Single-drive photovoltaic panel double-axis tracking system based on compliant mechanism

Abstract

The invention discloses a compliant mechanism-based single-drive photovoltaic panel double-shaft tracking system, which comprises a data acquisition module, a control circuit and a flexible tracking mechanism, and is characterized in that the control circuit comprises a control and calculation unit, a steering engine controller and a driving motor, and the driving motor is connected with the flexible tracking mechanism; the acquisition module transmits acquired photovoltaic panel parameters, GPS positioning, weather forecast and solar altitude angle and azimuth angle information to the control and calculation unit through wireless communication; and the control and calculation unit drives the steering engine controller and the driving motor through a tracking algorithm so as to control the compliant tracking mechanism and ensure that the photovoltaic panel is aligned with the sun in real time. According to the flexible tracking mechanism, the 3D integrated printing technology is adopted, the design of a transmission mechanism is simplified, the cost is reduced, the mechanical service life is prolonged, and the maintenance requirement is reduced; and the working modes can be automatically switched according to weather conditions, so that the stability and the adaptability are enhanced, and the robustness is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of solar lighting devices, and in particular to a single-drive photovoltaic panel dual-axis tracking system based on a compliant mechanism. Background Art

[0002] Photovoltaic power generation is a technology that uses solar photovoltaic panels to directly convert solar energy into electrical energy. In order to further improve the efficiency of solar energy reception, photovoltaic self-tracking systems are currently widely used.

[0003] These automatic tracking systems are mainly divided into two types: single-axis and dual-axis. The single-axis system can only rotate in one direction, while the movement of the sun is multi-directional, which limits its ability to improve the ability of photovoltaic panels to receive solar energy. In contrast, the dual-axis system performs better in power generation efficiency because it can track the position of the sun more accurately. However, the dual-axis system needs to control the azimuth and tilt angle of the photovoltaic panel at the same time, which usually requires multiple motors to achieve. Although this can track the sun more accurately, the complex transmission and control system also brings maintenance difficulties. In addition, the dual-axis system is heavy, and the multiple mechanical connection points in the design not only increase the manufacturing cost, but also make maintenance more complicated and difficult. Summary of the invention

[0004] Purpose of the invention: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a single-drive photovoltaic panel dual-axis tracking system based on a compliant mechanism, which ensures that the photovoltaic panel can automatically adjust its angle according to the change of the sun's position, and can receive the maximum amount of solar energy in different time periods, thereby improving the power generation efficiency.

[0005] Technical solution: A single-drive photovoltaic panel dual-axis tracking system based on a compliant mechanism, including a data acquisition module, a control circuit and a flexible tracking mechanism, the control circuit including a control and computing unit, a servo controller and a drive motor, the drive motor is connected to the flexible tracking mechanism; the acquisition module transmits the collected photovoltaic panel parameters, GPS positioning, weather forecast, and solar altitude and azimuth information to the control and computing unit via wireless communication; the control and computing unit drives the servo controller and the drive motor through a tracking algorithm, and then controls the compliant tracking mechanism to ensure that the photovoltaic panel is aligned with the sun in real time.

[0006] Furthermore, the flexible tracking mechanism includes two flexible rotating shafts and a supporting structure, the supporting structure includes a fixed bracket, an L-shaped bracket, a U-shaped bracket and a flexible rotating shaft bracket, the fixed bracket is fixed to the mounting surface, the two flexible rotating shafts are respectively arranged on both sides of the flexible rotating shaft bracket, and the other ends of the two flexible rotating shafts are respectively connected to the U-shaped bracket; one end of the flexible rotating shaft bracket is connected to the fixed bracket, and the other end is connected to the flexible rotating shaft; one end of the L-shaped bracket is connected to the bottom of the U-shaped bracket, and the other end is connected to the driving motor; a photovoltaic panel is provided above the U-shaped bracket.

[0007] Furthermore, the flexible shaft is a spiral sweep structure, which is formed by a rectangular cross-section being spatially swept along a predefined spiral path; the thickness of the spiral sweep structure is one tenth of the spiral radius.

[0008] Furthermore, the flexible tracking mechanism can rotate 90 degrees in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions respectively.

[0009] Furthermore, the flexible tracking mechanism is an integrated structure manufactured using 3D printing technology.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant effects:

[0011] 1. The present invention uses the unique method of flexible mechanism's own deformation to realize motion and force transmission, showing significant advantages such as light weight, strong integrity and no friction loss;

[0012] 2. It adopts a single motor drive and combines with a flexible tracking mechanism to achieve real-time two-way tracking of photovoltaic panels in two dimensions: azimuth and inclination, effectively simulating the daily movement trajectory of the sun. At the same time, it integrates GPS positioning technology and weather forecast data, and can intelligently adjust the working mode according to the current weather conditions, automatically optimize the inclination angle of the photovoltaic panel, and ensure that the maximum capture of sunlight is achieved;

[0013] 3. The flexible mechanism of the present invention is manufactured by 3D integrated printing technology and prepared by PETG material, which not only simplifies the design of the transmission mechanism, but also reduces the overall cost, while increasing the service life of the machine and reducing the need for maintenance;

[0014] 4. In the tracking mode algorithm, the most suitable photovoltaic panel inclination angle is calculated in real time by inputting the acquired geographical location, environmental conditions, performance parameters of the photovoltaic module and other data, combined with the driving accuracy of the servo. This method ensures that the photovoltaic panel can automatically adjust its angle according to the changes in the position of the sun, ensuring that it can receive the maximum amount of solar energy in different time periods, thereby improving power generation efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 is an overall block diagram of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2a It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention, Figure 2b for Figure 2a Front view of Figure 2c for Figure 2b Left view of;

[0017] Figure 3a is a schematic diagram of the flexible tracking mechanism. Figure 3b is the radius and cross-section diagram of the spiral line;

[0018] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the rotation of the flexible tracking mechanism;

[0019] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the sun path following of the flexible tracking mechanism;

[0020] Figure 6 This is a comparison chart of the photovoltaic power generation improvement of a fixed-tilt installation, a single-axis up-and-down swing tracking system, and the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, the single-drive photovoltaic panel dual-axis tracking system of the present invention includes a data acquisition module, a control circuit and a flexible tracking mechanism. The control circuit includes a control and calculation unit, a steering gear controller and an SG90 drive motor. In this embodiment, the control and calculation unit adopts an ESP32 microcontroller. The ESP32 microcontroller accurately obtains geographic location information through an integrated GPS module and uses the Wi-Fi function to access the wireless network, thereby obtaining the latest weather forecast data and the solar altitude and azimuth information. With this information, the ESP32 microcontroller drives the steering gear controller and the SG90 drive motor through a tracking algorithm, thereby controlling the flexible tracking mechanism to ensure that the photovoltaic panel is aligned with the sun in real time and optimize the energy conversion efficiency.

[0023] In addition, the single-drive photovoltaic panel dual-axis tracking system of the present invention has intelligent environmental perception capabilities and can automatically switch working modes according to the real-time weather and environmental conditions obtained. Under clear weather conditions, the ESP32 microcontroller control system automatically enters the tracking mode to ensure that the photovoltaic panel is always facing the sun to obtain the maximum energy conversion efficiency. On cloudy days or inclement weather conditions, the system smoothly transitions to the static mode, which not only reduces its own energy consumption, but also utilizes the design advantages of the compliant mechanism to enhance the stability of the system and its adaptability to environmental changes, significantly improving the robustness of the system.

[0024] When designing the tracking mode algorithm, a series of key data are input to achieve precise control. These data include geographic location, environmental conditions, and performance parameters of the photovoltaic module. Combined with the driving accuracy of the SG90 drive motor, this goal can be achieved using the pvlib library in the Python language. The core of the algorithm is to calculate the optimal drive motor angle in real time through the calculation unit. Specifically, it is assumed that the step size of the motor is equal to its driving accuracy, and then traverse each point on the trajectory. In this process, the point that can produce the maximum output is found, and the motor angle corresponding to this point is the optimal angle. Then, through the ESP32 microcontroller, the tracking system can be precisely controlled to rotate the photovoltaic panel to the optimal inclination angle. This method ensures that the photovoltaic panel can automatically adjust its angle according to the change of the sun's position, ensuring that it can receive the maximum amount of solar energy in different time periods and improve power generation efficiency.

[0025] like Figure 2a , Figure 2b , Figure 2c As shown, the flexible tracking mechanism consists of two main parts: a flexible shaft 2 and a support structure 3. These two parts are manufactured using integrated 3D printing technology to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the structure. The support structure 3 includes a fixed bracket 31, an L-shaped bracket 32, a U-shaped bracket 33 and a flexible shaft bracket 34. The fixed bracket 31 is fixed to the mounting surface through the mounting frame fixing surface 6. Two flexible shafts 2 are respectively arranged on both sides of the flexible shaft bracket 34, and the other ends of the two flexible shafts 2 are respectively connected to the U-shaped bracket 33; one end of the flexible shaft bracket 34 is connected to the fixed bracket 31, and the other end is connected to the flexible shaft 2; one end of the L-shaped bracket 32 ​​is connected to the bottom of the U-shaped bracket 33, and the other end is connected to the drive motor through the drive motor fixing surface 5; a photovoltaic panel fixing surface 4 is provided above the U-shaped bracket 33 for installing the photovoltaic panel.

[0026] In the design and manufacturing process of the flexible tracking mechanism, the Ladybug plug-in in the Rhino software was first used to accurately capture the movement trajectory of the sun. Then, the structure was optimized through mechanical simulation to ensure that the mechanism could efficiently simulate the movement path of the sun. In the manufacturing process, 3D printing materials with high toughness were selected, and the integrated molding of the mechanism was achieved with the help of 3D printing technology. This method not only ensures the accuracy and integrity of the structure, but also reduces assembly errors.

[0027] like Figure 3a As shown in the figure, the flexible shaft is a spiral sweep structure, which is formed by a rectangular cross section sweeping in space along a predefined spiral path. Generally speaking, the thickness (t) of the spiral sweep structure is designed to be about one tenth of the spiral radius (R). This design not only ensures the stability of the structure, but also meets the performance requirements of the flexible shaft when sweeping in space, such as Figure 3b shown.

[0028] like Figure 4 As shown, a schematic diagram of the rotation of the flexible tracking mechanism is shown. The mechanism design allows 90-degree rotation in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions, providing a wide adjustment range to accommodate different sun tracking requirements.

[0029] like Figure 5 Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a compliant mechanism following the sun.

[0030] like Figure 6 As shown, in terms of improving photovoltaic power generation, this embodiment selected three different photovoltaic panel installation methods for comparative analysis: fixed tilt installation, single-axis up and down swing tracking system, and the single-drive photovoltaic panel dual-axis tracking system of the present invention. Taking the Nanjing area as an example, through simulation calculation, taking a 320*180*17mm photovoltaic panel (power 10W) ​​as an example, under ideal conditions and assuming clear weather all year round, the annual power generation of the present invention is expected to be as high as 31,590 kWh. Compared with the traditional fixed tilt installation system, its power generation has been significantly increased by 39%; compared with the single-axis up and down swing tracking system, the power generation has also increased by 29%, thereby greatly improving the efficiency and performance of photovoltaic power generation. This achievement fully demonstrates the significant advantages of the compliant mechanism dual-axis tracking system in the field of photovoltaic power generation.

Claims

1. A single-drive photovoltaic panel dual-axis tracking system based on a compliant mechanism, characterized in that: It includes a data acquisition module, a control circuit and a flexible tracking mechanism. The control circuit includes a control and computing unit, a steering gear controller and a drive motor. The drive motor is connected to the flexible tracking mechanism. The acquisition module transmits the collected photovoltaic panel parameters, GPS positioning, weather forecast, and solar altitude and azimuth information to the control and computing unit through wireless communication. The control and computing unit drives the steering gear controller and the drive motor through a tracking algorithm, and then controls the flexible tracking mechanism to ensure that the photovoltaic panel is aligned with the sun in real time.

2. The single-drive photovoltaic panel dual-axis tracking system based on a compliant mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible tracking mechanism comprises two flexible rotating shafts (2) and a supporting structure (3), wherein the supporting structure (3) comprises a fixed bracket (31), an L-shaped bracket (32), a U-shaped bracket (33) and a flexible rotating shaft bracket (34), wherein the fixed bracket (31) is fixed to a mounting surface, and the two flexible rotating shafts (2) are respectively arranged on both sides of the flexible rotating shaft bracket (34), and the other ends of the two flexible rotating shafts (2) are respectively connected to the U-shaped bracket (33); one end of the flexible rotating shaft bracket (34) is connected to the fixed bracket (31), and the other end is connected to the flexible rotating shaft (2); one end of the L-shaped bracket (32) is connected to the bottom of the U-shaped bracket (33), and the other end is connected to a driving motor; a photovoltaic panel is arranged above the U-shaped bracket (33).

3. The single-drive photovoltaic panel dual-axis tracking system based on a compliant mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flexible rotating shaft (2) is a spiral sweep structure, formed by spatially sweeping a rectangular cross section along a predefined spiral path; the thickness of the spiral sweep structure is one tenth of the spiral radius.

4. The single-drive photovoltaic panel dual-axis tracking system based on a compliant mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible tracking mechanism can rotate 90 degrees in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions respectively.

5. The single-drive photovoltaic panel dual-axis tracking system based on a compliant mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible tracking mechanism is an integrated structure manufactured by 3D printing technology.

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