WO2009067614A1 - Système et procédé de suivi solaire incliné au sud - Google Patents

Système et procédé de suivi solaire incliné au sud Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2009067614A1
WO2009067614A1 PCT/US2008/084217 US2008084217W WO2009067614A1 WO 2009067614 A1 WO2009067614 A1 WO 2009067614A1 US 2008084217 W US2008084217 W US 2008084217W WO 2009067614 A1 WO2009067614 A1 WO 2009067614A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
solar panel
panel assembly
torque
assembly
coupled
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2008/084217
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Kevin Mackamul
Original Assignee
Regenesis Power, Llc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Regenesis Power, Llc filed Critical Regenesis Power, Llc
Publication of WO2009067614A1 publication Critical patent/WO2009067614A1/fr

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Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24SSOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S30/00Arrangements for moving or orienting solar heat collector modules
    • F24S30/40Arrangements for moving or orienting solar heat collector modules for rotary movement
    • F24S30/42Arrangements for moving or orienting solar heat collector modules for rotary movement with only one rotation axis
    • F24S30/425Horizontal axis
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24SSOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S30/00Arrangements for moving or orienting solar heat collector modules
    • F24S2030/10Special components
    • F24S2030/13Transmissions
    • F24S2030/136Transmissions for moving several solar collectors by common transmission elements
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02EREDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/40Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
    • Y02E10/47Mountings or tracking

Definitions

  • a solar tracking system and method are provided.
  • Figure 1 illustrates an example of an embodiment of a portion of a southerly tilted solar tracking system
  • FIGS. 2A -2C illustrates details of particular portions of the southerly tilted solar tracking system
  • FIG 3 illustrates an example of an embodiment of a solar energy collection facility that may incorporate the southerly tilted solar tracking system shown in Figures 1 and 2A-2C;
  • Figures 4A and 4B illustrate more details of two embodiments of the coupling mechanism associated with each solar panel; and Figure 5 illustrates an example of another embodiment of a portion of a southerly tilted solar tracking system.
  • the system and method are particularly applicable to the solar energy collection facility described below with the particular southerly tilted solar tracking system having the particular components and elements described below and it is in this context that the southerly tilted solar tracking system and method will be described. It will be appreciated, however, that the southerly tilted solar tracking system and method has greater utility since it can be implemented using different components/elements that those shown in the embodiment below and may be implemented in various different solar type systems.
  • a southerly tilted solar energy collection facility includes a plurality of southerly tilted solar panels configured on an east-west row but with single axis tracking that allows each of the panels to rotate about a north-south axis to follow the sun from sunrise to sunset as shown in Figure 3.
  • the solar panels in the facility as shown in Figure 3 are also spaced apart in the east-west direction, such that when each solar panel is tilted, the shadow from one panel does not fall on an adjacent panel and thus reduce the solar energy collecting capabilities of that solar panel.
  • Each solar panel may further include a unique coupling element to translate linear motion into rotational motion required to accurately track the sun.
  • a lever arm extends from each of the southerly tilted solar panels to linear moving rod or linkage.
  • the lever arm is coupled to the rod using a simple sleeve bearing, such that in the morning and afternoon the effective lever arm is maximum and at noon time the lever arm is shortest.
  • only the horizontal forces of the load force required to move the panels from “at rest” and in high wind conditions
  • the forces transferred to the linear actuator are further reduced in "high wind” conditions due to the longer effective lever-arm during morning and afternoon time periods.
  • the system is an improvement over conventional single-axis tracking systems that are not tilted southerly. In sunny locations, tilting the panels while tracking the sun will provide up to 6% more energy annually when compared to tracking without tilting.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an embodiment of a portion of a southerly tilted solar tracking system 200 that includes a first solar panel 10 mounted on a first tilted torque tube 12 oriented on a north-south axis and a second solar panel 20 mounted on a second tilted torque tube 22 oriented on a north-south axis.
  • Each tilted torque tube solar panel assembly is supported by two torque tube bearings 13 A, 13B for panel assembly 10 and two torque tube bearings 23 A, 23B for panel assembly 20 and a pair vertical support piers 14A, 14B for panel assembly 10 and a pair vertical support piers 24A and 24B for panel assembly 20, with one pier on the north and one pier on the south for each solar panel assembly.
  • the north support piers 14 A, 24 A may be founded on a horizontal beam 52 perpendicular to the torque tube axis and the south support piers 14B, 24B may be mounted on a horizontal beam 51 perpendicular to the torque tube axis.
  • the distance between the horizontal beams 51, 52 may be from six to twelve feet.
  • Each horizontal beam 51 , 52 is supported by a pair of vertical piers (61 , 63 for the southern horizontal beam and 62, 64 for the northern horizontal beam) wherein the vertical piers are anchored to the earth or another surface.
  • Each solar panel assembly 10, 20 may include a lever arm 71, 72 respectively, wherein each level arm extends from each torque tube and couples to a horizontal drive element 80 supported by a set of linear bearings 91-94 attached to the southern horizontal beam 51.
  • Each lever arm 71, 72 is also attached to the torque tube 12, 22 at a pivot 100 such that the lever arm is not required to be perpendicular to the torque tube.
  • each lever arm 71 , 72 The coupling of each lever arm 71 , 72 to the drive element is such that pure horizontal motion of the drive element 80 translates to rotational motion of the lever arm 71,72 that causes each solar panel assembly 10, 20 to rotate about its respective torque tube and to move in unison to follow the sun through the sky throughout the day.
  • the dynamic coupling is achieved through a gimbal and sleeve bearing 110, 111 or a rod and pin arrangement as detailed in copending and co-owned U.S. patent application serial number 11/199,442 which is incorporated herein by reference.
  • the solar tracking assembly the north horizontal beam 52 may have a taller height than the southern horizontal beam 51 such mat the angle measured from a level north - south line to the axis of rotation of the torque tubes is between 15 to 30 degrees.
  • FIGs 2 A -2C illustrates details of particular portions of the southerly tilted solar tracking system.
  • the solar tracking system shown in Figures 2A-2C has a linear actuator 12 fixed to the south horizontal beam at one of the vertical piers supporting the beam and anchored to the earth or other surface.
  • the solar tracking assembly where the linear actuator 12 (such as a linear drive jack) drives a linear drive element on the right and simultaneously drives a linear drive element on the left, such that motion of the single linear actuator causes right and left drive elements to move in unison and causes the dynamically coupled lever arms to rotate the attached torque tubes with solar panels to follow the sun from east to west in the sky throughout the day.
  • the linear actuator 12 such as a linear drive jack
  • the portions of the solar tracking assembly shown in Figures 1-2C above can be combined together as multiple segments added to the left and to the right sides of the linear actuator to increase the number of dynamically coupled lever arms, torque tubes and solar panels to the right and the left sides of the linear actuator.
  • the additional assemblies will add two hundred to three hundred feet to the left and to the right (east and west respectively) such that the length of the entire row of solar panels may be 400 to 600 feet in length.
  • FIG 3 illustrates an example of an embodiment of a solar energy collection facility that may incorporate the southerly tilted solar tracking system shown in Figures 1 and 2A-2C.
  • a single linear actuator located at the center portion of a row of solar panels as shown in Figure 3 activates and controls the motion of this row of solar panels.
  • a solar energy collection facility with 400 solar panel assemblies (10 rows or 40 solar panel assemblies) is possible while using ten linear actuators.
  • east- west rows (ten in the example in Figure 3) installed to form an array of such rows, spaced apart in the north - south direction such that the shadow cast from the sun from one south row solar panels does not fall on the adjacent north row panels between the hours of 9 AM to 3 PM on the winter solstice.
  • FIGs 4A and 4B illustrate a gimbal sleeve coupling and a pin and slot coupling, respectively, that dynamically couple the solar panel and torque tube to the linear drive element 80.
  • Each of these coupling mechanisms when an undesirable force is applied to the solar panel 10 such as a wind force as shown in Figures 4A or 4B, transfer only the horizontal component of the force to the linear actuator (not shown) that moves the solar panels so that the linear actuator is protected for undesirable forces.
  • the linear actuator not shown
  • 70.7% of the force is transferred to the horizontal beam 80 through the sleeve bearings 93, 94 which is much smaller than the force on the torque lever arm 72.
  • the gimbal sleeve bearing allows the lever arm 72 to slide to change the length of the lever arm as the coupling element moves horizontally.
  • the lever arm is shortest when the solar panel is at a zero degree angle.
  • the coupling allows the level arm 72 to slide to change the length of the level arm as the coupling element moves horizontally.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates an example of another embodiment of a portion of a southerly tilted solar tracking system 200.
  • the system 200 have a plurality of solar modules 201 (solar panel assemblies) which are mounted on a torque frame 202 that rotates and causes the solar modules 201 to rotate as described above for the other embodiment.
  • the torque frame 202 may be coupled to a single solar module/solar panel assembly or multiple solar panel assemblies/solar modules as shown in Figure 5.
  • the torque frame 202 in one implementation, may further comprise a first rail 202a and a second rail 202b as shown that may be placed about 3 feet apart and support the sola ⁇ panel assemblies.
  • the torque frame 202 may also comprise a cross member 204 that connects the two tails 202a, 202b and supports the solar panels 201 at about the same position as the torque tubes are as shown in Figure 1.
  • the cross member 204 may be a first and second cross member 204a, 204b spaced apart with a lever arm 208 between them and a bearing journal 206 that extends from the cross member and allows the torque frame and the solar panels 201 to rotate.
  • the lever arm (similar in operation to the lever arm described above) attaches to the crossmember 204 and the system works as described above wherein there is a drive member or driven mechanism (such as a rod) coupled to the level arm that translates the linear motion of the drive member into rotational motion of the torque frame and solar panels so that the solar panels track the sunlight as described above.
  • a drive member or driven mechanism such as a rod

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Photovoltaic Devices (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système et un procédé de suivi solaire.
PCT/US2008/084217 2007-11-20 2008-11-20 Système et procédé de suivi solaire incliné au sud WO2009067614A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US98943407P 2007-11-20 2007-11-20
US60/989,434 2007-11-20

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2009067614A1 true WO2009067614A1 (fr) 2009-05-28

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PCT/US2008/084217 WO2009067614A1 (fr) 2007-11-20 2008-11-20 Système et procédé de suivi solaire incliné au sud

Country Status (2)

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US (1) US20090159075A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2009067614A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

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US8407950B2 (en) 2011-01-21 2013-04-02 First Solar, Inc. Photovoltaic module support system
CN107222161A (zh) * 2017-03-26 2017-09-29 新昌县海格赛斯贸易有限公司 一种转化效率高的太阳能电池板装置
CN107222159A (zh) * 2017-03-26 2017-09-29 新昌县海格赛斯贸易有限公司 一种太阳能板装置

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US8256169B2 (en) 2009-03-20 2012-09-04 Northern States Metals Company Support system for solar panels
US8316590B2 (en) 2009-03-20 2012-11-27 Northern States Metals Company Support system for solar panels
WO2011053659A1 (fr) * 2009-10-27 2011-05-05 Pure Mechanics, Inc. Système de suivi solaire en trois points et procédé associé
US8839573B2 (en) 2011-02-11 2014-09-23 Northern States Metals Company Spring clip
US9303663B2 (en) 2013-04-11 2016-04-05 Northern States Metals Company Locking rail alignment system
US10931224B2 (en) 2016-06-03 2021-02-23 RBI Solar, Inc. Single axis in-line gearbox modular tracker system
US11855581B2 (en) * 2017-07-18 2023-12-26 Polar Racking Inc. Solar panel support and drive system

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8407950B2 (en) 2011-01-21 2013-04-02 First Solar, Inc. Photovoltaic module support system
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CN107222161A (zh) * 2017-03-26 2017-09-29 新昌县海格赛斯贸易有限公司 一种转化效率高的太阳能电池板装置
CN107222159A (zh) * 2017-03-26 2017-09-29 新昌县海格赛斯贸易有限公司 一种太阳能板装置

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