Multi-Drive Torque Tube Layout for Wind-Resistant Solar Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Single-drive sun-tracking solar power systems face limitations due to high wind loads that can twist torque tubes, requiring either reduced lengths to minimize wind excitation or increased sizes to enhance stiffness, which compromises energy collection and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A multi-drive solar-tracking PV system with torque tube segments of less than 40 feet each, coupled by a torque tube coupler that distributes torsion and bending stresses, allowing for multiple drives to input torque at longitudinally separated locations, thereby maintaining system stiffness and reducing wind excitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If torque tube length is reduced to minimize wind excitation, then wind resistance improves, but energy collection area decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The torque tube assembly is divided into multiple segments (first torque tube segment, second torque tube segment, third torque tube segment) connected by torque tube couplers. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both shorter individual tube lengths (reducing wind excitation) and longer overall span (maintaining energy collection area) by distributing the structure across multiple connected sections.
2Strength
If torque tube size is increased to enhance stiffness, then system stiffness improves, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the torque tube assembly into multiple shorter sections connected by rigid couplers, each individual tube segment can be thinner and use less material while the overall assembly maintains high stiffness through the distributed multi-drive configuration and rigid connections between segments.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple drive assemblies are combined to act on different segments of the torque tube assembly simultaneously. This merging of multiple driving points creates a collectively stiff system where the combined effect of multiple shorter, thinner segments equals or exceeds the stiffness of a single long, thick tube.
3Device complexity
If single motor controls entire torque tube assembly, then device complexity is reduced, but control precision deteriorates under wind loads
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into multiple independent motor controllers, each managing a specific drive assembly作用于 a particular torque tube segment. This segmentation allows each motor to precisely control its local segment, maintaining high tracking accuracy even under wind loads that would affect a single long tube.
Solution Approach 2:
Each drive assembly and motor combination is optimized to provide localized control and support for its specific torque tube segment. This local quality ensures that each segment can independently resist wind forces and maintain its position, with the overall assembly achieving high reliability through the sum of its locally optimized parts.
Data Source
AI summary
A solar-tracking photovoltaic (PV) system having several PV modules mounted on a torque tube is described. The torque tube may include several sections joined by a torque tube coupler. For example, the torque tube coupler may having a medial section and end sections to join to the torque tube sections. The medial section and the torque tube sections may have a same outer diameter.