PV Panel Motion Sensing for Wind-Triggered Tracker Stow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Photovoltaic (PV) systems face catastrophic failures due to inadequate wind monitoring, as current methods rely on expensive anemometers that provide limited and inaccurate data, leading to incorrect wind modeling and increased risk of aeroelastic failures, especially in flexible tracker systems with few actuators.
Innovation Solution
Deploying an array of low-cost accelerometers on PV panels to directly measure movement induced by wind events, processing this data to determine peak wind velocity and direction, and using a computing system to decide when to stow panels, thereby reducing damage from wind events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If expensive anemometers are used to monitor wind conditions, then measurement capability is provided, but cost increases and shading of PV panels occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive anemometers with low-cost accelerometers that can be deployed in large numbers. Each accelerometer is inexpensive enough that hundreds can be distributed across the PV plant, providing redundant measurement capability without significant cost increase. The accelerometers are mounted on PV panels and trackers, utilizing existing structures rather than requiring separate mounting infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a single expensive anemometer, the system creates multiple copies of measurement functionality using accelerometers on different PV panels. These distributed sensors collectively provide comprehensive wind monitoring coverage, with each sensor being a simple, cheap copy of the measurement function rather than relying on one complex expensive device.
2Ease of manufacture
If a small number of sensors are deployed to monitor a PV power plant, then cost is reduced, but measurement accuracy and reliability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The wind monitoring function is segmented from a single centralized measurement point to multiple distributed measurement locations across the PV plant. Accelerometers are placed on individual PV panels and tracker structures, creating a distributed sensor network that captures spatial variations in wind conditions. This segmentation allows accurate localization of wind events and improves overall measurement reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the measurement parameter from direct wind speed measurement (anemometer) to structural response measurement (accelerometer). By measuring the acceleration response of PV panels and trackers to wind loading, the system infers wind conditions indirectly. This parameter change enables use of cheap accelerometers instead of expensive anemometers while maintaining measurement capability.
3Ease of manufacture
If anemometers are placed at limited locations, then cost is reduced, but wind modeling accuracy decreases leading to incorrect wind speed representation
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system is segmented into multiple spatially distributed sensor nodes rather than relying on a few centralized measurement points. Each accelerometer on a PV panel or tracker provides localized wind response data, creating a detailed spatial map of wind conditions across the entire plant. This segmentation captures topographical effects and local wind variations that would be missed by limited anemometer placements.
4Reliability
If PV panels are stowed conservatively based on limited wind data, then safety is improved, but energy production decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements real-time feedback from the distributed accelerometer network to tracker control systems. When accelerometers detect wind-induced motion exceeding thresholds, the system provides immediate feedback to stow affected panels. The feedback mechanism uses data from multiple sensors to make intelligent decisions, stowing only those panels experiencing dangerous wind loads while leaving others operational, thus maintaining energy production while ensuring safety.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach provides more accurate and granular wind data, allowing for timely and precise panel stowing, reducing the risk of damage and increasing energy production by using a distributed network of accelerometers that are less expensive and do not shade the panels.
Implementation Method 1
An array of low cost accelerometers and other sensors for detecting PV panel movement. The accelerometers detect the peak magnitude with a timestamp of the PV panel as it moves
Implementation Method 2
measures movement induced by a wind event
Implementation Method 3
The current solar tracker design methods frequently involve putting the array into a wind stow configuration above a certain wind speed
Data Source
AI summary
Movement of photovoltaic panels is measured using an array of low-cost devices. Accelerometers are mounted on photovoltaic panels across a site to measure wind speed and direction. Time stamped data from the devices is transmitted to a central computing device which calculates a rolling, lagging wind speed and direction. Measured movement of the photovoltaic panels is used to determine when to place photovoltaic panels in a protective stow mode to reduce damage during a wind event.