101 results about "Solar tracker" patented technology

System and method embodiments are described for solar panel protection against severe environmental impacts. A tracker controller may be configured to rotate a solar tracker comprising a group of solar panels to a safe position to diminish hail impact during a hailstorm. Such a rotation may be implemented using one or more motors to drive arc gears coupled to a pair of supporting purlins that support the group of solar panels. The tracker may comprise a bumper rail placed on the top when the tracker is at the safe position for hail impact absorption. Implementing solar panel protection provides a practical solution to protect solar panels from damage. Thus, the need for costly repair or replacement may be avoided, minimized, or decreased. As a result, the economic efficiency of solar power plant operations may be improved significantly.

A coupling system for solar trackers is disclosed. The coupling system can reduce the number of fasteners and labor required for securing solar modules to torque tubes. The system includes a support rail, a strap assembly, and a fastening assembly. The support rail features an upper surface for receiving solar modules and a lower surface with spaced protuberances forming a gap to accommodate a torque tube. Inner surfaces of the protuberances can inhibit rotation of the torque tube relative to the support rail. The fastening assembly includes retaining bolts with adjustable gaps to secure solar modules of varying thicknesses. Spring arms and biasing elements enhance module retention and alignment. The strap assembly clamps the support rail to the torque tube which can ensure stability.

A solar tracker support frame assembly includes a multi-leg solar tracker support frame and a hanging bearing housing assembly. The multi-leg solar tracker support frame includes first and second frame legs and a bridge extending between the first and second frame legs. The hanging bearing housing assembly is at the multi-leg solar tracker support frame and is configured to support a torque tube. The hanging bearing housing assembly includes a bearing sleeve and a torque tube connector. The bearing sleeve includes a first bearing sleeve portion and a hanging bearing sleeve portion. The first bearing sleeve portion interfaces with the bridge, and the hanging bearing sleeve portion extends out from the first bearing sleeve portion below the bridge. The torque tube connector is configured to couple the torque tube to the hanging bearing housing assembly at least at the hanging bearing sleeve portion below the bridge.

Described herein are systems and methods for reducing damage to solar tracker systems during severe weather, such as hailstorms. In one example, a solar module assembly, with edge protection against hail damage, includes a solar module that holds a plurality of photovoltaic cells, the solar module having a front surface and a sidewall extending from the front surface. A frame having a frame wall, which includes a first wall, is disposed about a perimeter of the solar module sidewall and supports the solar module. Further, a hail absorption wall extends along and is spaced from the first wall. The hail absorption wall is attached to the frame and resilient and deflectable towards the first wall. The hail absorption wall absorbs impact energy from hail falling in a direction towards the first wall.

A coupling system for use with a solar tracker and a method of use are described herein. The coupling system includes a support rail having a torque tube receiving surface configured to interface with a torque tube. One or more rigid arms configured to couple the support rail to the torque tube, each rigid arm pivotably connected to the support rail and being pivotable about a rotational axis. The one or more rigid arms configured to extend at least partially around the torque tube and pivotable into a closed position. The one or more rigid arms having one or more distal ends fastenable to secure the one or more rigid arms in the closed position.

A toolless fastening assembly for a solar power system including a first strap portion having a first connector, a second strap portion having a second connector, and a boot buckle extending a buckle distance between a first buckle end and a second buckle end. The first buckle end is connectable to the first connector and the second buckle end is connectable to the second connector. The boot buckle includes a latch lever that is rotatable between a first lever position and a second lever position. Rotation of the latch lever from the first lever position to the second lever position shortens the buckle distance.

An assembly includes one or more photovoltaic solar trackers; a rechargeable power supply system, including power supply elements to power the tracker or trackers; a charging system, to recharge the power elements; and a tracker controller. The assembly stands out for including one or more supercapacitors as power supply elements. The invention makes it possible to arrange the power supply elements at low temperatures without the need for heaters, increase their useful life and reduce their size.

A solar tracker assembly is provided which includes a support column, a torque tube or torsion beam connected to the support column, a mounting mechanism attached to the torque tube or torsion beam, a drive system connected to the torque tube or torsion beam, and a spring counter-balance assembly connected to the torque tube or torsion beam. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly comprises a bearing housing and a bushing disposed within the bearing housing and configured to be slideably mounted onto the torque tube or torsion beam, and one or more compressible cords made of a flexible material. The compressible cords are located between the bushing and the bearing housing and provide damping during rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly.

The invention relates to the technical field of waste water evaporation drying, in particular to a waste water evaporation drying method and system based on mixed molten salt heat storage, and the system comprises a light condensing and guiding unit, a molten salt heat storage unit, a heat exchange circulation unit and an evaporation drying unit; the light condensing and guiding unit comprises a Fresnel lens and a quartz glass guide tube; the fused salt heat storage unit comprises a fused salt heat storage tank and a fused salt pump, and mixed fused salt is arranged in the fused salt heat storage tank; the heat exchange circulating unit comprises a fused salt steam heat exchanger, a steam heat accumulator, a waste steam tank, a desalted water storage tank, a waste steam water circulating pump, a desalted water feeding pump and a condenser; the evaporation drying unit comprises an evaporation dryer and an evaporation condensate storage tank, the evaporation dryer is communicated with the steam heat accumulator, and the evaporation condensate storage tank is connected with the condenser. The Fresnel lens and the quartz glass guide pipe are combined for light gathering and light guiding, precise tracking and efficient collection of sunlight are achieved in cooperation with the solar tracker, and the heat conduction efficiency is greatly improved.

The present invention relates to a device comprising a first stop (9), attached to an inner surface (5) of a bushing (3) which is driven by a torsion shaft (1) of a solar tracker; and at least one contact area (10) arranged on the first stop (9). The contact area(s) (10) are configured to make contact with respective second stops (11) which are solidly attached to a clamp (7), which is attached to a foundation post (2) of the tracker and which externally surrounds the bushing (3), when the torsion shaft (1) is in at least one predetermined stop orientation, to transmit loads and stress produced by incident wind to the foundation post (2). The device allows wind loads to be transmitted from the torsion shaft (1) to the foundation through the foundation posts (2), avoiding loading the gearbox of the solar tracker.

A clip for use with a coupling assembly of a solar tracker includes a crown, a pair of splayed legs, and a pair of ears. The crown defines an arcuate profile extending between a first end portion and a second, opposite end portion. The pair of splayed legs define a gap for receipt of a module rail of a solar module. Each leg of the pair of splayed legs extends from the crown and terminates at a hook extending into the gap. Each leg of the pair of splayed legs defines an upturned tab extending away from the gap and towards the hook. The pair of ears includes a first ear disposed on a first leg of the pair of splayed legs and a second ear disposed on a second leg of the pair of splayed legs. The first ear is parallel to the second ear.

A solar tracker system having support piers including a first support pier and a second support pier. Each of the first and second support piers include a lower portion having a first ground pile and a second ground pile, respectively, and an upper portion having a first angled leg and a second angled leg coupled to each other proximate a top of the upper portion. The upper portion coupled to the lower portion via a first attachment joint and a second attachment joint, and the upper portion configured to rotate relative to the lower portion via the first attachment joint and the second attachment joint. The solar tracker system further including a torque tube rotatably supported by the support piers, a plurality of solar modules coupled to the torque tube, and a drive motor configured to cause the torque tube to rotate.

A power converter converts a medium-voltage output from a solar module to an appropriate voltage to power a solar tracker system. The power converter includes a voltage divider having at least two legs, a first semiconductor switch subassembly coupled in parallel with a first leg of the voltage divider, and a second semiconductor switch subassembly coupled in parallel with a second leg of the voltage divider. The power converter may be a unidirectional or a bidirectional power converter. In implementations, the signals for driving the semiconductor switches of the first and second semiconductor switch subassemblies may be shifted out of phase from each other. In implementations, if the bus voltages to the semiconductor switches are not balanced, the pulse width of the driving signal of the semiconductor switch supplied with the higher bus voltage is decreased for at least one cycle. 20 25 20 05 53 28 J an 2 02 5 A B S T R A C T 2 0 2 5 2 0 0 5 5 3 2 8 J a n 2 0 2 5

An advanced system of cooperating solar module carrier robots for installing solar panels is provided. The system includes a computer vision system designed to route the cooperating solar module carrier robots to the solar tracker. The system also includes a robotic arm with a suction cup tool designed to pick up and hold a solar panel. The suction cup tool can include a set of suction cups, an actuator designed to create a vacuum in each suction cup of the set of suction cups. The suction cup tool also has an air nozzle designed to below off debris on a surface of the solar panel.

A solar tracing system includes a torque tube, a first single frame structure coupled to the torque tube, and a second single frame structure coupled to the torque tube. The first single frame structure includes first frame structure first and second module receptacles at opposite sides of the first frame structure, a first pair of solar modules received at the first frame structure first and second module receptacles, a first frame structure coupling flange, and a first frame structure coupling flange receptacle. The second single frame structure includes second frame structure first and second module receptacles at opposite sides of the second frame structure, a second pair of solar modules received at the second frame structure first and second module receptacles, a second frame structure coupling flange, and a second frame structure coupling flange receptacle.

The invention relates to an assembly (1) for a planetary gear (13) comprising a planet carrier (2) with a non-circular central opening (4) and a sun gear shaft (3) arranged coaxially thereto, the outer circumference of which comes into contact with the non-circular central opening (4), wherein the sun gear shaft (3) has at least one protrusion (5) and / or recess (6) in an axial overlap area with the non-circular central opening (4), wherein the planet carrier (2) and the sun gear shaft (3) are riveted together by axially pressing at least one tool (7, 8) into at least one end face of the planet carrier (2) and are axially fixed to each other.Furthermore, the invention relates to an assembly (1) for a planetary gear comprising a planet carrier (2) with a non-circular central opening (4) and a sun gear shaft (3) arranged coaxially thereto, the outer circumference of which comes into contact with the non-circular central opening (4), wherein the planet carrier (2) has at least one protrusion (5) and / or recess (6) in an axial overlap area of ​​the non-circular central opening (4) with the sun gear shaft (3), wherein the planet carrier (2) and the sun gear shaft (3) are riveted together and axially fixed to each other by axially pressing at least one tool (7) into an end face of the sun gear shaft (3).

A counterbalance assembly in a photovoltaic tracking system may include a top bracket secured to a torque tube such that the top bracket rotates with the torque tube about an axis of rotation between a first rotational limit in a first direction and a second rotational limit in a second direction. The assembly may include a bottom bracket secured to a column supporting the torque tube and a stretchable member with a top end connected to the top bracket and a bottom end connected to the bottom bracket. The assembly may include a means for limiting a restorative force applied by the stretchable member to less than a threshold level while the torque tube is between the first and second rotational limits. The means may include a pin-and-slot connection in the top and / or bottom brackets or a linkage between the stretchable member and the top and / or bottom brackets.

The present invention involves a single-axis solar tracker and its drive system having a balanced crank-throw design for mounting photovoltaic panels, and in turn eliminating the need for an underlying traditional mounting bracket, mounting pivot, and / or torque tube. Each photovoltaic panel row rotates about one common rotation axis, while photovoltaic panels are segmented into discrete subsets mounted to simple fixed support bars extended away from the row's central rotation axis in a horizontally opposed crank-throw configuration. The drive mechanism has at least one rotary actuator within or at one or more ends of the row, such as an enclosed stepper slew motor, whose rotation axis defines the common rotational axis of the row.

A solar tracker with orientation corrector includes a torsion shaft (1); a support structure (2) supporting the torsion shaft (1); solar modules, fixed to the torsion shaft (1); drives to provide tracking rotation; and an orientation corrector including at least one correction device (4), with: an arm (5) rigidly joint to the torsion shaft (1) and extending from the torsion shaft (1); and at least one gas spring (6) connected to the support structure (2) and to the corresponding arm (5), such that a rotation of the arm (5) causes the gas spring (6) to act eccentrically on the torsion shaft (1), generating a force that opposes the effect exerted on said torsion shaft (1) by the weight of the modules. It allows the rotation of the modules to be made uniform, preventing distortions with respect to a nominal value.

A counterbalance assembly in a photovoltaic (PV) tracking system may include a top bracket, a bottom bracket, and a stretchable member. The top bracket may include a first connection point, and the top bracket may be configured to be secured to a torque tube such that the top bracket rotates with the torque tube about an axis of rotation. The bottom bracket may include a second connection point, and the bottom bracket may be configured to be secured to a column supporting the torque tube. The stretchable member may include a top end connected to the top bracket at the first connection point, a bottom end connected to the bottom bracket at the second connection point, and an unstretched length that may be different than a distance between the first connection point and the second connection point at zero degrees of torque tube rotation.

A method for installing and assembling a truss foundation to support a single-axis solar tracker. A positioning subsystem determines an orientation of a machine mast's driving axis relative to an intended drive axis and controls the mast to be positioned so that the mast's driving axis is aligned with the intended drive axis of the screw anchor foundation component. After a pair of adjacent screw anchors are driven, the controller causes motion controllers to orient the mast so that an alignment jig for supporting truss apex hardware is held in place relative to the driven screw anchors at a predetermined point in space above them so that upper leg sections can be sleeved over connecting portions of the apex hardware and down on to the driven screw anchors.

The utility model relates to the technical field of gears, in particular to a gear inspection device for a planetary reduction gearbox of a solar tracker, which comprises a bottom frame shaped like a Chinese character'ao ', a disc-shaped rotating disc is arranged above the bottom frame, a rotating shaft is arranged between the bottom frame and the rotating disc, and the rotating shaft is arranged on the rotating disc. And a fan-shaped sliding piece is annularly arranged on the end side of the rotating disc, and a disc groove used for storing a gear is formed in the upper end wall of the sliding piece. According to the utility model, the rotating shaft connected to the chassis rotates to drive the rotating disc connected to the rotating shaft to rotate, and after rotation, the directions of the eight sliding sheets and the disc grooves are alternately switched in sequence, and gears placed in the disc grooves of the sliding sheets are alternately switched to a detection station in sequence, so that the gears are conveniently and flexibly sent to be detected, and the detection efficiency is higher.

A solar tracker includes a plurality of piers, one end of the piers configured for installation in the earth, a plurality of bearings, each bearing supported by a pier, a torque tube received in the plurality of bearings and configured to support a plurality of solar modules, a plurality of drive motors, each drive motor associated with a pier, a plurality of high efficiency gear boxes, each high efficiency gear box associated with one of the plurality of drive motors; and a plurality of brakes, each brake associated with one of the plurality of high efficiency gear boxes and one of the plurality of drive motors, wherein in combination the plurality of brakes apply sufficient braking force to prevent back driving of the torque tube.

The present invention provides a solar tracker having a rotational friction reduction function for upward wind by including a first friction reduction member and a second friction reduction member, which reduce rotational friction when a load of a solar panel is applied, as well as reduce rotational friction in a situation in which wind blows upward.

A drive system includes a ring gear configured to rotate about a first axis; a first articulating joint including a driving yoke, a driven yoke and a spider coupling the driving yoke to the driven yoke, the driving yoke coupled to the drive gear and configured to rotate about the first axis, the driven yoke configured to rotate about a second axis; a first output shaft coupled to the driven yoke and configured to be coupled to a first solar canopy, the first output shaft configured to induce tilt in the first solar canopy; and a pivotable post bracket system coupled to the ring gear, the pivotable post bracket system configured to be coupled to a post and configured to pivot relative to the post.

A solar tracker bearing housing includes a closed hoop and a pier coupler. The closed hoop is formed by a base hoop portion, a first side hoop portion, a second side hoop portion, and a top hoop portion. The pier coupler is adjacent to the base hoop portion. The pier coupler includes a first coupler leg, a second coupler leg, and a coupler bridge extending along the base hoop portion between the first coupler leg and the second coupler leg.

Devices and methods presented in this disclosure may be advantageously employed to optimize power generation and / or increase longevity of modules. In aspects of the invention, switching from backtracking mode to twin half cut module mode depending on angle of incidence and / or diffuse fraction calculations / measurements may increase power generation compared to if only one mode were used. In aspects of the invention, preventing the tracker from generating excess power may reduce temperatures of the tracker and increase longevity of its solar panels.

An integrated system for solar tracking and DC / DC conversion can include a housing with heat sink fins, a DC power supply configured to receive DC power from one or more solar panels and supply DC power to internal components, and a self-powered controller electrically connected to the DC power supply. The self-powered controller outputs control signals to one or more motors to orient the solar panels. The system further includes a plurality of configurable power blocks that are selectively operable as DC / DC converters to perform maximum power point tracking or as DC / AC converters. A battery module is detachably couplable to the housing by a connector and is electrically connected to the DC power supply to provide backup power. The housing can be formed of a heat-conducting material to enable passive cooling. The battery module can include a seal to prevent ingress of debris and fluids.

The invention relates to a single-shaft solar tracker (5) intended to be located in the heads (3) of a plurality of piles (4), wherein the piles are separated by spans and are fastened in the terrain, the solar tracker being characterised in that the shaft (5) comprises at least one flexible connection (1) located at a distance from one of the piles (4) comprised between 5% and 25% of the length of the span in which it is located.

The solar panel support structure shown here will consist of triangular substructures made of wooden posts and beams, with one half of the apex of the triangle hollowed out to allow the panels to be horizontally positioned. The substructures will be installed in rows facing south. A tracking system will be placed on the south side of each substructure and will orient the panels towards the sun throughout the day using a servomotor rotating at a constant speed around an axis parallel to the Earth's north-south axis. A positioning actuator will allow the panels to be oriented according to the day of the year, using a sinusoidal function. This positioning actuator will also be able to horizontalize the panels in case of strong winds and verticalize them in case of hail or snow. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Figure [9].