Floating solar tracker

Abstract

A solar tracker float assembly extending along a principal longitudinal rotational axis. The assembly comprises at least one floating tube element extending along and / or parallel to said principal axis and having at least one internal cavity, at least one array of photovoltaic solar modules oriented at an angle with regard to said principal longitudinal axis and rigidly connected to said support tracker assembly, and a control system comprising pumping means and an electronic controller arranged to control said pumping means to inject or withdraw water and / or air inside said internal cavity in order to rotate the floating tracker assembly about said principal axis between the maximum right directed position and the maximum left directed position.

Description

technical field [0001] This invention is in the general field of solar power generation. [0002] More specifically, a particularly important but not exclusive application of the invention is in the field of floating photovoltaic solar tracker systems capable of tracking the sun throughout the day to maximize the energy output of photovoltaic modules. Background technique [0003] Photovoltaic solar tracker systems provide means for rotating an array of photovoltaic solar modules about one or more axes in order to orient the solar modules toward the sun. [0004] In the specific case of floating photovoltaic solar energy systems designed to be installed on the surface of bodies of water, the number of tracker systems installed to date is very limited. Most floating solar systems that have been deployed rely on the use of simple floaters designed to support one or more solar modules at a fixed angle of inclination. [0005] Few examples have been reported in the literature ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0007] While several tracker units rotate multiple arrays of solar modules around different fixed points separated by horizontal distances, this configuration creates challenging constraints on individually anchoring each block and requires additional lengths of water Lowering cables to interconnect multiple arrays of rotating solar modules

[0008] Additionally, vertical axis floating tracker systems are more complex to install and their geometry does not allow easy access paths for maintenance operations on the solar modules or on the mechanical components of the tracker unit

[0009] Furthermore, since the tracking trajectory of vertical axis tracker systems is far from ideal, the additional energy production gain obtained by such tracking systems is typically less than 10%

Vertical single-axis trackers can achieve higher energy gains if the solar modules are tilted at steep tilt angles (i.e. >30°), but this configuration is highly undesirable due to the significant increase in drag coefficient and for Avoiding cross-occlusion losses requires large separation distances between rows of modules

[0010] In fact, the prior art fails to present an easy-to-install product that is cost-effective enough to enable a utility-scale floating tracking solar system to be installed at a fixed angle on a basic floater that supports solar modules. Floating solar installations on more competitive

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