  FIG. 5 shows an overview of the components of a robot controller according to an embodiment of the invention. From this figure, it can be seen that the robot has idler wheels (501) and drive wheels (502), which keeps the robot aligned with the closed track and can advance along it. These idlers may be spring-loaded to bias the robot controller to one or both sides of the track. The robot controller may also include a calibration camera (503) and a structured light emitting mechanism that detects the orientation of the sunlight receiving surface in 3D space. For systems / embodiments that utilize closed trajectories, windows or other openings that transmit certain frequencies may be provided in the trajectory near the sunlight receiving surface. This window allows the calibration camera to see the lower surface of the sunlight receiving surface. This window may be made by drilling a hole in the robotic transfer tube. The hole may be covered with a piece of glass, plastic or other transparent material to ensure that the track is sealed.

  In order to adjust the orientation of the sunlight receiving surface, the robot controller must be able to control the position of one or more adjustment wheels. This may be achieved through the use of an adjustment interface that can include a solid electromagnetic coil (401) that can be individually activated / deactivated. The adjustment wheel rotation sensor (403) allows the robot controller to determine the instantaneous position of the adjustment wheel. Other components of the robot controller include individual station detection unit, global or relative position information detection unit, internal wiring, central processing unit, motor driver controller, drive motor encoder, on-board environment control system, battery management system, Examples include, but are not limited to, contact charging systems, inductive charging systems, distance proximity sensors, data storage systems, regenerative braking capacitor storage systems, wireless data transmitters / receivers, and the like. The exact arrangement of these components can be stored in a variety of configurations within the robot controller's containment range and will vary from embodiment to embodiment.

  FIG. 6 illustrates an operation process of a robot controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. This operation process shows a method of adjusting the orientation of a plurality of sunlight receiving surfaces (101) with one robot controller (301). The functional role of this robot controller is to maintain the correct orientation of the individual sunlight receiving surfaces in cooperation with one or more adjustment wheels (102) near the sunlight receiving surface.

  When installing a robot controller for the first time, its first goal is to understand its environment and the passive tracking device / heliostat to be controlled. First, the robot controller moves toward the adjustment wheel (601), and continuously searches for a braking point installed near the sunlight receiving surface (602). This point may be, for example, an actual mark provided on the beam-like member, a magnet, or a metal piece. When an actual mark is attached to the beam-like member, this point may be detected by attaching a camera to the robot controller. If the braking point is a magnet or metal, a hall effect sensor or metal detection system may be attached to the robot controller to detect the braking point. In one embodiment, an adjustment wheel used for rotation detection or a marker on the adjustment wheel may be used as a braking point. After detecting the braking point, the robot controller may activate the braking mechanism (603). The braking method includes, but is not limited to, stopping the drive motor, using wheel brakes, using motor brakes, using regenerative brakes, or a combination of these braking mechanisms. While the device decelerates, the robot controller looks for a final adjustment point (604). If this point is detected, a full brake is applied and it stops completely (605).

  When the robot controller is in the correct positional relationship with the one or more adjustment wheels, it detects its relative orientation with respect to the sunlight receiving surface. If this is the first time that the robot controller has reached that particular solar light receiving surface adjustment station, the controller will adjust the solar light receiving surface by adjusting to 0 degrees tilt, 0 degrees azimuth rotation, or some other predetermined setting. May be “zeroed”. To achieve this goal, the robot controller may engage the adjustment wheel (606) and rotate it (607). During rotation, an on-board adjustment wheel sensor (403) may be used to verify that the wheel is rotating properly (608). The sunlight receiving surface may have forced calibration stop means, which prevents the wheel from rotating beyond the zero point. In such a system, the robot controller may stop trying to adjust the system when the wheel can no longer rotate (609). In order not to damage the passive light receiving surface or the gear train attached to the passive light receiving surface, the adjustment wheel interface of the robot controller is equipped with a mechanism to prevent the system from generating too much torque to cause damage. May be included.

  For applications that do not require much accuracy, the robot controller uses the stopping means as described above to record the number of rotations of the adjustment wheel from the initial calibration point during daily operation and You may guess the direction. For more accurate applications, the robot may also use structured lighting or a natural light camera to analyze the backside of the sunlight receiving surface and determine its relative orientation in 3D space. Once this information is obtained, it is relayed to the central processor for analysis.

  Depending on the application of sunlight, it may be necessary to detect the absolute or relative position of the sunlight receiving surface with X, Y, Z coordinates. This may be realized by a built-in GPS unit having a triangulation system that uses three points in the field of the sunlight receiving surface. In this second method, the robot controller may generate a signal and measure the time delay from each predetermined point in the field. This information may be used to determine its relative position with respect to other components in the field of the sunlight receiving surface.

  The central processing unit then analyzes the input from the calibration camera, position detection unit, internal clock and combines this with the known gear reduction and known field shape of the passive solar tracker / heliostat (610). ). Using the input from the robot's internal clock and the detected or known global position, a current sun vector can be calculated (611). The orientation of the sunlight receiving surface in the 3D space can be estimated using the input from the robot calibration camera, the position information detection unit, the adjustment wheel sensing mechanism and / or the adjustment history information from the past adjustment. In one embodiment, a passive solar tracker or heliostat driven by a regulating wheel has an anti-reverse function. In such a system, since the sunlight receiving surface does not move between adjustments due to wind or other forces, only one calibration is required.

  In PV and CPV applications, up to five pieces of information can be used for correct orientation. The direction of the sunlight receiving surface, the position of the sun, the direction of adjacent tracking devices, the distance between the tracking devices, and the area and dimensions of a predetermined tracking device on the sunlight receiving surface. The standard sun tracking algorithm only needs the first two pieces of information, but the robot uses the remaining three to correctly perform the backtrack control algorithm. These algorithms optimize the solar field so that the shadows between the tracking devices are minimized, so that the shadows being generated by the adjacent tracking device at that time and the individual solar tracking devices are adjacent to it. You can see the shadow that will be given to the device. Information on backtracking is published in Non-Patent Document 1, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

  Heliostat applications require the robot to detect the vector from the sunlight receiving surface to the solar target. This may be achieved by detecting the position of both the solar target and the sunlight receiving surface in the global or relative coordinate plane. After calculating the desired amount of change in the orientation of the sunlight receiving surface, the central processor analyzes the known gear deceleration of the passive system and determines which adjustment wheel is mechanically or magnetically coupled to that sunlight receiving surface. It is determined whether the rotation should be performed (612).

  For passive tracking means or heliostats that do not have inherent friction braking or reverse drive prevention functions, an active solar surface braking mechanism may be required. In such a system, the robot controller releases the brake and then rotates one or more adjustment wheels. This brake may be activated for other adjustment wheels. The robot controller may then use the adjustment wheel interface to rotate one or more adjustment wheels. In one embodiment, the robot controller has a plurality of electromagnetic coils that can be operated individually or as a group. The system can control the rotation of the metal or magnetic adjustment wheel by operating the coil as an axial flux or induction motor (613). The coil may simply be actuated or may obtain feedback from an adjustment wheel sensing mechanism that determines the instantaneous rotation angle of the adjustment wheel (614).

  When the adjustment is complete, the central processor may send a signal to activate the braking mechanism, if necessary. As a result, the gear braking mechanism is applied again, and the direction of the sunlight receiving surface is not changed by the external force until the next adjustment by the robot controller. As the final step in this process, the robot controller may use the installed proximity sensor or past motion history to determine whether it is currently the last sunlight receiving surface in the row. (615). If yes, the controller may eventually retract until it reaches the first solar light receiving surface adjustment point (616). If no, the controller may repeat this adjustment cycle (617). Note that it is also possible to connect the ends of the robot transfer tube to form a continuous loop. In this embodiment, the robot controller will continue to circulate the robot transport tube until it is night or until it is stopped for maintenance.

  The processor that determines the behavior of the robot controller and its sub-components can be installed directly on the robot controller or in a central processing station or in another robot controller in the field of the sunlight receiving surface. If no processor is installed, the robot controller may need a wireless or direct data link to receive operational instructions.

  When the adjustment date of the solar light receiving surface ends, the robot controller may need to recharge the energy storage mechanism mounted therein. The system may also be recharged twice or more on the adjustment day.

  It may be desirable to adjust the field of the sunlight receiving surface with three or more grades of robot controller. FIG. 6 shows an advanced robot controller operation process. This robot may be used with a simpler robot controller. The purpose of the advanced robot controller is to eliminate the need for a position information detection unit and a calibration camera for both the intermediate and lower robot controllers. In certain embodiments, the field of the solar light receiving surface only needs to use one advanced robot controller (if any), and thus eliminates high cost components from the unit, thereby eliminating the need for the system and robot controller. The total replacement cost can be greatly reduced.

  FIG. 7 illustrates the operation process of a simpler intermediate robot controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. The main difference between this unit and the advanced robot controller shown in FIG. 6 is that this adjusting means does not have a calibration camera or a position information detection unit. The functional roles of the calibration camera and the position information detection unit are: a data detection unit that communicates with other robots or a central control station, and a data storage unit that stores the last known orientation of each solar light receiving surface. Act on behalf. Assuming that an intermediate robot controller is the first to interact with a passive sunlight receiving surface and that there is no previous data point, the advanced robot controller correctly “zeros” the sunlight receiving surface. May be.

  Unlike the advanced robot, the intermediate robot controller obtains its input regarding the position of the adjustment point from the data storage unit instead of the position information detection unit (701). Further, the relative position of the sunlight receiving surface is determined from the mounted data storage unit and the Hall effect sensor instead of the precise calibration camera. The data storage unit stores the number of rotations of the adjustment wheel from the zero point and determines an accurate wheel rotation angle using the adjustment wheel sensing mechanism (702). By combining with the known gear deceleration information, from this data, the intermediate robot controller can sufficiently infer the direction of the sunlight receiving surface in the 3D space. Intermediate robot controllers cannot directly determine the exact orientation of the sunlight receiving surface, so the rotation angle of the adjustment wheel that should be performed for one or more adjustment wheels is stored and the sunlight receiving surface is appropriate for subsequent adjustments. You may adjust the direction.

  When the adjustment date of the solar light receiving surface ends, the robot controller may need to recharge the energy storage mechanism mounted therein. The system may also be recharged twice or more on the adjustment day.

  FIG. 8 illustrates a more simplified lower-level robot controller operating process according to an embodiment of the present invention. The purpose of the lower-level robot controller is used only in an emergency, like a car spare tire. This third class of robot controller enables a quick and easy wind escape procedure at low cost. This also allows an emergency fast defocus procedure for the heliostat. The operation process of this robot controller may be the same as that of the intermediate-level robot controller shown in FIG. 7, but in this case, it is necessary to move the passive solar tracking device or the heliostat to its strong wind retreat position. There is only one adjustment interface and it does not need to be constructed to have a long lifetime.

  During the emergency procedure, the lower-level robot controller does not need to know the current position of the sunlight receiving surface, and the sunlight receiving surface is a) moved 2 to 5 degrees from the current position, or b) in the horizontal state. It only needs to be moved to the strong wind retreat position. It may be equipped with an anemometer to measure the current wind speed, or it may be connected to a central network that sends a signal to the lower robot controller to initiate an emergency strong wind evacuation procedure (801). This procedure starts with the robot controller moving it to the vicinity of the individual light receiving surface, stops near the adjustment wheel on the light receiving surface (605), and rotates the adjustment wheel by a predetermined number of revolutions (802). This may also use the adjustment wheel sensing mechanism (403) to determine whether the adjustment wheel has stopped rotating (614). If stopped, this may indicate that the inferior robot controller has moved the passive solar tracker or heliostat to a hard stop at its strong wind retreat position.

  The emergency defocusing process may be much simpler than the emergency strong wind evacuation process. Since the purpose of this procedure is to move the image of the heliostat away from the sun target, the lower-level robot controller should be able to quickly change the position of multiple solar light receiving surfaces.

  FIG. 9 illustrates some of the ways that the fields of robot controllers can be used to communicate with each other and / or with a central network. These methods include wireless data communication (901), direct data link (902), external switch, or storage of information in the vicinity of individual passive solar light receiving surfaces or sets of passive solar light receiving surfaces (903). However, it is not limited to these. For wireless data communication, each robot controller may be provided with an electromagnetic frequency transmitter and / or receiver (904), which can communicate with other robots (301) or a central network (905).

  For direct data transmission, each robot controller may be provided with contacts, which can interact with contacts on other robots or on the central data unit. When these systems come into physical contact, data may be transmitted from one device to another.

  A human or robotic field operator may activate a particular function of an advanced, intermediate or lower robot that corresponds to a particular pre-programmed action. These operations may be performed by operating an external, magnetic, or electromagnetic switch. For example, if a lower-level robot has a preprogrammed emergency defocus function, the intermediate-level robot may activate that function simply by going to that point and pressing a push button switch.

  It is also beneficial to be able to store relevant data in the vicinity of individual passive sunlight receiving surfaces or collections of passive sunlight receiving surfaces. In one embodiment, an RFID chip (903) installed near the light receiving surface is used to determine the absolute or relative position of each solar light receiving surface in the field and the initial position of each adjustment wheel. Information on how to respond may be stored. Such a system would require that each robot controller have RFID writing means and / or RFID reading means. Other methods for locally storing data include, but are not limited to, semiconductor, magnetic and / or optical based data storage techniques.

  FIG. 10 shows a robot controller (301) having a plurality of adjustment wheel interfaces (302). The purpose of adding more adjustment interfaces is to disperse the cost of the most expensive on-board components and to allow the solar light receiving surface (101) to be adjusted more frequently within the same period. The purpose is to enable more accurate control. The illustrated embodiment can adjust two sunlight receiving surfaces at a time, and this design can cut the number of start / stop cycles in a field of a certain sunlight receiving surface in half.

  FIG. 11 shows a robot controller (301) that can control the adjustment wheel without stopping at the adjustment station. The system may control the adjustment diamond using a gear rack and pinion that utilizes contacts, magnetic force, or electromagnetic force. The robot interface conceptually functions as a gear rack (1101) and the adjustment wheel (102) functions as a pinion (1102). As the robot passes through the adjustment wheel, it activates its conceptual gear rack interface to physically, magnetically or electromagnetically connect to one edge of the adjustment wheel. When coupled, the linear motion of the robot controller can be converted directly into the rotational motion of the adjustment wheel. The robot controller may operate its interface (1101) again to disengage from the adjustment wheel pinion (1102). The robot controller can accurately control the rotation of the adjustment wheel by carefully monitoring its speed and the time that its adjustment interface has been connected to the adjustment wheel. For example, if the robot controller moves 1 meter per second and engages the edge of a 3.18 cm diameter adjustment wheel (circumference 10 cm) for 1 second, the wheel is rotated about 10 times.

  The robot controller can use a long row of sensors (403) that measure the instantaneous rotation angle of the wheel to confirm that the adjustment wheel (102) was engaged and that it was turning properly. A robot controller that does not stop or physically contact individual solar light receiving surfaces can accurately orient a solar power generation module of up to 1.2 MW if it is moving at a constant speed of 5 MPH.

  The robot controller shown in FIG. 11 uses a long row of electromagnets (401) that can be individually actuated to control the orientation of the adjustment wheel. These electromagnets, when activated in the (N-S-N-S-N-S) configuration, rotate the 4-pole magnetic adjustment wheel (N-S-N-S) simply by passing through the adjustment station. be able to. This magnetic gear rack system converts the linear motion of the robot into the rotational motion of the adjustment wheel.

  FIG. 12 shows a method of laying the robot transfer tube (106) on the site including a large number of sunlight receiving surfaces (101). The robot transfer tube may be sealed to prevent large foreign objects, water, and dust from entering the robot controller. In the illustrated embodiment, each passive solar tracker or heliostat has its own foundation, so the robot transport tube need only be able to support the weight of one or more robot controllers.

  This figure shows that each robot controller may normally adjust a particular row of sunlight receiving surfaces, but can use the onboard drive motor to return to the central station (1201) for maintenance. Show. According to such a track laying system, the field operator can easily expand the field of the robot controller by storing two or more of them in the central station. This central station may also be used for charging or maintenance services.

  FIG. 12 also shows that the redundant robot controller (301) can be used redundantly. In one embodiment, one or more backup robot controllers are installed at the central station. When a robot breaks down, the backup robot controller moves to the correct section of the trajectory and pushes the broken robot to the end of the tube to resume the adjustment of the sunlight receiving surface assigned to the broken robot. If the failed robot did not always relay the position of the sunlight receiving surface assigned to it to the central data system, the backup robot may need to perform the initial recalibration process described in FIG. unknown. If this information is accurately relayed to the central data system, the backup robot can resume the operation of the failed robot that stopped adjusting.

  If the field of the sunlight receiving surface does not have a central robot recovery system, two or more robots may be installed in one section of the track. These two or more robots may establish a steady data transfer link. One robot is in charge of daily operations (1202), the other robot functions as a redundant robot (1203), and the power loss due to the failed controller can properly adjust the orientation of the adjustment wheel of a certain solar light receiving surface. Prevent disappearance.

  FIG. 13 shows one embodiment of an environmental control system for the robot controller (301). This system includes the following components: fan (1301), heat sink (1302), active heat pump, Peltier element, electric heater, ventilation system, refrigeration means, humidity control system, moisture sensor, temperature sensor, air filter, etc. It may contain, but is not limited to these. Such environmental control elements may also be lowered into a sealed robotic transfer tube to allow the system to maintain a constant environment, thereby extending the life of critical components of the robot controller.

  It may be advantageous to use batteries, capacitors, supercapacitors and other forms of energy storage devices to simplify equipment and reduce overall system costs, which is one mile of electric trajectory with one battery. Because it can be replaced. FIG. 14 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention that utilizes a wireless power transfer interface to charge an energy storage mechanism mounted on a robot controller. A wireless charging mechanism may be desirable because it does not require exposed contacts to transmit power to the robot controller. However, the robot controller need not be equipped with a stored energy source, which can be powered inductively by an electric rail system or by track.

  An inductive charging station (1401) installed anywhere on the robot transfer tube can transmit energy to the robot controller by generating an oscillating electromagnetic field. The inductive coil loop (1402) installed in the robot controller (301) can capture this energy and store it in the energy storage mechanism on which it is mounted. Other forms of power transfer means that can be used by the robot controller include, but are not limited to, electrostatic induction, electromagnetic radiation, electrical conduction, and the like.

  FIG. 15 shows an operation process of the diagnosis and quality assurance system mounted on the robot controller. The robot controller may continually execute each part of this process so that the field or remote operator can determine the health of the field instant. The entire or specific portion of this process may also be performed daily, weekly, monthly, or as needed to allow field operators to perform preventive maintenance of the system. In particular, the robot controller diagnostic system may determine: a) Individual robot controller health estimated by the state of critical components (1501), b) Robot transport tube health (1502), c) Passive solar tracker or heliostat health (1503) ), D) Soundness of individual PV or CPV light receiving surface (1504).

  In this process, the robot controller may first relay all stored operational data to a central processing system or network (1505). This data includes internal and external sensor temperature and moisture measurement history, measurement data history from on-site or off-site monitoring systems, and current and voltage measurement history from all installed components. There are, but are not limited to, SOC / SOS readings from the onboard energy storage mechanism. The diagnostic system then compares this information to past operating data (1506) and compares to a pre-set operating safety range (1507). Anomaly analysis may determine the current health of the individual components and / or preventive maintenance of the robot controller (1508).

  To determine the health of the robotic transfer tube (1502), the robot controller may access data from an onboard camera or proximity sensor that can inspect the physical characteristics of the trajectory (1509). Any abnormality, for example, an object has entered the orbit, a large amount of dust has accumulated in a section of the orbit, an insect has built a nest, or a hole has opened in the orbit and a foreign object can enter. Once detected, the robot controller may send a signal to the field or remote operator (1510). The field or remote operator may access live video supplied from the robot controller camera to better assess the maintenance situation.

  To determine the health of the passive solar tracker or heliostat, the robot controller may access a data log obtained from adjusting individual tracking means (1511). Next, a data log that measures the amount of input torque / current required to rotate the adjustment wheel may be accessed (1512) to understand how these numbers change over time. . If the robot uses an electromagnetic interface, this torque value can be determined by recording the average current delivered to the interface during adjustment. In one example, if the diagnostic system recognizes that a passive solar tracker that normally requires 95 ± 5 amps suddenly started to require 320 ± 20 amps, then the function of this individual passive tracker has failed. It is determined that there is a warning, and a warning is sent to the on-site maintenance worker (1513). The robot controller may also use an image-based system to check and analyze the health of each solar tracker or heliostat. This image input is directly relayed to the operator at the site, and the soundness of the tracking system is evaluated. If the passive tracking device torque / current reading is within an acceptable range, this portion of the process (1503) may be repeated for each passive light receiving surface (101) within the robot's control range.

  In order to autonomously determine the health of an individual PC or CPV light receiving surface (1504), the robot controller first moves the individual tracking device to its optimal orientation (1515). It may then communicate (1516) with a central inverter, junction box or device capable of monitoring the output of a series of solar modules. In a system controlled using a robot, only one of the modules can be activated at any given moment, so the output reading should remain relatively constant. Once the data link is established, the robot executes a search algorithm where the passive light receiving surface is spirally moved (1517) while monitoring the output of the system. The maximum output point is then recorded (1518) and the tracking device is adjusted so that it does not face the sun (1519). The diagnostic system may measure changes in output at the central inverter, junction box, or column level (1520). Using this information, by measuring the exact difference of the central inverter, junction box, or column level output, comparing this with the module's rated output (1521), and calculating the degradation rate (1522), The deterioration rate of each module can be determined. If no change is detected, this may mean that the individual solar receiving surface (101) does not contribute to the overall output of the PV or CPV system. The module is classified as a failure, and the robot controller may use its adjustment interface to place its light-receiving surface in a special position to inform the field maintenance personnel of potential problems (1523). If the deterioration rate is within an allowable range, the sub-process 1504 may be repeated for all light receiving surfaces in the robot control region (1524).

  The robot controller may also include pre-programmed algorithms and security features that prevent theft and / or reverse engineering. The onboard controller and data storage unit may be encrypted to prevent access to control protocols and data stored in the robot. In addition to this, a sensor for detecting unauthorized access to the robot such as opening the robot controller may be provided. In response to such actions, the controller may notify the remote operator and / or clear the control algorithm and operating data. At the time of installation, each robot may be initialized with its installation location and a unique identification number. If the robot, field operator, or remote operator detects that the robot is no longer assigned to it, appropriate measures can be taken to recover the lost or stolen robot controller.

  In the present specification, specific embodiments and examples of use of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings and text. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exact configurations and components disclosed herein, Various improvements, changes and modifications may be made to the arrangement, operation and details of the methods and apparatus of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

A robot controller that controls the position of a plurality of sunlight receiving surfaces in response to movement of a plurality of sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheels, each sunlight receiving surface having a corresponding sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheel, In the robot controller, the robot controller is installed on a track,
A processing unit;
A position determination unit that is communicably connected to the processing unit and determines the position of the robot controller;
A drive system for moving the robot controller along the trajectory in response to a command from the processing unit;
An adjustment content determination system for determining a first adjustment parameter for a first sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheel of the plurality of sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheels;
An engagement system for adjusting the first solar light receiving surface adjustment wheel based on the first adjustment parameter;
The robot controller characterized by including. The position determination unit specifies a first position of the robot controller adjacent to the sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheel on the orbit,
The robot controller according to claim 1, wherein the drive system positions the robot controller at the first position. The robot controller includes a Hall effect sensor,
The position determination unit uses magnetic communication between the Hall effect sensor and one of the sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheels to position the robot controller adjacent to the one of the sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheels. The robot controller according to claim 2, wherein the robot controller is specified.   The communication between the Hall effect sensor and one of the solar light receiving surface adjustment wheels is performed by using the one of the solar light receiving surface adjustment wheels as the first solar light receiving surface adjustment wheel and the position. 4. The robot controller according to claim 3, wherein the robot controller is specified as the first position. The robot controller includes a Hall effect sensor,
The engagement system uses the magnetic connection between the Hall effect sensor and the first sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheel to adjust the first sunlight receiving surface adjustment based on the first adjustment parameter. The robot controller according to claim 2, wherein the wheel is rotated. The engagement system includes a rack and pinion mechanism;
The rack and pinion mechanism can be automatically adjusted based on the first adjustment parameter;
The robot controller according to claim 1, wherein the engagement system adjusts the first sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheel during the movement of the robot controller.   The robot controller according to claim 1, wherein a trajectory along which the robot controller moves is hermetically sealed to prevent significant entry of dust or water.   The robot controller according to claim 1, further comprising drive wheels that propel the robot controller along the trajectory.   The robot controller according to claim 1, further comprising a power storage system that stores power for the robot controller.   The robot controller according to claim 9, wherein the power storage system is an electrical energy storage device.   The robot controller according to claim 9, wherein the power storage system is recharged wirelessly.   The robot controller according to claim 1, further comprising an energy receiving device that receives electric power from the trajectory.   The robot controller according to claim 12, wherein the energy receiving device receives electric power either by an inductive method from the track or by using a direct connection with the track.   The position determination unit uses a triangulation method to identify the position of the robot controller, and the triangulation method uses signals from at least three devices external to the robot controller that are located in close proximity to each other. The robot controller according to claim 1, wherein the robot controller is received.   The robot controller according to claim 1, wherein the position determination unit includes a global positioning satellite receiver that identifies the position of the robot controller.   The robot controller of claim 1, further comprising an environmental control system arranged to receive a signal from the processor and relieve environmental conditions under which the robot controller operates.   The robot controller of claim 1, further comprising a communication system in wireless communication with at least one of the central server, the second robot controller, and / or the central controller.   The robot controller according to claim 1, further comprising a camera that detects at least one of one or more orientations of the sunlight receiving surface and / or abnormality of the trajectory. A method for a robot controller that controls the positions of a plurality of sunlight receiving surfaces in response to movements of a plurality of sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheels, wherein each sunlight receiving surface corresponds to a corresponding solar term light receiving surface adjustment wheel And wherein the robot controller is positioned on a trajectory,
Determining the position of the robot controller;
Moving the robot controller along the trajectory to a position adjacent to a first wheel of the plurality of solar light receiving surface adjustment wheels;
Determining a first adjustment parameter for the first sunlight receiving surface adjustment wheel;
Adjusting the first solar light receiving surface adjustment wheel based on the first adjustment parameter;
A method comprising the steps of:   The method of claim 19, further comprising wirelessly communicating with at least one of the central server, the second robot controller, and / or the central controller.

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